Will.I.Am has a new interview in Elle Magazine that has been offending pretty much everyone. Since I never really cared about Will as a person, I think this is the first interview I’ve ever read with him… and good God, he is a screwed up person. He claims he didn’t masturbate until he was 19, how it’s “tacky” for women to have condoms and how everything is better with a baby wipe. It’s all… really gross. The full Elle piece is here (there’s a lot of stuff about his mother, all of which just screams “mother issues” to me), and here are the highlights:

ELLE: Who from popular culture did you fantasize most about as an adolescent?
will.i.am: Who’s the lady that did “cuchi-cuchi”? Charo! I loved me some Charo. Back in the ’80s, she was everywhere—The Love Boat, Fantasy Island.

ELLE: I have a pet theory about Fantasy Island—that it was created to provide, uh, bathroom fodder for 14-year-old boys.
W: I didn’t do that until I was 19.

ELLE: Really?
W: Yep. I think my mom had a big role in it. It was a subject we never talked about growing up.

ELLE: I don’t imagine many mothers encourage their sons to do that sort of thing. From talking to other men, did you ever consider that you might be less sexual than other guys?
W: To me, sex isn’t like an extracurricular activity that you do because you’re [feeling amorous]. Because I was raised around girls, I think I’ve adopted that perspective on sex. When you’re with somebody and you love them, then you’re going to do it and you’re going to do it a lot. On tour, the band started calling me G. S., for the Good Samaritan.

ELLE: Do you think there are women you’ve dated who have told their friends, “I just cannot for the life of me get into this guy’s pants”?
W: Yeah, I’m pretty sure there are women I’ve dated that are probably like, “What’s up with him?”

ELLE: If you walked into a woman’s house, what one item would convince you that you weren’t compatible?
W: If she had condoms in her house, that would just f-ckin’ throw me off. That’s just tacky.

ELLE: Well, okay, I could see if she had a candy bowl full of them on the coffee table. But if she’s got a few in a drawer, wouldn’t that simply suggest she’s health-conscious?
W: I just think, like, if you’re into someone and you guys get to that level, then that’s something you should converse about together and say, “Hey, maybe we should get some.” Another pet peeve is wet sinks.

ELLE: Wet sinks?
W: Yeah, like a wet sink. You don’t wipe the sink after you use it? Dry it off! And if she’s got only dry toilet paper and no baby wipes next to the toilet. You ain’t got no baby wipes?

ELLE: I’ve heard about this particular deal breaker before. Why is that a big deal to you?
W: Here’s proof on why people should have baby wipes. Get some chocolate, wipe it on a wooden floor, and then try to get it up with some dry towels. You’re going to get chocolate in the cracks. That’s why you gotta get them baby wipes.

[From Elle]

You know what else is tacky? Will.I.Am. Other things that are tacky: men who want your biscuits to smell like baby wipes, men who turn in to massive bitches over wet sinks, STDs and AIDS. Ladies, do not listen to Will. Carry condoms in your purse, and have them in your bedside drawer. Trust me. Oh, and ladies? Don’t even think of sleeping with “Mother Issues” Will.

Your move, Terrence Howard.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Will.I.Am showed up at the MTV Video Awards’ pre-show in “blackface.” Sort of. Is it weird that when I saw these photos, my first reaction wasn’t “I’m so offended” but actually “Oh, I bet he was going for a consistent fashion statement – black jacket, black makeup, it makes the glasses pop.” Do you think Will did it without really knowing he would offend people? That he was just going for a “look” rather than a political statement? Or do you think he knew what he was doing and was trying to get attention? Eh.

Will.I.am has caused controversy by attending 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in an “all black everything” ensemble. The Black Eyed Peas star wore black outfit from head to toe, literally, with his face painted dark.

Apparently learning that his choice of fashion style has offended some people, will.i.am quickly wrote on his Twitter to downplay the issue. He started his self-defense, “1st. just because I where all black including head mask as expression and emphasize my outfit, it shouldn’t be looked at as racial…”

“Let go of the past. there are far more important things 2 bark about. (Jobs, health, education) not a black man wearing all black everything,” he continued. “Are you guys serious? my outfit set ‘black people back 100 yrs’ choose your twits wisely. no education sets people back, no jobs, bad health.”

While some people slammed will.i.am, Lil Duval took it as a comedy. “I think will i am took a dip in the oil spill for that performance,” he posted on his own page, referring to the rapper’s “Check It Out” performance with Nicki Minaj. Duval later on added, “I’m a comedian people so if u get upset u look real stupid.”

Blackface first gained popularity during the 19th century and typically promotes racist stereotypes toward African Americans. Earlier this year, Estelle also came under fire for using black paint to cover her body and face in “Freak” music video. At that time, she responded to the controversy, saying “I’m black, so how do I do blackface? Missy [Elliott] did the same thing [with her video]. She’s a B***h. I refuse to defend it, I didn’t put any white ring around my mouth – never that.”

[From Ace Showbiz]

Yes, I can see how some people would be offended, and I understand that point of view. But I can totally see how Will would do it just thinking about the fashion and styling aspect of it, and how he’s not making a comment about race whatsoever. Eh. Also, does blackface always equal racism? Even when it’s done to make political or fashion statements? Weird.

Here’s Will.I.am performing with Nicki Minaj on the pre-show:

I had no idea there was drama within the Black Eyed Peas! Did anyone else know that? According to Radar, Fergie and Will.I.Am have some kind of historic beef with each other. Alright, maybe not “historic” but it sounds like they’ve been fighting for a while, and the sources seem to hint that Will is some kind of egomaniac. Him? Okay. Radar claims that it’s gotten so bad, Fergie is “on the verge” of leaving the Peas. Partially because of Will, and partially because she wants to have a baby.

Fergie is on the verge of leaving the Black Eyed Peas permanently as tension in the band has become intolerable for her, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively. The band has a full tour schedule for the summer and is planning a tour for early 2011. But Fergie won’t commit for that part of the tour, we learned, and the reason is she’s talking about leaving the band for good.

Fergie can’t stand Will.I.Am and that is one of the main reasons she wants to leave the band, a source close to them told RadarOnline.com exclusively. The other reason is she’s decided she wants to have a baby!

“Fergie is saying she wants out of the band and the second half of the tour isn’t confirmed for early next year,” the source said. “Things have gotten really bad with Will.i.Am. And it’s not just Fergie who is clashing with him. So is the rest of the band. His ego is out of control. Fergie just wants to get away from the whole thing.”

Fergie has kept the news so secret that very few people know and she is not ready to make the announcement right now, the source told RadarOnlne.com.

“I don’t know if she’ll admit or deny it when it leaks out, but I do know that it’s 100 percent true, she’s got everything planned out and she says she can’t be convinced to change her mind,” the source told RadarOnline.com.

“And she really wants a baby with Josh,” the source said, referring to Fergie’s husband Josh Duhamel. “Between that and the bad blood with Will, it looks like the 2011 tour is in big trouble and she’s saying she’s going to split for good.”

The Black Eyed Peas are currently in the midst of a world-wide tour that includes stops in France, Greece, Ireland, Canada, and the United States this summer. The group formed in Los Angeles in 1995. It’s composed of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Will.I.Am and vocalists Apl.De.Ap, Taboo, and Fergie.

The group scored their first worldwide hit with Where Is the Love? in 2003. Another single was the European hit Shut Up. Their album Monkey Business was another worldwide hit, certified 3x Platinum in the U.S., spawning two hit singles My Humps and Don’t Phunk With My Heart.

In 2009, the group became one of only eleven artists to have ever held the number one and two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time with their singles Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling, from the album The E.N.D., and the singles also topped the chart for an unprecedented 26 consecutive weeks combined in 2009.

The album later produced a third Hot 100 number one with Imma Be, making them one of the few groups to ever place three number ones on the chart from the same album. The album also includes singles such as Meet Me Halfway and Rock That Body. The group has sold an estimated 35 million albums worldwide and 41 million singles, and 76 million copies with both sales combined.

[From Radar]

I also didn’t know the Peas were that successful. Is it just me, or are they not that great? I watched the Peas perform on the opening ceremony of the World Cup, and I was blown away by how bad they sounded, how… I don’t even know the word. Like they weren’t in sync, musically. Sh-t just didn’t sound cohesive, I guess that what I’m trying to say. Maybe part of it is that the band is having some internal struggles. Who knows? If Fergie leaves, I think she’ll have a great solo career, though.

Will.i.am has issued a thoughtful and measured statement about the attack on Perez Hilton outside a Toronto Club over the weekend, allegedly by Polo Molina, the manager of Will’s band The Black Eyed Peas. Perez was quick to cry victim after the incident, in which he was he was punched in the face by a bystander after he called Will the anti-gay f-word. In contrast, Will.i.am put out two very reasonable video blogs explaining his role in the situation. He claims he simply asked Perez to be more respectful of his band and his friend Fergie, and that he was treated to the f-word for it. Will said that he had no role in the attack on Perez and that it was misleading for Perez to tweet that he was responsible.

In response to all the media coverage of the incident, Will.i.am has issued a very straightforward statement condemning both violence and verbal attacks. Again, he is coming across as the more astute party. Compare Will’s simple statement, below, to Perez’s long non-apology in which he continues to play the victim:

I will not continue to comment specifically on the incident that happened in Toronto last weekend… But I would hate for my silence to be misconstrued… I do not condone harassment or violence of any kind…

No one deserves physical abuse…
And no one deserves verbal abuse…
No one deserves that…

Everyone needs to be respected…
And no ones name should be slandered in the name of hate and disrespect…
And fyi…”not every black man is a thug”…

As far as character allegations made against myself,
The members of the Black Eyed Peas,
And members of our management…
I believe that the truth will speak for itself once the details of the events are fully presented.

Hateful slurs…
Racial or gay should not be used as verbal weapons to provoke violence…

Let us all learn from the events that happened in Toronto…
That situation has already taken valuable time, energy,
And attention away from more important,
And in some cases, devastating issues happening in our world.
Thank you…
will.i.am

[From Will.i.am via Just Jared]

Perez justified calling Will a f*g by saying “I made the split second decision that I was going to say the worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear.” The word “thug” is considered by many people to be a racist term. What’s more is that Perez implied that “thugs” are necessarily homophobic.

Perez is predictably suing the manager of the Black Eyed Peas for hitting him in the eye several times. He’s asking for over $25,000. Of course he never should have been hit, but I hope he doesn’t get a dime and incurs significant legal fees:

The celebrity blogger, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, sued the Peas’ road manager in Los Angeles for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking unspecified damages of more than $25,000.

The suit states Hilton is seeking to protect his rights to free speech and claims Polo Molina attacked him because he made critical comments about the Black Eyed Peas’ new album. Molina was arrested in Toronto early Monday after he allegedly punched Hilton following a heated argument between the blogger and Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am.

An e-mail sent to the group’s publicist was not immediately returned Wednesday. Molina is due to appear in court Aug. 5.

“Perez Hilton was assaulted by the band’s road manager because he would not agree to stop writing about the Black Eyed Peas on his Web site Perezhilton.com,” Bryan Freedman, Hilton’s lawyer, said in a statement. “Whether you love Perez or hate him, he is entitled to his freedom of speech without fear of physical violence. This lawsuit will make the statement that violence is never the answer.”

The lawsuit details the events leading up to Molina’s alleged attack on the blogger.

The complaint states Black Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie approached Hilton on Saturday and asked why he was writing “mean” things about her and the group. Hilton replied that he was “simply being honest and truthful about his opinions of them,” according to the lawsuit.

On Sunday, Hilton claims he was pushed by an unidentified member of the Black Eyed Peas’ entourage, who “slammed his shoulder into Hilton’s shoulder and thereafter pushed him.”

The lawsuit claims Fergie again approached him at an afterparty for the MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday night and that his argument with will.i.am happened at another party. The lawsuit claims the blogger was trying to leave that party when Molina punched him at least three times.

“Lavandeira sustained injury to his eye and was bleeding as a result of this violent and malicious attack,” the lawsuit claims.

His damage claims include medical costs and damages due to “humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional and physical distress.” The lawsuit also claims that Molina is on probation in California for a drunken driving conviction under his real name, Liborio Molina.

[From AP via the Huffington Post]

In his statement following the attack Perez expressed outrage that some suggested he “had it coming,” asking “Would they have said the same thing if I was a woman?” He also brought up the brutal beating of Rihanna while being interviewed on a Toronto radio station (link to audio) and said he was always sympathetic to her on his blog, as if that had anything to do with getting beat up outside a bar for hurling a slur at someone. There is very little comparison between the two, in my opinion. The guy was talking smack and he got punched for it. As Kelly Clarkson said “I don’t think anyone should be punched and I’m not about violence but I see why someone would do it.”

Will.i.am and Fergie are shown performing on 6/13/09. Perez is shown on 6/15/09. Credit: WENN.com

Perez “my eye is falling out” Hilton posted an indignant 11 minute video rant on his blog yesterday in which he expressed outrage that the manager of the Black Eyed Peas punched him in the face after he called musician Will.i.am the anti-gay f-word multiple times. Perez is a gay man and admitted that he used the slur after making “a split second decision that I was going to say the worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear.” He stupidly added “I knew it was going to set him off but I didn’t want to get into a fight with this person.” Will.i.am said that he didn’t attack Perez and explained in a calm video blog on his website that he thought a fan must have hit him after witnessing the incident. He elaborated in another video segment that he didn’t punch him at all and that it was unfair to accuse him of it.

Now the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, GLAAD, has issued a call for Perez to apologize for using the F word, which is one of the most hateful anti-gay slurs out there. (We are sorry for printing this word in full yesterday and will include an asterisk in the word in the future, as per GLAAD’s request.)

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has asked Perez Hilton to apologize for slurs he hurled at Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

GLAAD was responding to a video posted by the celebrity blogger, whose legal name is Mario Lavandeira, in which Hilton gave his version of events after Will.i.am posted a video describing their recent confrontations at and after the MuchMusic Video Awards. Said Hilton in his video: “I made the split-second decision — that I was gonna say what I thought was the worst possible thing that thug [Will.i.am] would ever want to hear” — which was a handful of assorted F-bombs.

Rashad Robinson, GLAAD’s senior director of media programs, said: “These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community. For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, ‘The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,’ is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes.”

“We have reached out to Hilton and asked him to apologize for promoting this anti-gay slur, and we would ask media outlets to avoid repetition of the slur in their coverage of this story.”

[From LA Times via PopCrunch]

Reader jm noted yesterday that Perez was being a hypocrite along with a bigot because he’s “the same guy who launched that crazy hate campaign against Isaiah Washington from Grey’s Anatomy ([for] using the f word).” Why would he call someone the F word after rallying against it? It doesn’t make sense and there seems to be some kind of self-hatred going on there. Will.i.am’s measured, much more believable account makes it seem like Perez way overreacted. That really seems to be the case especially since we can see that he’s continuing to overreact in his response to the incident. He didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with throwing the F word out there as if it was a legitimate response to being asked by Will.i.am to be more respectful to his band and to his friend Fergie.

TMZ has the video of Perez’s outrageous slur and there were plenty of people watching. It’s not surprising that someone thought the best response to his out of control outrage was a beat down. Do you think he’s going to apologize or will he continue to play the pouting, wronged victim? Still nothing on his website, but it’s early on the west coast.

Here are photos of Perez, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas at the Much Music Awards in Toronto on 6/21/09. Credit: PRPhotos.

Perez Hilton has recorded an 11 minute account of his alleged argument with Will.i.am and subsequent attack by the manager of the Black Eyed Peas. If this wasn’t my job, there is no way I would sit through the entire video. Perez pouts like a small child and gets all worked up. He says that he had a verbal altercation with Will.i.am at a club after the musician told him not to write about his band on his website. Perez then called Will.i.am a “fag” multiple times but adds “I didn’t want to get into a fight with this person.” He sounds truly indignant and upset that he finally got a beat down outside the club by the manager of the Black Eyed Peas:

“I’ve been doing this for five years now and nothing like this has ever happened to me.”

“Will.i.am made a video and he lied. Will.i.am is a coward and a disgusting human being for lying.”

“I have 10 million plus people that visit my website every day. I don’t need press, I don’t need publicity. I don’t need or want this. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t deserve this. I like writing about other people’s drama, I don’t want drama in my own life…

Will.i.am [according to Perez] “I need you to never write about my band on your website again…”

“He’s like ‘you need to respect me…’”

“‘You know what, no… I don’t respect you.’

“That’s when I made the split second decision that I was going to say the worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear. I was standing my ground without being violent or physical which I would never do.

“I told him, ‘you know what, I don’t need to respect you, and you’re a fag. You’re gay and stop being such a faggot.’

“I knew it was going to set him off but I didn’t want to get into a fight with this person.

“We leave the club. As soon as we leave, there’s Will.i.am again outside the club. He followed us outside.

“Then his manager, Polo.. from behind comes up to me, clocks me in the eye right here and punches me two or three times…

“I am in shock… I touch my eye and it was bleeding. I think my eye might be falling out of my head…

“Nothing like this has ever happened before. It is unacceptable and talk about unprofessional…

“Will.i.am f’ck you, you f’cking lied, you f’cking motherf’cker.

[Roughly transcribed from video posted on Perez Hilton's site]

Violence is never the answer and no one deserves to get hit. That said, it’s ripe hearing Perez call people unprofessional and getting all upset that someone punched him. He’s been trash talking people for years and this kind of seems inevitable. I love how he claims he thought his eyeball was going to fall out.

Will.i.am’s video, in contrast, has him saying calmly that it didn’t go down that way:

“This dude twists it and says that I assaulted him, when I was the one who came to him with respect and he was the one that called me a faggot outside the club.

“I hit you Perez? Come on dude I didn’t hit you…

“Apparently you were bleeding outside the club. I was like next you to by a tree waiting for my car. instead of calling the police you twitted that I assaulted you.

“Sounds like somebody wants mad attention and is not really concerned about his health. I didn’t hit you and this is very wrong that you are twitting that I did that. Once again disrespecting me and everything I stand for…

“Shame on you… that’s just messed up.”

[Transcribed from Will.i.am's video posted on Dipdive via TMZ]

Team Will.i.am all the way. He is telling the truth – he didn’t hit Perez. Maybe he doesn’t even know his manager is the one who did.

Here are a bunch of screenshots from Perez’s video.

Perez Hilton was in Toronto hanging out with Lady Gaga when he had some sort of altercation with Will.i.am and his bodyguards. He tweeted that he called the police and his lawyer following the alleged incident. He also said he was bleeding as if it was some kind of urgent matter, but seemed more focused on filing a police report and didn’t mention that he needed medical attention at all:

The Toronto police are here now. Thank you. Please stop calling them.
28 minutes ago from Sidekick

I spoke to my lawyer. I really need to talk to the authorities. Please come to the SoHo Met Hotel. Have called the police. Need them here.
about 1 hour ago from Sidekick

Still waiting for the police. The bleeding has stopped. I need to document this. Please, can the police come to the SoHo Met Hotel.
about 1 hour ago from Sidekick

I was assaulted by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and his security guards. I am bleeding. Please, I need to file a police report. No joke.
about 1 hour ago from Sidekick

I’m in shock. I need the police ASAP. Please come to the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel now. Please.
about 1 hour ago from Sidekick

Is there a gay bar that we can go to with GaGa now that like has a balcony or some place to have fun but be safe?
about 4 hours ago from Sidekick

[From Perez Hilton's Twitter via Huffington Post]

Look at the series of tweets – Perez first says he needs the police, not an ambulance or medical attention, and seems more concerned with documenting the incident than taking care of himself. If he was hurt badly he would have gone to the hospital, not to the cops and his Sidekick first. I’m not saying it’s not legitimate, it might have been, but it’s hard to take anything this guy writes seriously. This seems like just the kind of thing that will keep his name in the press after all that fuss over Carrie Prejean died down. The way he got so self righteous and worked up over that whole incident made me want to take Prejean’s side at first even though I didn’t agree with her at all. We all know how that ended, but the point is that this is not a sympathetic character. You can bet he’ll be talking about it soon. It’s curiously not up on his website yet, though.

Perez Hilton is shown at the B96 Pepsi Summerbash in Bridgeview, Illinois on 6/13/09. Credit: C.M. Wiggins/WENN.com