Consider this excerpt from an article about Mario Lavandeira, the man behind celebrity gossip mega-site PerezHilton.com:
"Even though what I’m doing can be harsh at times or biting or cynical … in my own subservient way I am trying to make the world a better place," he said. "I will push the envelope. I’m not afraid to offend or be dangerous, whatever. Because I can. It’s my Web site. I can do whatever I want."
Even Doogie Howser isn’t safe. Neil Patrick Harris, who played the namesake doctor on the series "Doogie Howser, M.D.," publicly admitted he is gay weeks after Hilton posted an item pleading with the actor to come out. And ‘N Sync star Lance Bass, one of Hilton’s favorite subjects, disclosed his sexuality in July. Hilton wrote, "This has been a monumental year in gay history!! … Come out NOW! Come out in droves!!"
Is Hilton, who gets his scoops from a myriad of in-the-know sources, the most feared blogger in Hollywood?
"Some are (afraid of me), because some are afraid of the truth, and then some love me, because they have a sense of humor and they don’t take themselves too seriously," he said of his celeb friends and foes. "It’s 50-50."
I read the website sometimes, because it’s a good source for gossip, but the idea that it’s doing something to make the world a better place is beyond ridiculous. I wonder, also, if he meant to say “subversive” rather than “subservient”—either way, he sounds like an maroon. And he’s not funny unless I somehow missed the memo that told us that pre-adolescent humor is now back in style. Or unless he’s somehow operating at some meta-meta level that I don’t appreciate, which, as you know, is theoretically impossible, since my entire existence is meta-
He’s also goofy looking, which I suppose is what we in the culture industry refer to as dramatic irony, or just desserts, or what’s good for the goose, or something like that.
