Perez Hilton is an American blogger, columnist, and media personality. His blog is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities, and for posting tabloid photos over which he has added his own captions or doodles.

Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. was born on March 23rd, 1978, in Miami, Florida. Raised by Cuban parents, Mario attended an all-boys Catholic school and grew up in neighborhoods like Little Havana and Westchester. After graduating in 1996, Mario received a scholarship to New York University. Initially, Lavandeira planned to become an actor.

After graduating from New York University in 2000, Hilton attempted to break into the acting industry but soon gravitated towards blogging. He worked as a freelance writer and editor for a number of publications, including the LGBT rights organization GLAAD and Instinct, a gay men's magazine.