SXSW 2009: One Night In The Bizarre World Of Perez Hilton

Last night we went to the Perez Hilton “One Night In Austin Party”–the 2nd annual SXSW event where, for one night in Austin, the garishness of Hollywood overwhelms this otherwise earthy Texas town. And from the looks of it, it’s overwhelming Perez, too.

In an abandoned Safeway on the edge of East Austin in a neighborhood where white people once feared to tread, fans from all over the world lined up to see the self-proclaimed Queen of All Media and his plastic pop parade. And like this newly gentrified neighborhood, the host himself had come a long way from his outsider beginnings as a chubby, gay, Cuban kid from Miami. Now, everywhere he went, a flurry of cameras followed. Perez was the main event. So why did he look so unhappy?

It’s simple. Like the stars he stalks, Perez is becoming overwhelmed by his own celebrity. Having every moment of his time spoken for leaves little time for writing, which can take a toll on the quality of the site. And with his fame comes the onslaught of hangers-on, always wanting something from him. Not to mention all those damn cameras constantly being shoved in his face. It’s enough to make a young dude act like a crabby, old queen. One photographer even remarked, as he walked out onstage in his Aretha Franklin hat, that he’s turning into Elton John.

Which was pretty much our experience when we asked him to smile for the picture at the top of the page. He faked the smile, and acted like we had two heads for asking, even though we were sitting in the photographer’s area. It seems at this point, if you aren’t a celebrity or a sponsor, you are basically in Perez’s way. Probably more a symptom of being overwhelmed than true bitchiness. Although when Lady Sovereign announced she wasn’t going to perform because she allegedly lost her voice, Perez did choose to retaliate. “We don’t need that fucking cunt, anyway,” he said onstage to the 1500 people in attendance. 

His mood was lifted, though, when Kanye West decided to show up and surprise everyone with a five-song set at 1:30 in the morning. The crowd was pretty into it, too. Here’s a clip of that performance.

If Kanye West is dropping by your party, you must be carrying some heavyweight Hollywood juice. Let’s just hope it doesn’t get too heavy.

Click on Perez’s shooz to see the stars who came out for Perez Hilton’s “One Night In Austin” SXSW 2009 Party.

Video [Flickr]