Perez Hilton is “cautiously optimistic” as he heads to his subpoena hearing in Blake Lively’s suit against Justin Bardoni, who represents himself.
When the media personality (47) realized he couldn’t afford a lawyer in this matter, he was first angry at understanding the law, his rights, and the whole lawsuit.
“I feel like I’m in my Elle Woods era, or maybe Kim Kardashian is studying for the bar,” Hilton told Page 6 in an exclusive interview Tuesday, emphasizing that he “don’t want to deal with the subpoena themselves.”
“Some people think I’m doing this for content. Well, if I had offered a lawyer to help pro bono, I would have jumped at the opportunity.
Hilton, who founded a gossip website for celebrities of the same name in 2004, was summoned to Lively last month.
The actress, 38, believes that Hilton conspired with her co-star and director Bardoni in “It’s End with Us.”
Hilton’s first reaction was to laugh at the summons on an Instagram video. Because he found it easy to navigate given his firm belief in his truth.
He admits that it is “wrong” to not take legal issues more seriously from the Jump, and confesses that the ordeal is a “all-consuming” distraction from both his work and his family.
“I wake up thinking about this. I’m in the shower thinking about this. I play all the scenarios. I’m trying to respond, what will I do next, what will I expect next move,” he lamented.
“If the lawyers had volunteered to help me with a pro bono for free, I would have taken them out… And I have the same lawyers as Justin Bardoni, Brian Friedman, but I know how expensive he is, so I didn’t help him with a subpoena.”
Hilton said he was “not sued,” calling the subpoena “burdened” and “too broad,” claiming that he threatened “journalism sources and work products” and “privileged and protected information,” and that “nothing was wrong.”
After filing the allegations he cried out, Lively filed a cross-motion to force him, claiming that Hilton “does not hold himself back as an independent journalist, and that he does not intend to follow any of the doctrines of independent journalism.”
But according to Hilton, “it’s wrong” because digital journalists “have the same rights to grant protection and privileges as traditional journalists.” He said, “It’s a misrepresentation of the law and I believe that’s what I will discuss in court this Thursday.”
Hilton asked him what he felt before the hearing in Las Vegas, where he lives, and Hilton replied, “A exhausted (and) relief that this would eventually end.”
He said, “And it eased my careful optimism and confidence. I’m proud of all the work I’ve spent on this. The dozens of hours I spent studying law. I did everything I could lead until Thursday.
Hilton “is cautiously optimistic that the law is on his side, and it’s easy for this judge to allow a motion to scream (his) completely,” but he admitted that “anything can happen.”
“It really feels like a real life David vs. Goliath case. David is Justin Bardoni, and in this example, me and Goliath are breaks, her list, very powerful, very well-known, very wealthy husband, who will use their power and money to retaliate against Justin Bardoni and retaliate against me.
According to Entertainment Reporter, Lively is the one who abused Baldoni, and the counter-law suit for its honor and terror was thrown out in June “only for the sake of technology.”
Hilton said, “I think Blake Live misrepresented what happened. I took it a step further. I think she lied. I took it a step further.
He continued, “I didn’t need a point of conversation. I didn’t need to help shape my opinion. She didn’t want to believe it was organic, but that was the case.
However, he emphasized that it was “not Team Bardoni” and rather “the truth about the team.”
Despite the stress, Hilton is grateful to the “Gossip” girl star.
“I want to thank Blake Lively and her attorneys,” he said. “Because of them, I’m stronger and smarter now. I know a lot more about the legal system, the courts, the law, and I’ll use this to make it even better reporter in the future. And it helps me and my job as a journalist.”
