Okay, this story is still going, is it? Well, here's another brief summary: Perez Hilton says Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am hit him at a post-MuchMusic Awards party in Toronto on Sunday night. Will.i.am says otherwise. However, the Black Eyed Peas' tour manager, Polo Molina, has been charged with assault.
Anyway, yesterday we reported that The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) responded to reports, confirmed via a video of the attack, that Hilton had called Will.i.am a "fucking faggot" shortly before getting punched, and called for Hilton to apologise for using such language. Hilton refused and suggested surprise that GLAAD hadn't automatically jumped to his defence. Although given that he was seemingly punched because he was rude about the latest Black Eyed Peas single and not because he's gay, I'm not sure why he'd think they would.
Anyway, he's had a change of heart and yesterday issued a statement saying: "Words can hurt. I know that very well, from both sides of the fence. The other night in Toronto, after feeling physically threatened by a verbally abusive Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas, I chose the most hurtful word I know to hurl at him. I was in an out-of-the ordinary situation and used a word that I would not utter under normal circumstances. I wanted to hurt him with the word I chose, not anyone else. Unfortunately, the one who got hurt was me and, subsequently, a lot of other people".
He went on to berate the media for the way in which the assault was reported, particularly those outlets which have suggested he might have deserved it. We didn't, we just said it was surprising he doesn't get punched more often, so that's fine. You could say there was an element of the pot calling the kettle black in there, but I think he realises that, so we'll let him off. He said: "I have been extremely bothered by the reaction to my assault. Violence should never be condoned with such statements as 'It's Karma.' In fact, several television and radio shows over the past couple of days echoed the sentiment 'He had it coming'. Would they have said the same thing if I was a woman? Would I have 'deserved it' if I had been stabbed? I leave this traumatic experience as a person with more compassion. Specifically, there was an instance last year when actor Jesse Metcalfe was attacked outside of a Hollywood nightclub by a fellow entertainer. I did not condone the violence, but I did make light of that situation. I regret that. Sincerely".
Meanwhile, Hilton's lawyer, Bryan J Freedman has also issued a statement, which seemingly retracts accusations that Will.i.am did any of the actual hitting on Sunday night, but suggests he might still face legal action for any part he may have had in Molina's decision to get fisty. Freedman said: "All persons responsible for this cowardly act of physical violence will be sued and held legally responsible for their actions. First Amendment rights will not be infringed upon through fear, intimidation or violence. Perez will take legal action against anyone who chooses to resort to physical violence as a means to respond to criticism they do not like. are conducting a legal investigation as to whether Will.i.am encouraged and/or instructed Molina to engage in this physical assault".
Proving that his client is ready and waiting to take legal action against anyone who punches him, Freedman promptly filed a lawsuit against Molino, demanding $25,000 in damages for "battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress". Confirming the lawsuit, Freedman said: "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. 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".
Well, it might. Although it's not the first lawsuit to be filed after an assault, so that message clearly isn't coming across to some people. I think it more makes a statement that, if you get beaten up, you can at least make some money out of it.