Who could have predicted that making fun of people would become so lucrative? Apparently, not even Perez Hilton, by far the biggest beneficiary in the business of bitchiness. Though he's one of the most influential and recognizable celebrity bloggers today, he wasn’t always so confident about his potential for mass appeal. “When I started my blog,” he says, “I never thought anyone other than my friends would read it, so I feel really lucky to be getting almost 9 million readers a day now.”

Lucky is the operative word, considering that what he does—trash-talks the rich, famous and (usually) beautiful—is pretty simple for any gay guy with two drinks and an easy target. Many have attempted to rival Hilton, but all have paled in comparison to the master of mean. Case in point: More female college students log on to his site than they do MySpace.

He may be incredibly guarded when the cameras are off, but Hilton isn’t too hard to figure out. The self-proclaimed “Queen of all Media” made a (fake) name for himself standing on the sidelines of the world he writes about, and like every chubby homo huddled in the corner of a high school football game, he got tired of quietly sassing the head cheerleader while she flipped her hair and had all the fun. With all his recent creative efforts—including a new clothing line for Hot Topic—Perez is not only putting himself out there for all to judge, he’s making a play to be captain of the squad.

When did you develop a hunger for celebrity gossip?  
I’ve always been obsessed with celebrities and pop culture. It was a great escape when I was younger. It’s something I’ve never lost my appetite for.

Is there one celebrity you like writing about more than all the others?
Who I write about depends on the week. Last week it was definitely Mariah Carey, and the week before that it was Miley Cyrus. That’s what’s so great about what I do: Even I don’t know who it will be.

A clothing line seems a bit random for you, no?
I’m definitely more passionate about music, but I thought it would be a lot of fun to do something in the fashion world.  

How did you hook up with Hot Topic?
I actually contacted them because I think our brands fit well together. Thankfully, they agreed it would be a fun thing to do.

The line launches the same weekend as L.A. Pride 2008. Coincidence?
Yeah, it’s a coincidence. I’ve been to L.A. Pride before, but I’m not really a big fan of parades in general, so I try to avoid it.

Was being so up front about your sexuality ever a question for you?
Nope. It’s never been an issue for me, and it shouldn’t be for other people either.

You’ve outed many closeted celebrities—
It’s not like I’m on a mission or anything.

Then why do it?
I just like to report what I know is true. Some people don’t like what I do, and to them I say, “Don’t read my website!”

Is L.A. where it should be in terms of LGBT acceptance?
Definitely! Especially now that California legalized same-sex marriage. I’m very happy to be living here.  

The right to marry aside, you could blog from anywhere in the world with a Wi-Fi connection. Why L.A.?
I’m from Miami and New York, so to me, Los Angeles is the perfect marriage of both places. If Miami and New York were to have a child, it would be L.A.

Back to your clothing line, how is yours different from other celebrity lines?
Well, I created it with my readers in mind. It was very important to me that all the items were not just good, but also affordable. I didn’t want to do something like the Lauren Conrad collection, which had these ugly dresses that cost $200.

Yeah, that was kind of a disaster.
That’s disrespectful to the fans. All these losers like Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag are coming out with their own fashion lines, and they aren’t good. So, I thought, why not do something that’s actually good, that’s actually affordable, that people will wear? I’m really happy with how everything turned out.  

Has any celebrity done a line you haven’t hated?
I like Elizabeth and James by the Row. That’s the high-end line that the Olsen twins do. Also, I thought Chloë Sevigny’s line for Opening Ceremony was interesting. I didn’t necessarily like every item in it, but she took risks and it was different, so I thought that was cool.  

What celebrity would you love to see wearing something from your collection?
I would love to see Miley Cyrus in my clothing. I think it’s definitely something she would wear. It’s young, fun, and it’s got spunk—just like her!

It seems like you’ve got your hands in all things media, from music production to clothing design to philanthropy to acting. What’s next for you?
Well, I just started hosting my own radio show May 5 on Power 106. Then there’s the fashion line, available in Hot Topic stores June 6. I’m acting in this movie called “Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild,” which comes out sometime in August. There’s my book, “Red Carpet Suicide: A Survival Guide on Keeping Up With the Hiltons,” which is out in October. I’m quite busy these days, but busy in a good way. I love being busy.

You sound busy; I was going to ask you what you do in your spare time, but it sounds like this is it.
I don’t have any spare time! I love music, so I make sure that I go to at least one concert a week, but that’s about it. Oh, and my website.

Marcos Luevanos is Style editor for Metromix Los Angeles.