Must admit I didn't know too much about Perez before CBB but I just came across this interview and it reminded me of how he said he used to be Katie Hopkins.

I can certainly see the similarities here. He doesn't really look happy to me in the role though. I guess the money and notoriety paper over the cracks for a while.

You can sense the loathing coming off the interviewer too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CItsclIYwGQ

It's funny because, watching that, he seems a lot happier than he has in any interview, twitter outburst or tv appearance recently.

He's a nasty, nasty man.

He didn't look happy to me, but who knows?

He's there to be hateful and to be hated back in return. It's rather sad. It's just like watching a Katie Hopkins appearance now, except Perez thankfully didn't (as far as I know) dish out political and social hate, just celeb hate.

But the difference is whilst KH gets negative reactions, she also gets a hugely positive reaction - her appearance on Loose Women and the Late Late show both got almost 100% positive reactions from viewers, including the Loose Women regulars even complaining about the hosts. Perez doesn't get any positive feedback, ever. It's so different.

Perez kept saying "I used to be her" because they both have the "troll" word attached to them, but what they do is very different.

He was a far more successful troll than Hopkins though. Made a lot of loot, global notoriety, millions of hits to his site every day at the height of his "fame".

What do you think is so "very different" about what Hopkins does compared to what he did?

What recent twitter outburst would that be? Or interviews or tv appearances for that matter (CBB specific ones don't count)?


I'm interested in how you're measuring viewer reaction. Do you have access to a special national polling network?


Well you're right that they're very different. Perez went for the over-priveliged. Hopkins goes for the easier targets.

It's worth remembering when some people get 100% good comments it's because millions now ignore anything they say. It's only fans watching.

Ha, that's so obvious I didn't even think about it!

Thanks for that link. He doesn't remind me much of KH. It seems to me that he's just making a big joke of everything, and isn't expecting to be taken seriously.

I found a different video where he explains the reasons for his change of direction here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glRZpHuGj6Q

Credit to him for apologising and speaking so sincerely about growing up and wanting to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem, and also the concerns he had about the potential impact to his business. It really moved me.

He is a nasty man, I cannot understand people criticising Katie Hopkins when he was a lot worse than she is and maybe still is.

I remember a few years ago some fms used to post links on here about what he was saying about some of the CBB/BB contestants and other celebs and they were nasty.

He made a fortune out of being nasty but that's ok because apparently he didn't do that whilst on CBB.

Oh, that's great thanks. It is moving and always good to see someone looking to change and grow up, especially when they're thinking about becoming a parent.

He has real self-awareness and empathy, and he's thinking about the consequences of his actions, which is what sets him apart from Katie Hopkins. He cares, she doesn't.

Thanks very much for the link.

Because I judge just on BB but also I believe people can change and when someone starts to change for the better I think we should encourage that and not keep bleating on about the past or bashing them for things they said several years ago. If we don't do that we are all doomed to stay the same from 15 -death or we will be bashed and beaten for what we said when we were 15 for the rest of our lives despite growing and learning hopefully to be better people.

The BIB, do you have a link to this information?

Does Perez also condemn the vast majority of American citizens, as KH does the British?
I thought celebs were his old targets and hasn't he changed a lot from what he was?

Yes, I agree people do change but I couldn't support him for what had done in the past, he upset many, many people I'm sure. It is also easy to say sorry, anyone can say sorry, it is just a word.

I hope he has changed but I won't hold my breath.

He realised the error of his ways in 2010 and made a pledge to change. Incidentally, did Katie H poach the word vanilla from Perez? His website has changed considerably since 2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glRZpHuGj6Q

Personally, I quite like him. I think he's hyperactive and histrionic in certain situations, but I believe he has a good heart.

I find the comments below his video interesting as they are all very negative apart from one. You can feel the vitriol being spat at him from behind the keyboards. At least he tried to do what he did with a bit of humour. But I think it's admirable that he's recognized his part in feeding into the negativity that is aimed at celebrities. We need more people to set a positive example. There's far too much cynicism and nastiness in the world. Online it seems more and more to be the norm.


Edit - Apologies to Flora_McDonald - I didn't realise you already posted this link

That's ok you criticising those on their keyboards having a go at Perez but it's nothing compared to what he used to do. He used to put it in print. Did he show a good heart when saying all those disgusting things he used to say and do just to make money? No, of course he didn't.

You can't blame people for having a go back, it's happening on here, fms saying disgusting things about Katie Hopkins. She is only doing what Perez did, so maybe she will eventually feel remorse and apologise, who knows?

I don't like either by the way.

Almost 100% positive reactions?! Hmmm, that's not what I seen either on FB or Twitter, it looked pretty split to me. There are a lot of people out there who dislike Katie Hopkins unnecessary cruel insults, and well her in general really.

Perez doesn't get any positive feedback ever?! Seriously? Not what I've seen either, ive seen so much positivity towards him, from people who found him amusing and intelligent and much preferred him to most of the others HMs.

What they do is very different. When Perez was in his nasty (if that's the word) phase he slated celebs and people in the public eye, Katie Hopkins slates mostly vulnerable people and groups, the overweight, jobless, the homeless, rape victims, suicide victims, the parents of Madeleine McCann. The list is endless.

Who is supporting him for what he did in the past ? I think most people who like him likely feel like I do in that we absolutely hate what he used to do, we just believe he was young and making money (so presumably someone liked what he did) and has since changed and moved on. He seems pretty forgiving of people who hate what he did and still can't move on from that from what I have seen too so that says to me he is a good man. Obviously he just needed to realise that to turn his life around.

Looks like it has been several years since he did it too so how long does someone have to change their life for before they are forgiven (if sorry isn't enough) and if sorry and changing isn't enough what possibly could he do to be forgiven ?

It's a bit like in the BB house I thought at one point they wanted blood as proof !

I criticized the negativity behind their remarks, I didn't go down to the level of calling them scumbags etc.

No he didn't show good heart when saying those things, but doesn't he get any points for admitting his mistakes and vowing to do better in future?

I don't think it's constructive to call Katie Hopkins names either. Far better to kill her with kindness IMO She thrives on being disliked

So she says all looked a bit rehearsed to me. But ignoring her might do the trick

Put it this way, if Coleen Nolan had said to her "I forgive you for being nasty about my sister, give me a hug" how would Katie have responded? It's very hard to be vitriolic when people are being kind to you.

I very much agree I do it all the time with my boss, killing him with kindness I always call it

I agree it is far better to kill her with kindness

Er apart from the viewers who still hated her. 100%?