Advertiser Ditches Perez Hilton After Blogger Posts Up-the-Skirt Photograph of Miley Cyrus

Filed under: Miley Cyrus,Perez Hilton

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton issued a warning to readers not to click for a photo of 17-year-old singerMiley Cyrus if they were “easily offended.”

The link was to an uncensored, up-the-skirt photograph of Cyrus stepping out of a car, seemingly without underwear.

The posting has consequently prompted many to question if the 32-year-old self-titled “Queen of Media” could face charges pertaining to the distribution of child pornography, and has led to one high-profile advertiser to drop its ads from the site.

Child pornography is defined under United States law as the visual depiction of minor children under the age of 18 engaging in sex acts. The definition also covers photographs or depictions of children’s genitalia, with a conviction on a state or federal level potentially resulting in a maximum 15 year imprisonment and a lifetime registration as a sex offender.

Nonetheless, Santa Monica Criminal Defense Attorney Steve Cron said that it is unlikely that Hilton would even be charged over the incident, let alone be served the maximum penalty. For the issue to be taken any further, prosecutors would need to launch an inquest through the local District Attorney or US Attorney’s office, or Cyrus would have to report it to a police agency.

An insider at the FBI bureau in Los Angeles said that they had received several press inquiries concerning to the incident, but no reports or investigations were underway.

A rep for Cyrus did not respond for comment.

An unapologetic Hilton responded to the controversy with a tongue-in-cheek video post on Tuesday, claiming that while he likes to be “controversial,” he “doesn’t want to go to jail.” He said Miley was “clearly wearing underwear” and the reason he linked to the photo was not because she was without panties, but because he thought she was exiting the car in a very “un-ladylike manner.” Hilton then posted another picture of Cyrus from the same paparazzi set, saying it was proof that she was, in fact, donning appropriate covering.

But if Hilton did nothing wrong, why did he promptly remove the post and delete it from the server?

This is certainly not the first time Hilton has attacked the “Hannah Montana” star. In 2008 he labeled the then 15-year-old a “Disney Whore” and “Disney Slut.”

And although chances are that all the extra attention surrounding the scandal would have given Hilton a temporary boost in traffic, in the long run, such controversy may have serious professional repercussions for the blogger.

ABC, which is owned by Cyrus’s former stomping grounds, Disney, was quick to pull ads for “The View” from PerezHilton.com in the wake of the controversy.

MTV Networks, which is using Hilton’s site to promote a new program on their channel TV Land, told us on Tuesday that at this stage their advertising alliance with Perez “remains unchanged.”

“There has to be a point where these companies that support Perez Hilton, acknowledge that they’re endorsing a scumbag,”

said MRC’s Culture and Media Institute Director, Dan Gainor.

“(The controversy with Miley) is just appalling. Perez Hilton is a cyber bully. Here we are in the Internet age trying to protect children, and he does disgusting things like this for a living – and businesses support it.”

Posted in: June 16, 2010 at 5:49 pm

2 Responses to “Advertiser Ditches Perez Hilton After Blogger Posts Up-the-Skirt Photograph of Miley Cyrus”

1. 2
   Stacy Francis Says:
   November 3rd, 2011 at 6:15 am

   He should face jail, the little garbage digger.

2. 1
   Bikini Heaven Says:
   November 22nd, 2010 at 3:23 am

   Definitely over stepped the mark on this time.