I have a vice in which I’ve put forth legitimate effort attempting to quit. I spend short periods throughout the day, multiple times a day, playing out this filthy habit. I feel dirty sometimes, doing it. It consoles me however, that I am not alone and that there are millions out there, like me, that feel conflicted about their secret, just as I do.

It’s going to take a considerable amount of focus or major shift to get past it. A more likely scenario is that I end up replacing it with another, different addiction.

PerezHilton.com is a menace and force to be reckoned with. A narcissistic, overweight, gay Puerto Rican, Perez named himself, as well as his website, after starlet Paris Hilton and runs one of the busiest celebrity gossip blogs in the world getting upwards to 1000 comments sometimes on one blog post. He posts between 10 and 20 a day. (The following post about Celine skipping out on playing in Halifax gleaned over 700 comments.)

I should know, because I have barely missed one day, or one blog post for that matter, for over a year. The habit of reading Perez is interspersed throughout my daily routine. I’ve gone a few days without but always catch up.

Granted, I find that the buzz wears off a lot quicker than when I first started. I have lost a bit of interest, thank the heavens. So I thought I’d make some sort of use of the obvious time I’ve lost on this addiction of mine.

One thing I am grateful for is that I’ve discovered a number of new, great musicians and artists thanks to Perez. My favorite is Regina Spektor.

From a marketing perspective a reason I enjoy the PerezHilton.com is that this man has catapulted himself into music, fashion and Hollywood fame by blogging about them, trying to “out” celebrities and being incredibly crass and cruel sometimes. The latter two things happening resulted in my saying to myself on a few occaisions “That’s it! I’m not going to read this #@!%& blog anymore.” To no avail of course.

How it can relate specifically to a small business owner is that in terms of websites, you ought to have compelling content and update it frequently in order to make your website really work for you.

The next thing which Prezzers, as he calls himself, does is develop a relationship with his audience/readership. With business owners, the more that you can work towards a relationship with your client through their exploring your website, the better. I’ve had more than one client tell me before they hired me that they had spent over 2 hours going through my site and blog the night before.

The final obvious analogy that I will share from my observance of Perezhilton.com is the brilliant self-promotion that this man has projected. He generates millions from ads on his blogs, he has merchandise, he hosts parties, launches artists and has a tv show. Perez has been featured in magazines all over the world and people send him things in hopes that he will mention their names and/or gift. Unabashed, self-glorified marketing.

Celebrities are afraid of Perez - this is where the marketing analogies end - for his slicing, mean-spirited comments which particularly seem to target stars with addiction issues, mental problems or “Perez perceived” appearance flaws. He lightens it up with posts about charities and asking people to donate.

As I said, I have a difficult relationship with this blog, my addiction, but, frankly today I give thanks for it as it serves as a fine business model for small business owners.

Please don’t consider me shallow or horrible now, just because I admitted my dirty secret. Let he who is without sin….

And there you have it folks, words from an online junkie admitting a problem and reaching out for help, trying to justify it by using a marketing angle and then showing signs of anger, lashing out and finishing by quoting the Bible.

Do you know anyone who reads gossip online?