Celebrity Gossip or Truth: It Doesn't Even Matter

I knew it!

Thank you, Hollywood Reporter. Reporter Paul Bond wrote it in his story, "Celeb gossip is a hot ticket," so it must be true.

Or is it?

Does it matter if it's true? I know it used to matter.

My gotcha joy began with the first line of the story:

"Here's a shocker. Celebrity gossip is so popular -- and lucrative -- that facts need not get in the way of a juicy story."

Quoting executives responsible for celebrity news, the story assures the reader that everyone is dedicated to the truth. But then it continues:

"Consumers, though, don't care so much about the accuracy of their celebrity news, as long as they can be part of the conversation."

This breaking news came from a conference called EconCeleb last week.

Yahoo Entertainment GM Sibyl Goldman said, "Mistakes are big business. People love reading retractions."

I don't like reading retractions. I like reading news that's true, or at least the product of good reporting.

Access Hollywood executive Rob Silverstein summed up, "People just want to be in the know. They want to know what others are talking about."

Me, too, Rob; but I hope they're talking about what matters.

The generation gap just got larger by the width of jumping a shark.

Comments

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Since the business of gossip and celebrity reporting is about creating stories (even when there are none), is it so different from when the studios would send A list actors on dates and dinners with other A list actors to be photographed purely for the gossip columns, when one of them was gay or already in a relationship with someone else?

The difference is that the studios don't control the BS anymore, the paparazzi, the magazines, and the gossip columnists control the agenda and the rumors. That difference in the shift of power, coupled with the invasive and viral nature of celebrity news/rumors/gossip, means that there's going to be a large portion of complete fiction to satisfy the expanding parasitic industry of celebrity gossip.

[JScott]

Perfect example

Perez Hilton reports that Jessica, Kathy Griffin's assistant quit on bad terms with the comedienne,
later it's found to to be NOT TRUE. Read her blog for the details.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Since K. Griffin's entire career and show is based on trying to create any kind of publicity for herself, (even bad publicity) the story could have been initially falsely fueled by Jessica or Kathy to generate some buzz.

[Mario Almonte - Huffpost Blogger]

Sounds to me like no one was really making much sense about gossip, but simply coming up with excuses that absolved them of their sense of guilt for lacking any professional standards. This sentence also seemed contradictory: "People just want to be in the know. " Apparently, being in the know - from a gossip writer's point of view - doesn't mean people have to know the facts.

[meanguy]

if people stopped wanting to read celebrity gossip, you'd have to parade around in front of each other for attention

[LiberalBuzz]

So the truth means nothing....sounds like they are taking their cue from the Bush administration...or maybe it was the other way around.

Irrespective Mrs Spelling is correct, gossip is one thing, not giving a dman as to whether it is true or not is another. Yes publicity agents do their job by alerting the press to what their client is doing. that is their job, but when gossip columns and magazine simply print whatever they want just to sell mags...well there needs to be criminal laws put into place and none of this crap of malice aforethought. THAT little boondoggle was put into place to protect the liars.

So yeah, I read it here on Huffpost, well about a third of it, but I do expect the truth and now I know not to. That the gossip rags have admitted that they could care less about the truth and therefore I won't believe any of it.

[BlueLogic]

With all due respect Ms. Spelling, you made sure the "unscrupulous" Hollywood gossipmonger press were acutely aware of your faaaabulous and hugely expensive condo that you're moving into after moving out of your faaaabulous and hugely expensive house (you know, the one with the helipad, movie theater, olympic sized pool etc.) So don't wag your jewel encrusted finger when you use the press to suit your needs to maintain your social standing on shows like Extra and E.T. every bit as much as they use you to have something to hoc to us unwashed plebians. The synergistic, sick relationship between Hollywood types and the paps will continue as long as there is money to be made.

[Basil]

Extremely well put Blue.

[ThreeCentsWorth]

Seems as though you like the water cooler talk, too. How do you know about the size of the pool, movie theater or if there's a helipad? Because the gossip press reported it? Therefore, all the stories are true?

[kaseybandit]

Honestly, there must be something better to discuss than gossip.

[JScott]

Hmmm seems to me that's why Ron Powers, original host of Entertainment Tonight quit the show.
Too much sloppy reporting.

[Chip1222]

I can't believe these guys actually admitted in public that the truth doesn't matter. I knew it, too. Glad to see it in print.