Just recently, Ian Veneracion and Sue Ramirez hogged headlines being tagged as lovers. Then there’s that story about Dingdong Dantes supposedly getting pregnant little-known actress Lindsay de Vera. Guess how these made the news?
Enter the blind item.
It’s 2021. One would think the archaic tool would be non-existent already. After all, the world has become smaller, with social media opening everything for everyone allowing even the most inept sleuth enough verified info on whomever, whenever.
Can people still hide anything? Maybe.
But the thing is, the above-mentioned "reports" are all-too damaging. Surely, one would be wise to double-check everything first?
Ah, but that is where the blind item proves itself quite useful.
Not only does it protect all those involved from potential lawsuits, the facade also encourages fantastical embroidery, a dash of vulgarity – requisites of an interesting gossip.
In short, a blind item is merely a tool of convenience, particularly in reporting sensitive, unverified, but all-too explosive gossip.
Yes, gossip – salacious, unproven tales made more interesting depending on the personalities involved.
But is the practice ethical?
Who is to say?
Everyone is guilty.
People love gossip. The blind item simply made it big business.
Like Jessie J once said, "It's all about the money, money..."
As to how this came to be, credit goes to William d'Alton Mann, publisher of Town Topics, a New York magazine that made huge moolah out of blind items.
Who would’ve thought, right?
It made Mann powerful, too.
People too afraid to be featured in his blind items started paying him to desist from doing so.
Others who tried hard to dismiss his efforts were allegedly blackmailed.
As destructive as it is, the use of the blind item as reporting tool should’ve ended long ago, but the whole thing persists.
In fact, it is now de rigueur.
Like a venomous monster it simply refuses to die, tirelessly slithering and hissing throughout history, callously destroying reputations along the way, all in the mighty name of plain old filthy lucre.
And who feeds the leviathan?
We do.
Sad but true.