It would seem that the entertainment industry as a whole thrives on rumours and gossip. We all so love to hear how so-and-so screwed up and that such-and-such is in financial trouble.
So why not start a rumour of your own? It is the easiest way to deflect attention from yourself and your own woes and the best of all, it is entirely safe. Nobody is going to check the facts or bother to trace the source of the rumour.
The point of a rumour is to be able to say, “Did you hear that Joe Soap couldn’t pay for the kit he bought? Don’t quote me on this, but I heard it from someone who knows.” Even if you have nothing against poor Joe Soap, it is a great conversation starter, the other person is bound to say, “Yes, I heard it too and also that Joe’s company is on the verge of bankruptcy…” and off the conversation goes… with each participant trying to top the other. It shows that you are in the know, a person to be reckoned with.
The best time to start a rumour is when you’ve just lost out to a competitor, you can then anonymously accuse them of financial irregularities and sit back and watch the fun, knowing full-well that whistle blowers are a protected species. Anyway, who is going to check?
If you happen to be on the wrong end of a rumour, the last thing you should do is deny it – nobody is going to believe you, so why bother? Start your very own counter-rumour, after all, attack is the best form of defence, isn’t it?
The sad fact is that the above really happens and the maligned has very little recourse. Yes, you could hire a very expensive attorney, go to court and have your name officially cleared. You can write letters to everyone you know stating the facts. You can put ads in the trade press.
The problem is, the brown stuff tends to stick and it is way easier for people to say “…where there’s smoke…” than to actually get off their butts and find out for themselves.
Please, our industry is small, next time you hear a rumour, pick up the phone and find out the facts before spreading the lies. And please tell the person where you heard it – give them a chance to prepare a defence.
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