Alright, I want to know which one of you did this

[gdelgiblueeyes]

There are some entertainment blogs and gossip columns out there that specialize in what are called "blind items." A blind item, for the uninitiated, is a news story, typically in places like those I just mentioned, in which the details of the matter are reported while the identities of the (usually famous) people involved are not revealed. In this blog age, everybody likes to throw in their tuppence on who the people in the blind might be, because it's never not been fun to speculate about the sordid lives of rich celebrities and feel better about our mundane ones by comparison.

Well, one of the major blind item-focused blogs on the Internet just posted this.

Quoting from the link above:

One closeted half of one of the best bands ever was having an affair, rivaling that of Shakespeare, with his long dead bandmate. The two first met prostituting when they were around 15 as they were incredibly poor. When that backfired, one suggested mugging dudes in back alleys but the more violently perceived one couldn't do it, so they started an empire.

Despite the fact they were estranged for the late halves of their lives, they often booked rooms in hotels under different names and their public feud was just for show, much like most of their lives. As well as this they ghost wrote some of the most famous songs ever for each other, and called each other regularly. Their relationship in its day, though not public was an open secret, especially to their rock buddies who admired the couple greatly.

The wife of the deceased member of this couple has no idea and would probably scream if she found out. The wife of the other knew about it, supported it and just wanted her husband to be happy even if that meant abandoning the kids.

During their reign, they threw bricks at each-others windows, tried to fight each-others girlfriends, publicly screamed about how much they missed each other at parties, spiralled into depression, took copious amounts of drugs and alcohol, and were planning to "reunite" and get a old man farm together before one half's unfortunate death.

The alive one, who is considered a bit lame, still loves his other half immensely and plans to release a tell-all once the banshee dies as he wants to preserve their relationship and finally tell the truth about the ordeal.

Truly a sad story indeed.

I don't think I need to draw you a picture of who this blind is about. Anyone in this community could spot the clues a mile away. (Shit, just realized that making it blind item "#9" that day is another total giveaway.) Now, it would be one thing if it was just the bare details, but this particular item verges into speculation that has never been confirmed (and, at least so far as I know, is false) -- speculation that I've only seen in this community.

I'm not going to judge or punish, there's not much I could do on either count anyway, but I want to know which one of you thought anonymously submitting this to a major entertainment blog -- that I know for a fact is read (and occasionally authored) by celebrities -- was a good idea.

It's one thing to try and prod the truth out (although there is certainly a time, place, and method for that which would be much more ideal); it's another to include unfounded bullshit in the process, and to possibly hurt other people (some of whom may or may not be part of this community) who might be sussed out as potential sources of privileged information.

Comments

[june_miller]

About the prostitute and "extremely poor" angle. Blind Items generally do that to avoid being too obvious and to avoid possible lawsuits. The prostitution theory, which is way too far fetched for me, was brought forward by lorettamartin because Paul delivered papers for two months in 58.(newsboys was some sort of slang for male prostitues in Liverpool God knows when) . And while she is fantastic in some of her insights about their personalities, I don't believe in most of her theories like this one.

[borrellsuau.livejournal.com]

I think you are referring to the Cleveland Street scandal, the 'telegraph boys' scandal, that happened in fin-de-Siecle England, so it is way too far-fetched, as you said. And it happened in London, not Liverpool. So, unless I'm unaware of something similar happening way later in late 50s Liverpool, it makes no sense to say that because Paul worked for a time delivering newspapers he was a prostitute. Idk this 'blind item' thing just seems extremely stupid to me and I hope that those who will read it won't take it as TheTruth. However, my hopes have hit rock-bottom since I've noticed several of the most popular beatles/mclennon blogs on tumblr make their everyday goal to spread fake information and plenty of people believe everything they say. I've just read someone in this thread repeating all of this misinformation, thankfully no one in here seems to take them seriously. Please, please let's be individuals and think as such! And let's not forget we're talking about real people here and not characters, plenty of young (and some old) fans seem to forget that