Here’s Why Tabloids Don’t Get Sued For Lying
We all know not to believe everything we read while we’re waiting in line at the grocery store, but have you ever wondered how tabloids get away with lying about famous people 24/7?
Like, how do they not get sued for libel all the damn time?
Apparently, it’s because for the most part, publicists don’t give a fuck.
“Publicists, they’re probably more concerned about who the leak is,” professional gossiper Elaine “Lainey” Lui told Vanity Fair. “If a blind comes out and they know it’s their client, any publicist would probably say their first priority is to find out who’s leaking and shut it down.”
This is also why celebs also don’t sue for blind items — you know, those gossip items that say everything juicy but the name of the person involved.
“That’s why I don’t think blinds bother celebs and publicists as much as overt stories,” Lainey said. “Ultimately, a blind always carries with it a question mark, and there will be people who doubt the legitimacy or accuracy of it. So it’s less of a threat.”
Entertainment lawyer Walter Mosley, who represents both Amber Rose and Blac Chyna, also raised an important point: acknowledging a story, blind or otherwise, will probably make just end up drawing more attention to the headline you want to make disappear.
“Sometimes the strategy is, I don’t want to give this Web site credibility by acknowledging them,” Walter explained. “That’s usually a P.R. strategy that you end up with because the lawyer’s telling you, ‘You’re probably not going to win, and if you do win, it’s going to be so expensive it’s probably not worth it.’ ”
Also, there’s this little thing called the First Amendment which protects our basic human right to free speech. It’s really cool and comes in handy when you publish gossip for a living.
That being said, of course lawsuits do happen from time to time, but for the most part, you can get away with saying whatever the hell you want because it’s not worth the trouble for celebs to pursue legal action.
[H/T Vanity Fair]
