Gossip Boi: Anon

An original feature for ATV Today from 2008 this is Edition Sixteen of ‘Gossip Boi‘. We’ve kept the article on the site as a reference to some of our early home-grown features. This edition looks at ‘being anonymous’.

He’s back. Our London based columnist, Gossip Boi, returns for a new season of columns as he reports all from the scandal laced world of London. Restyled as Gossip Boi, he kicks off his new run as he once again reports from the Streets of London.

There’s one advantage to being anonymous, to no one knowing who Gossip Boi really is – no abuse. As no one knows the true identity of Gossip Boi, as no one knows quiet who he is, I can’t be abused. Abused for what? The Gossip that one has reported on, the scandals retold, the betrayals relayed, the lovers revealed and the bitching exposed. But then again Gossip Boi never mentions names, never gives away the identities of the people he has exposed. Gossip Boi is always careful to protect who they are just as much as he is careful to protect who Gossip Boi is. Fake names and references to those great literacy characters protect the real identities those who have misbehaved.

But why does this matter? Why is Gossip Boi pondering on the wonder of his own anonymousity? Just a few weeks ago Gossip Boi was reading a column in a magazine where the writer was complaining that he wasn’t entirely popular with some people because he had, in this column, written about them. These angry people, who quite clearly knew they were being written about, had confronted the writer in a verifying of places, angry that they had been used in a column. The writer of the column didn’t protect his own identity with a fake name; he even had a photo of himself. It was quite clear to all of who the column just whom the writer was and so, when people were mentioned, he easy to track down.

As Gossip Boi read the column it occurred to him that maybe some of those featured in his column had recognised themselves. Maybe the Romeo of the early editions realised he was being written about online, his betrayals revealed to all. But as these people would have great difficulty working out just who Gossip Boi is and it’s for this reason Gossip Boi will continue to remain anonymous and continue to reveal gossip that is one’s function after all.

This weekend saw Gossip Boi venture out once more to the clubs with a circle of ‘friends’ who were all determined to get drunk and have a good night. Drunkenness leads to foolish behaviour and secrets tumbling out however, as people relax more and think less of the consequences of their actions. Amongst the circle of ‘friends’ were two who had recently split up and there was a difference of opinion amongst the group as to why, which sparked Gossip Boi’s interest. According to the friends one of the halves, their relationship had ended due to the possessiveness of the other half. But the injured party’s friends claim the relationship ended for different reasons. To stop things from getting difficult Gossip Boi will refer to them as Mr. Flirty and Mr. Shy, as these names adapt and describe their characters. Mr. Flirty claimed that Mr. Shy was a very jealous and possessive boyfriend. But Gossip Boi is an observer of human nature, he watched and studies. He notices things that others may not.

Mr. Flirty was living up to the title Gossip Boi has given him; he was flirting with anything in trousers right in front of Mr. Shy. If Mr. Shy was really the possessive and jealous person he’s been portrayed to be he wouldn’t have stood by and watched Mr. Flirty continue with his antics. Relationship or no relationship he would have challenged Mr. Flirty but he did not. It seemed to Gossip Boi, observing the flirty one that he was actually the possessive one and he was trying to control the Shy one by making him jealous, flirty wanted a reaction that he just wasn’t getting. Flirty wanted to prove he still had power over Mr. Shy but his power was seemingly broken. While he continued to claim the relationship was possessive on the other half Gossip Boi saw a power trip on Flirty’s behalf and perhaps the real reason the relationship ended, Flirty wanted someone else.

Human nature is so interesting to observe and study and long may Gossip Boi continue to report all to you but also long may be remain anonymous.

Gossip Boi

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