During a recent episode of the “Re-Living Single Podcast,” Kim Coles opened up about the tactics gossip outlets use to circulate false narratives under the guise of anonymous tips. The actress warned listeners to think twice before trusting claims attributed to a “source,” noting that her own experience shows how easily misinformation can spread. Coles said the situation stemmed from a completely made-up story that spiraled far beyond her control. In the clip, Coles described being stunned when she first saw the report about herself. “I was in one of the rags,” she said. “A story that was completely untrue, but it was fabricated that this was happening and that was happening.” She later discovered the wording that tabloids rely on is deliberately crafted to keep them insulated from legal consequences. Even when the details are untrue, she explained, their phrasing lets them skate by unchallenged.
Her concerns eventually led to a conversation about it with a major figure within the tabloid industry. The comedian asked how they justify printing blatantly false things. His answer revealed how outlets sidestep accountability. “We don’t say that it’s true,” he told her. “We say that it’s true that someone told us this.”
Coles said buzzwords such as “a source says” or “an insider claims” serve as built-in shields, even when the information is outright fiction. She also noted that some individuals are paid to pass along these fabricated “insider” accounts about celebrities to the press.
Having reported on entertainment for years, I can say from experience that I know someone who is paid by a major entertainment publication to serve as the anonymous “insider” or “source” behind certain gossip stories.
For Coles, the fallout from the false narrative on her could have been devastating. “That could have ruined my life,” she said. “Because that thing that you printed was not true.”
