Gossip Cop on Kristen Stewart and the Media

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10:00 am, November 7th, 2009

And now a few words on Kristen Stewart.

Entertainment Weekly had the opportunity to speak with Stewart (and Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner) in Vancouver before “Eclipse” wrapped. As everyone now knows, during the conversation Stewart “got nicely fired up” about constant questions concerning the nature of her relationship with Pattinson.

“I probably would’ve answered it if people hadn’t made such a big deal about it,” Stewart told the magazine, going on to point out that people seem to assume that the choice to become an actor erases one’s right to privacy. Then Stewart gave the comments headlined around the world, “There’s no answer that’s not going to tip you one way or the other. Think about every hypothetical situation: ‘Okay, we are. We aren’t. I’m a lesbian.’ I’m just trying to keep something.”

Smart and media savvy, Stewart knew which word would rock the blogosphere.

And it did.

While it’s surprising that the majority of outlets actually took the time to read two paragraphs and understand the comments’ context, the fact that these same outlets used Stewart’s plea to leave her personal life alone as just another opportunity to keep it in the news cycle is all too predictable.

Of course blogs are going to run with the “lesbian” headline. Few words will grab more eyes. If those eyes happen to read enough of the article to understand Stewart was joking, great. If not – well, they don’t care. They got you to click.

We understand why the media does what it does. Phenomena like “Twilight” and celebrities like the series’ stars are huge moneymakers for the gossip biz. That’s why an entertainment-focused publication like EW raises the “who’s dating whom???” question in the first place, acting, as one of its own commenters pointed out, more like Tiger Beat. And many fans – not all, but MANY – want very intimate details about those stars’ personal lives. If there were not millions of fans who DID care about Stewart’s relationships, the tabloids and the sites Gossip Cop monitors would have no incentive to badger her.

But it doesn’t make it right for them to do so. It just doesn’t.

What Gossip Cop wants, and what we think nearly all of our readers want (judging by your comments and e-mails) is not just honesty in reporting, but also civility and respect.

We don’t think that’s preachy. We think it’s journalism.

We’ve seen the paparazzi’s destructive behavior with Pattinson, Stewart, and dozens of other young celebrities. We’ve seen the relationship between stars and the people who cover them deteriorate. We see increasingly antagonistic bloggers turning otherwise charismatic actors and actresses into pin cushions less willing to open up when it is appropriate and when they do feel comfortable.

And when someone like Stewart speaks out like she did, sites miss the point and keep stoking speculation.

Stewart hinted at as much in the interview. “I’m not going to give the fiending an answer,” she explains.

Her private life – like Pattinson’s, like Lautner’s, like everyone’s – is private. The celebrities who let fans get a glimpse of their lives are the ones who do so willingly and happily. They are not browbeaten or blackmailed into it.

The outlets that circle Stewart like wolves and pounce at every movement bear an unflattering similarity to Bella’s foes.

Let us know what you think.

For accurate celebrity reporting that values information over invasion, check out GossipCop.com, and follow us on Twitter – @GossipCop.