Office gossip goes global
Richmond’s film-production industry may be the first industry to have its dirty laundry hung out for the world to see. Just a click of the mouse brings “Tales from the Grips”—a collection of dishy odds-and-ends—to the computer screen.
Jerry Williams, a writer, producer and self-proclaimed voracious gossip, freely concedes he created the Web page to promote his name and his work. He also posts movie reviews—a flashback to his work as a Style magazine movie critic.
“I thought I’d take advantage of my reputation,” he says. If there’s breaking news in the business, people know they can call him for the scoop, he adds.
Gossiping about others has always been an attempt to get ahead, but this presents a new angle to the old practice. If other businesses follow, the Web could broadcast water-cooler talk to anyone who wants to listen—with graphics, no less. Discretion in the workplace could be a thing of the past.
Things aren’t that bad yet. So far, Williams’ subjects have consented to let him share their news.
“I haven’t gotten a good piece of dirt yet,” he says. But hey—the Web Site has only been up since mid-February.
For Williams’ vague and not -so-vague tidbits on the production world, curious Web surfers can visit http://www.tvjerry.com.
--K.M.