Interviewed students expressed mixed reviews but no one criticized the decision to allow this campus to be used as a production site for scenes for an episode. And many of those watching the shooting, probably didn’t know that a full-time Hunter student was making her debut as a reoccurring character.
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Gossip may be just a six-letter word in the dictionary, but its presence in certain social settings can be powerful. A full spectrum of its might can be seen on CW Television Network’s Gossip Girl, a series about the high school angst of some very, very affluent teens.
Several students were interviewed about their opinions of the show and gossip in general after the production company left the Hunter campus. “I thought that was pretty cool that they came to Hunter. It revealed gossip up close and personal, which is something people need to be more aware that they are taking part in,” said Ashley Burnside, 21, of Upper East Side Manhattan.
Faithful viewer of Gossip Girl, Sharony Scheer, 21, of White Plains, who claimed never to have missed an episode, was also excited about the filming on March 24th, 2008. “I like the show a lot because it is really entertaining to watch all the drama that I don’t have to be a part of for once,” said media major Scheer outside Hunter’s cafeteria, where she was wearing a black dress and leggings.
Another viewer of the show, urban studies major, Steven Tiniski, 22, of Brooklyn, said that even though the show is based in a high school environment, gossip occurs everywhere. Standing outside Hunter West, Burnside said, “Gossip most certainly is an issue. It’s not just a bunch of middle school and high school girls spreading rumors in the girl’s bathrooms as seen on the show. Gossip is among all ages and all social groups.”
Although these students followed the show, and claimed to enjoy the drama that occurred, they did agree that gossip is a serious issue. “I definitely believe Gossip Girl sugar coats gossip in school because it is even more cut throat and cruel in reality. The show just gives you a little taste of what upper class girls are really doing,” said media studies major Burnside dressed in jeans and a blouse.
With today’s technology, gossip can spread faster than ever. Cell phones and text messaging are major players. As seen in several episodes of Gossip Girl, characters like Chuck and Blair turn to their LG’s before anyone else to wreak revenge. Text messaging reaches larger audiences and spreads the word much faster than gossiping among single groups.
“The internet and cell phones without a doubt are key contributors to school gossip. Before text messaging became big, a lot of gossip would travel through instant messaging after school, where at least the victim had time to prepare for rumors the next day, but now text messages spread the word right in school,” said Raquel Gabbai, 20, of Brooklyn.
An article published in the New York Times on March 28th, Weaning Teenagers off Gossip, for One Hour at a Time. It discussed how Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls on Long Island deals with the issue. Each day an announcement is made to remind students that for one hour, they must refrain from gossiping.
Gabbai, dressed in jeans and a jacket on the third-floor of Hunter North, said, “Teachers and school officials need to speak about it more, and make kids aware of the harmful side effects.” In reference to the New York Times article, this junior sociology major said, “It’s really great to hear that some all girls schools are fighting against gossip and dedicate time and certain practices to alleviate it.”
However, gossip does not only exist among girls, said Tiniski, who wore jeans and a blue shirt. Graduating this spring, Tiniski said, “Guys can be more gossipers than girls. They were so crude because I am gay and being that I went to an all boys catholic high school, they never gave me a chance to fit in.”
Another article, headlined The Real Slant on Gossip by Robin Westen, addressed gossip from a different, more positive angle. This article, published in Psychology Today on March 28th, reported that there were respected social scientists who believed that gossip was a beneficial societall unifying force.
The students who were interviewed disagreed with The Real Slant on Gossip. Burnside, a senior, asked if she believed gossip could be a healthy contributor to society, said, “Anything negative and established by lies doesn’t sound healthy to me. A McDonalds burger might sound tempting and juicy, but it’s certainly not good for you.”
Scheer, asked the same question, said, “Gossiping hurts people so much that it can turn into something psychological like depression and that is not a healthy thing at all.” Her final response: “I think that gossip is avoidable. For those of us who know what it is like to be the victim in the situation, it is definitely avoidable. But I do think it may be hard for those people, who don’t know how it feels to be gossiped about, to stop gossiping.”
The WORD’s Kristin Rocco can be reached at Kristinmrocco@aol.com.