The Oprah Winfrey Show: The Podcast People Who Gossip
Dec 23, 2025
In a captivating discussion, Arthur Sims, a local gossip expert, shares amusing high school anecdotes and the impact of rumor-spreading. Nancy Scott, a social maven, shares insider tips on Chicago's hotspots while exploring her role as a gossip source. Joyce Harris confesses her gossip habits, revealing the emotional weight behind sharing secrets. Dr. Shad Helmstetter, a psychologist, delves into the psychology of gossip, explaining its roots in low self-esteem and offering strategies to break the cycle. Together, they uncover the complex nature of gossip and its profound consequences.
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Gossip Began As A Personal Habit
- Joyce Harris confessed she started gossiping early and felt a rush from juicy secrets that fed low self-esteem.
- She visited a spiritualist who told her she talked too much and began trying to change her habit.
False Rumor Cost A Promotion
- Robin Chambers described how a false rumor at a university claimed she sought intimacy to get a promotion and ruined her chances.
- She consulted a lawyer who said the rumor was untraceable and the gossip victimized her career.
Marriage Undone By Accusation
- Greg Vasquez said rumors accusing him of an affair with his wife's coworker destroyed his marriage despite his innocence.
- He described the impossibility of proving a negative and the snowballing effects of accusation.