When an apology is in order

We begin this issue (June 2003) by announcing that, from here on, YES! is no longer running its "Blind Items" section. The section, which we began in March and ran till May, will have to go down in this magazine’s history as its short-lived–and sorry–experiment in catering to popular taste.

From the start, I admit, I was never comfortable with unsigned pieces, as blind items tend to be, with their sources that remain unidentified and quotes that cannot be attributed to anyone. Such a setup, with no one taking responsibility for much of anything, lends itself to an easy carelessness and, thereafter, to an apparent neglectfulness.

My last word on the section back then, in fact, went this way: "Still, a word of caution: Blind items are blind items precisely because no one will go on record to admit them. Therefore, readers are allowed to think we are the blind leading the blind on this one."

It seems now that the cautionary line was meant, most of all, for me. I have just been made aware that one of the blind items in our April 2003 issue, in particular Blind Item No. 1, which referred to a beauty queen-actress married to a popular actor, has caused certain persons terrible distress. They felt alluded to. They became open to innuendo. They have had to spend time setting facts right. In a word, their peace has been disturbed.

I also believe now, after verifying the information, that Blind Item No. 1 has no basis in fact and has come from tainted sources. That is, our own source has been fed the wrong information by parties whose intentions could well cause harm.

The information being corrupted, I must now inform all YES! readers that Blind Item No. 1 is not to be believed.

And while I will never know for sure if we were set up or used or otherwise manipulated, I do not wish to participate in anything that has proved to be so uncertain in fact and in intent. Thus, my decision not to run the Blind Items section from here on.

And, without reservation and without tapping into any of the euphemisms open to writers, I wish to apologize, with all my heart, to the persons who have suffered distress as a result of Blind Item No. 1. We never intended to cause any harm.

I would also like to assure everyone–both celebrity and non-celebrity–that YES! may make maddening mistakes such as this, but never, never, will there be method or malice to the madness.