Co-Meanest Story of the Week:Aretha collapses after losing 80 lbs.

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 10 January 2011

This week, I put up five nominees for Meanest Story from five different gossip rags. The popular vote winner was a story from the Enquirer about John Travolta deserting his family. There was another story on the cover of The Flagship every bit as mean if not meaner, and I decided to invoke the "it's my blog" rule and make it Co-Meanest Story of the Week.

The Enquirer tells us that Aretha Franklin has collapsed after losing 80 pounds and a minister was called in. Obviously, Aretha is getting the full tabloid vulture treatment now and I really hate it. It's not a rumor she had pancreatic cancer, it's a fact. But either the Enquirer is making up details of her life out of whole cloth or she has somebody close to her who is selling her out for a few measly bucks at the most difficult time of her life.

Either way, it deserves to be a Meanest Story.