The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man A Woman A Hermaphrodite’ Essay Example

The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man A Woman? A Hermaphrodite?’ Paper Name: Course: Instructor: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man A Woman? A Hermaphrodite?’ specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man A Woman? A Hermaphrodite?’ specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man A Woman? A Hermaphrodite?’ specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Assignment Part One The internet rumor picked is ‘Is Lady Gaga a Man? A Woman? A Hermaphrodite?’ Part Two www.about.com This website, from which the internet rumor was removed, is an online resource for varied information and stories. The website was created in 1996 with a minimum number of topics that were covered. These topics eventually increased in number, attracting advertisers and popularizing the site. This website is owned by the ‘New York Times Company’. Each topic on the website is written by a different experienced writer and these writers are paid for their work. These writers are sometimes referred to as guides and their sites contain their work and links to other websites with information related to their subjects. The guides provide forums where registered users can comment on their work and upload the information. The site also has urban legends and hoaxes about everything including celebrities. www.go.com Jeff Gold founded this website in 1995, which is currently under the Walt Disney Company. All content associated with Disney is displayed in go.com. It allows its users to have individual web pages and provides entertainment news from all over the world. This website is used as a hub for other sites that are related to the Disney Company. The Go Network has been on the forefront in promoting the sites that it supports. Contrary to the belief of many users, go.com is still operational but no longer operates email accounts. This website offers news and gossip on everything from politics to entertainment. www.snopes.com This website is known for its variety in urban legends and internet rumors. David and Barbara Mikkelson are the brains behind the site that receives more than 250,000 visits everyday. Users and contributors post their stories and pictures on the message board for veracity before their stories are made available to other users. The stories that are features on this website are divided into different categories from business, food, movies, humor, embarrassments, etc. the site also provides newsletters to its registered users. Summary The internet rumor talks about the gender of Lady Gaga, a famous pop musician. A video was reported to show her ‘male’ genitalia and the singer has allegedly said that she possesses both the female and male genitalia but that she considers herself a female. This sparked different reaction from her fans. Most of them believed the rumor to be true while a small percentage of them thought it was a malicious rumor started to ruin her reputation. Her management team refutes those allegations as ridiculous. During an interview, Lady Gaga admitted that she was aware of the rumors and said that they were untrue. Internet Rumor This story is an internet rumor because it was started and spread on the internet. Internet rumors are alleged stories without confirmed veracity. Rumors are conveyed through word of mouth. Because of technological advancements, it has become more effective and efficient to transmit rumors through the internet therefore reaching more people. The mentioned story was spread in internet websites such as www.snopes.com, www.go.com and www.about.com. All are popular sites for information on different people and situations. Rumors are also endowed with information about people, events or circumstances. In the selected story, Lady Gaga is alleged to be hermaphrodite. This information was formulated and spread through the internet. Rumors are said to portray the poignant desires of the community. This means that rumors help to feed the undying ‘need to know’ hunger of the community. Lady Gaga’s story fed into the suspicions of most of her fans and the fact that people nev er tire of reading about their favorite celebrities. The appeal of the story plays on our hopes and dreams. As human beings, we constantly worry about our physical appearances and our futures. We are always hoping for the best out of life. The fan base that Lady Gaga had created is obviously shaken by this story about her being a hermaphrodite. This is because she is considered an icon among her fans and the thought that she could be both male and female crashes the hopes and dreams of some of her fans. Those who look up to her feel betrayed by the story because they probably had dreams and hopes of meeting her in their lifetime. The story therefore appeals to people to have realistic hopes and dreams. It is very creative story as it involves someone that is already famous, Lady Gaga, thereby drawing the attention of its readers. The details of the story and the pictures also portray the creative level of its creators. The use of her quoted words in the story makes it almost believable to the readers. The writer also incorporated her sexuality in the story to awaken the readers’ curiosity and capture their attention, which worked quite well, judging by the number of visitors to the sites that contain the story. People are passing the story along because it is interesting, refreshing and entertaining. The facts that the subject of the story is a celebrity makes more people want to read and pass it along to heir friends and family. The story’s authenticity does not matter, only its entertainment factors hence its continued popularity. Reference Emery, David (august 10, 2009). Is Lady Gaga a Man? A Woman? A Hermaphrodite? Retrieved from http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2009/08/10/lady-gaga-a-man-urban-legend.htm Mikkelson, Barbara (31 January 2010). Bluffin’ with her muffin? Retrieved from http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/ladygaga.asp Marikar, Sheila (august 17, 2009). Lady Gaga Goes Nude, Stands Up for Gays. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=8345070#.UAVwpZEeAwo