Tabloid Troy – What’s really going on?
Thursday, February 12th, 2009On Tuesday I blogged on the story of the man from Derby, UK who was in the News of the World (Sunday British tabloid) on Sunday because his wife is divorcing him after catching him having gay pixel sex in Second Life™. You can read that post by clicking here and you can see the story from the News of the World by clicking here. As the article explains, the avatar behind real life John Best, is Troy Hammerthall, a relatively new avie. I IMed Troy after reading the article on the off chance he would speak to me and he agreed to answer some questions via offline from his email.
Now, in the way that happened a few months ago with the last tabloid covered RL divorce ’caused by’ SL™, people have had a bit of a laugh about the story and it’s been discussed by SLers and non SLers alike. But laughter aside for a second and what a lot of people fail to remember is that someone’s real life has been completely thrown into disarray because of some sensationalist tabloid rubbish about Second Life! Here’s what John Best aka Troy Hammerthall, had to say on the matter.
Josue Habana: First up, this is quite a new avatar. Is it your first?
Troy Hammerthall: Yes it is.
Josue Habana The News of the World quotes you as saying the incident was just a bit of a laugh. With that said, it seems to have been blown massively out of proportion. Have you managed to get back any sense of normality since the press covered this on Sunday?
Troy Hammerthall: No, everyone is taking the Mickey out of me and ribbing me about it. I’ve tried to keep a low profile.
Josue Habana: Presumably it was your wife who went to the papers in the first place? Have you had chance to speak to her since?
Troy Hammerthall: I have told her to get out of my life for selling the story. She did it for the cash. I don’t have a clue how much blood money she took off those cockroaches and I don’t want to know. I’m just glad to be shut of her now. To do what she did is despicable.
Josue Habana: How do you answer the implications made by the press and by your wife that this incident in Second Life suggests you might be homosexual in real life?
Troy Hammerthall: I’m not gay. I was just having a laugh amd messing about. It’s ridiculous.
Josue Habana: Will you be playing Second Life again?
Troy Hammerthall: I still do play Second Life. I’m on it all the time. I’m looking for a job at the moment on there.
So, as you see and as is easy to forget when simply reading news stories, these are massive implications on a person’s real life. Is it not absolutely absurd for the news papers to report things this way? Can’t they concentrate instead (if they must get their fix on the pixel gossip) on naming and shaming proven texture thieves? Or on covering someof the amazing education, arts and culture events going on?
Well… then again we are talking about the News of the World.
