TV stars—they’re just like us! In that they are sad, lonely people susceptible to catfishing and other online scams.
Just take Thomas Gibson, of Criminal Minds and Dharma & Greg, who shot some intimate video of himself in a hot tub in Utah last Christmas and sent it to a North Dakota woman who had been stringing him along with images taken directly from porn sites.
Seriously, where were Nev and Max when we needed them? Gibson, who is married with children (he mentions in the video that they’re playing Xbox downstairs and yelling at each other, which helps to explain his seclusion) had to figure out the hoax for himself. He then made his biggest mistake of all—sending his two-year paramour a letter, through his lawyers, instructing her to cut off all contact.
Naturally, the as yet unnamed woman ran to TMZ with the most damning material she had, namely the hot tub messages, which really aren’t too shocking: “Yes, I have clothes on,” Gibson remarks at one point, also showing off his water gun (“FBI agents have to be prepared at all times”) and describing the jacuzzi light as “blue, which is why everything appears bluish in the water.” Overall he just seems exhausted and at a loss for something interesting to say.
Gibson’s seducer allegedly contacted him through Twitter about two years ago, though Gibson had since quit the service and then rejoined this February, stating in his bio: “CBS wants me to keep a Twitter account. Last time didn’t go so well. Let’s see what happens over the next 2 years.” He then appeared to quit again when—get this—people began sending him porn.
Freaks are still after me. Still not safe to come back. Sorry, guys. Don’t want any more stalkers or porn sent to me. Adios…
— Thomas Gibson (@GibsonThomas__) April 10, 2013
He eventually returned, and had this to say about the leaked video:
@tamprej Spliced bunch of lies. And no one’s business.
— Thomas Gibson (@GibsonThomas__) August 17, 2013
So! The next time you imagine how much easier life would be as a fairly successful and recognizable celebrity in the entertainment complex, consider that even their illicit affairs can be shockingly dull, bereft of feeling, and coldly transactional. Feel better? Yeah, me neither.
