RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

[Small Town Guy]

Something for the "Yeah, you say bad things about the National Enquirer but they are usually right about these stories about someone being gay or having an affair" crowd.

The Enquirer called Hoffman's friend David Katz his gay lover and someone who freebased coke with him the night before he died. They actually spoke to Katz, who admitted those things. Unfortunately it was an imposter they spoke with.

Katz sued and the settlement is going to be used to create a Playwright Foundation. The Enquirer also apologized.

nyti.ms/1c5JhVj

Most galling to him about The Enquirer article was the treachery of the “Katz” figure. “The issue was never me being outraged at being accused of being gay — we’re theater guys, who cares?” Mr. Katz said. “The issue was lying about the drugs, that I would betray my friend by telling confidences.”

The Enquirer, which did not respond to a request for comment, has not publicly explained how it came to publish the story. Mr. Burstein said its lawyers described an honest mistake.

“It sounds ridiculous,” Mr. Burstein said. “They did a search and found someone named David Katz who appeared to be the son of David’s father. They asked, ‘Are you the David Katz who is the playwright?’

“They believed him. He sounded distraught. They couldn’t believe that someone would be so callous to say, ‘I’m the real David Katz.’