COLOMBIA: A 69-year-old woman from Colombia has turned an unusual source of income—selling local gossip—into what she says has become a successful business, claiming it has helped her buy two houses.
Miriam, from Brisas de Armenia in Colombia’s Quindío region, reportedly spends time at local tea shops and other places where people gather, listening to conversations and recording information in a notebook.
She charges between 5,000 and 10,000 Colombian pesos for gossip, depending on the nature of the information. She describes herself as a professional gossip seller and says she enjoys collecting stories from people around her.
‘I’m a professional gossip maker’
In an interview, Miriam said her notebook helps her keep track of stories and, according to her, provides evidence for the information she shares.
“I love gossip and I’m a professional gossip maker,” she said.
She added that while she may appear to be engaged in conversation, she continues listening carefully to what people around her are discussing.
Miriam claims her most expensive piece of gossip earned her 700,000 pesos after she helped conceal a man’s alleged infidelity from his wife.
Despite the reported success of her unusual business, Miriam says she now faces competition from people in the area who are attempting to copy her business model.
Known locally as the “Queen of Gossip,” she insists that she does not spread information without evidence.
“Gossip-making is part of my life and it runs in my blood,” she said.