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GIGLI's BOGUS AMAZON REVIEWS

by Mimi Brickmeyer. [December 10, 2004]

[HollywoodInvestigator.com] Amazon has had reviewer scandals before -- now add Gigli to the list.

This turkey of a film starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Afflect has collected about 85 dubious reviews, all posted on September 17 and 16, all about one-line long, semi-illiterate, many with bogus sounding names (e.g., Bill Clintoon), and of course, all five-stars. And as near as one can tell, it's the only review any of these "reviewers" posted.

Obviously, bogus reviews posted by the same person.

One wonders: who posted those bogus reviews? A studio flunkie? Or did a hypersensitive Jennifer Lopez or Ben Affleck order their assistants to post them?

Hollywood Investigator reporters have flagged Amazon's attention in several ways (e-mailed them twice, to different departments, and used their "report this" link). For a while, Gigli's reviews were "inaccessible," so it seems that Amazon reviewed the matter. But it apparently did nothing about it.

Another black eye to the integrity of Amazon's reviewer section.

To see the bogus reviews, click back to about September 17 (that's when they start), and they continue page after page through September 16. Or click here.

Dec. 13 UPDATE: Since the Investigator ran this story on December 10, three additional dubious reviews have appeared on December 11. Each five stars, one-line long, semi-literate, and from reviewers who've not previously reviewed at Amazon.

Dec. 16 UPDATE: Amazon has finally removed the older bogus reviews -- but the bogus reviewer is back! See the reviews dated Dec 11 - Dec 15, 2004.

Mimi Brickmeyer is a Los Angeles based entertainment reporter who has extensively investigated Hollywood's biggest celebrities. Read about her adventures in tabloid journalism in Hollywood Witches.

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