Gossip -- not just a problem for women

Today my company and the company that owns us had a luncheon to honor the office assistant who will be retiring next week. The luncheon was at a very nice upscale restaurant in North Dallas called Sevy's. The food was delicious.

We were seated in a private dining area. There were 2 tables -- no assigned seating -- we sat wherever we wanted to. At my table was one other lady, our HR Director, my manager, a field manager, the VP of Technical Services and one of our salesmen. At some point during the luncheon the field manager asked about the previous HR Director (who left to pursue a career as a police officer and who I happen to be friends with). He wanted to know about the house she and her husband were building before she left the company. The salesman conveniently turned the converstation into a gossip session. He mentioned personal things that he had 'heard' about her marriage, etc. I thought is was extremely tacky. He had the audacity to ask me and the other lady if we had heard any of the rumors he had mentioned -- as if I would have told him anything! He went on about all that he had 'heard'. I wanted to speak up so bad and let him know how inappropriate his comments were but, I said nothing. If he would gossip about her I'm sure he would gossip about me - if given the opportunity and enough juicy information to gossip about.

Another topic of conversation that came up was initiated by the HR Director. He asked the VP of Technical Services if he had heard about some man who died recently who happened to be a producer of porno movies!! What is going on here? This is the HR Director! They named a few movies that he may have produced! I don't want to hear about a porn producer whether he is dead or not (no offense to the deceased). It seems to me that at a company luncheon, one would be a little more cautious about what he or she chooses to discuss. These people are supposed to be professionals. I'm talking college graduates. It obviously doesn't mean a thing.