We’ve all been in a crowd where someone starts doing the sassy finger and going into hater mode. “Did you hear about our dear so-and-so in Christ? Because not to be a gossiping jerk, but I’m about to be a gossiping jerk.”
It’s not too hard to stop your own mouth (simple: don’t start), but when someone else among friends starts going off on gossip, it gets awkwardly difficult to control. It’s not enough to just change subjects or step away.
So then, some ways to shut this down.