Tabloid Hell: 'Meg White' sex tape furore

There are few revelations that can make us hardened NME.COM hacks’ jaws drop faster than Britney Spears’ credibility.

However, the news this morning (September 24) that a supposed sex tape of The White Stripes’ drum-basher Meg White had started circulating the internet left our chins on the carpet.

That was, of course, until we actually watched the tape. Ok, yes she is a woman (like the drummer) and yes, she has the same colour hair, but this is hardly conclusive.

Frankly, we didn't believe it is Meg for a moment, and the denial from the band's spokesperson declaring "this is not Meg and it is in poor taste" clinches it for us.

Still, that hasn’t stopped various blogs and 'news' sites plastering the footage around cyberspace like particularly explicit wallpaper.

But leaving an even more sour taste in our mouths is some of their suggestions that the emergence of the tape is why Meg cancelled the previously scheduled US and UK tours, after citing her suffering from “acute anxiety” as the reason.

As you’ll know if you’ve got the current issue of NME, we’re the only ones who actually bothered to find out what acute anxiety meant and, surprise surprise, a chartered psychologist confirmed that this would be a valid reason to cancel the tour, and that if she is suffering from it, Meg is right to do so.

And hey, it’s not like Tommy Lee cancelled any Motley Crüe tours after his 'boating video' with Pamela Anderson surfaced, is it?