the more you deny or deflect...the longer it lives and writes itself into new episodes.

just admit it. kill the story in its tracks. people/media get bored and move on to the next fascination.

bonus points for getting out in front of it before the media defines you by it.

your opponent might try to bring it up later on...but theres very little appetite for dead news among the public.

people dont really give a shit about half this stuff anyway. until you start hemming and hawing and looking like an idiot.