Gawker begs readers to have an ‘open mind and heart’ in quiet relaunch

Gawker — the snarky gossip site that went bankrupt five years ago because of a lawsuit over a Hulk Hogan sex tape — quietly relaunched on Wednesday, begging readers to have an “open mind and an open heart.”

Picked up at a bankruptcy auction three years ago by Bustle Digital Group, the site reappeared in a third iteration after Bustle’s headstrong CEO Bryan Goldberg attempted to resuscitate the toxic site twice before. News spilled out this spring that Gawker was making its debut but no specific date was given. A Bustle spokeswoman confirmed that the site launched in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, but declined to provide details as to why it was making such a low-key debut.