A few days ago, NME reported that Rihanna and Chris Brown had teamed up in the studio for an upcoming duet, a story I initially declared too good to be true.

Well, I was right. The publicist for Polow Da Don got tangled up in a big ol’ lie thanks to TMZ. Here’s what was first reported:

Three people from TMZ then contacted Polow Da Don’s publicist, who not only said the E! story was true but gave us details — that Chris and Rihanna were engaged in “playful touching” and the session was packed with “emotion.”

But now, the publicist’s story changed:

We’ve now learned it was B.S. — Brown was in the studio last weekend, but he was not with Rihanna, and the producer is not Polow Da Don. Now Wright says she was really referring to a song Rihanna recorded in the past — but that ain’t what she said before.

THANK GOODNESS.

Rihanna was spotted in New York City last night, miles away from Brown’s location. Perhaps she really does have an in-group dedicated to well-being, rather than her position on the charts.

Respect granted.