Gawker’s Hamilton Nolan reported earlier today that several staffers are leaving the New York Post, including Page Six reporter Neel Shah (who Daily Intel reports is heading to Los Angeles to work on an NBC sitcom called “Friends With Benefits”). The other two, metro writers Lukas Alpert and James Fanelli, are headed to Post archrival the Daily News.

Following the report, of Peruvian death trip of speculation and rumor about the circumstances of the departures has ensued. Foster Kamer over at The Village Voice‘s Runnin’ Scared reports, in boldface, that Alpert was escorted out of the building after informing his bosses about his offer at NYDN. He and Nolan both point out that management at the Post, particularly that of editor Col Allan, has a reputation for creating a dysfunctional work environment (“bullying” was the word Nolan used; “paranoid, sexist, racist, bullying” were the words Kamer used). Nolan’s boss, Gawker publisher Nick Denton, meanwhile, defended Allan and took a swipe at Shah: “Shah has been unhappy in every media job he’s had since Gawker intern.”

Other recent departures from the Post include reporter Maggie Haberman and several others from the business desk.