Lips Sealed: Avoiding Gossip in the Workplace

"Whenever a new person gets introduced to me, I get an earful on all the scandalous things they have done or said."

Q: 

Dear Masked Maven,  

I am new to the OR and have so far really enjoyed orientation/learning. However, I have been discouraged to find that most of my mentors gossip on the daily. Whenever a new person gets introduced to me, I get an earful on all the scandalous things they have done or said, including the fights they have had with management, the mistakes they have made, and rumors about their love life. The worst is when a person is merely summarized by one derogative term. I really don't want to participate in all this negative talk but also don't want to come across as cold or unfriendly. How can I interact and develop relationships without gossiping? 

Sincerely, 

Lips Sealed