[_broody]

The problem is you're feeding the other candidates (and the audience) the illusion that they have a fighting chance against the insider. This deceit won't be taken kindly after they realize how they were beat out.

This is the equivalent of insider trading among government legislators. It's a very real problem, and there is no realistic solution since it is a systemic flaw of the startup/VC model.

It's quite possible startup culture can't continue working forever, and if this is a growing trend, that eventually too much encroachment by VCs will smother and scare away everyone who isn't an insider.