Thanks to the Internet, information moves faster than ever – and so do rumors. The reports of these celebrities’ recent deaths have been greatly exaggerated.
- Bill Cosby – America’s favorite purveyor of bad sweaters and good pudding put the most recent rumors of his demise to rest on Wednesday via Twitter. This is actually the fifth Internet death hoax Cosby has dealt with, and the joke’s getting old. Two years ago, after the fourth one, on CNN’s “Larry King Live” he complained of the pain this kind of misinformation has caused loved ones of his. This particular rumor was started by a troll with an “RIP Bill Cosby” Facebook page, who upon coming clean, said, “I love you all for making me laugh at your stupidity for a day and a half. You’re great.” What a charmer.
- Bill Nye – When “RIP Bill Nye” started trending on Twitter on Monday, it was like hearing a childhood friend had died. For many of us, Bill Nye was the gateway drug that got us interested in science and how the world works. Nye refuted the rumors on Wednesday, tweeting, “…Turns out, I’m still not dead, which suits me just fine. Let’s change the world.” The hoax came just days after his “Creationism is not Appropriate for Children” video was posted on YouTube.
- Rihanna – Rihanna was also dead on Monday, if you believe everything you read on the Internet. This time a fake French news story claimed she had “sunk into an [alcohol-induced] coma before succumbing to a heart attack.” The pop/R&B star has yet to comment on the story, but judging by her activity on Twitter and Instagram, that’s probably just because she has better things to do.
- Russell Brand – Russell Brand shuffled off this mortal coil after a snowboarding accident last Saturday, according Global Associated News. The same site has killed off Phil Collins and Vanilla Ice earlier this year. So far, Brand wins the award for best Twitter reaction.
- John Witherspoon – Best known as Mr. Jones in “Friday” and Grandad on “The Boondocks,” John Witherspoon was also declared deceased via Twitter rumor earlier this month. “What the Hell y’all talking about on Here?!??” the actor tweeted, in response to the trending topic. “I ain’t DEAD, I’m in Ft. Lauderdale at the Hard Rock Café Getting dat Paper #YeeTiDee”. As fans reacted to the news, Witherspoon added, “Hey since y’all care about me so much go check out my Cooking show on Youtube.” The show, by the way, is called “Cooking for Poor People,” and includes a mix of humor with some practical cooking advice, “Because when you’re hungry, everything tastes good.”
For more celebrity death hoaxes, visit Twitter.com.
