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What’s With All The Death Hoaxes?

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Reba McEntire Death Hoax ~

Reba McEntire Death Hoax
Image Credit: Reba McEntire

Ok, so the big thing on Google the evening of 1/30/12 is the supposed “death” of Reba McEntire. For those who missed this, no, she did not die. As of this writing she is still very much still alive.

Death Hoax Victims: Cher and Adele

Cher Death Hoax
Image Credit: Cher

In fact, a fake “news” (aka outright lying) website decided to post her “death” as a form of entertainment. But death week didn’t start there. “#RIPAdele” was a recent trending topic on Twitter, as was “#RIPCher.” It shocks me how many people mindlessly pass this stuff around, with not a thought in the world as to whether they should verify it or not. When exactly did random tweets from internet buddies become a reliable news source?

Adele Death Hoax
Image Credit: Adele

The real thing that gets me about the Reba hoax is that the title states “Actress – Reba McEntire Falls To Her Death In Austria.” Actress? Seriously? Yes, I know she acts but, is she better known for acting than singing? Hardly. I think that should have clued unsuspecting readers in on the fact that this might not be legit. Also, shouldn’t her publicist have issued a statement? Wouldn’t there have been something on legitimate news sites pages? Oh, and the fact that this disclaimer was at the bottom of the page…

“...FAKE… THIS STORY IS 100% FAKE! this is an entertainment website, and this is a totally fake article based on zero truth and is a complete work of fiction for entertainment purposes! this story was dynamically generated using a generic ‘template’ and is not factual. Any reference to specific individuals has been 100% fabricated by web site visitors who have created fake stories by entering a name into a blank ‘non-specific’ template for the purpose of entertainment…”

The point is, verify things before you post it. There are too many people out there who obviously get a lot of fun our of acting like they are still in middle school. I know that most people who passed these messages around were probably relatively certain of their truth, however, we must verify sources before adding this type of garbage to the internet. Alas, this is the world we live in.

Are people seriously that morbid that the “fake killing” of people makes for a fun night? The answer is apparently a resounding “yes.” I linked to the page that started the Reba hoax, and I am sure they have gotten quite a few hits from all of the people that have spread the rumor incessantly. And, sadly, I am sure that was their goal – no matter how they had to attain it.

For a debunking of the Reba death hoax go here.

About Dawn McAlexander

Dawn is a full time writer and content creator. Besides Cheap Is The New Classy, she also owns and writes for EatPlayRock.com, an entertainment site. Her interests include traveling, attending music events, DIY projects and reading. Dawn has a B.S. in Psychology and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, Kenny, their dog, Marley, and their cat, TJ.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Dawn says

      That’s true. I know that I saw Gabrielle Giffords “death” on several reputable pages after she was shot. Sheesh.

      Dawn

    • Dawn says

      You’re right. I guess the hoaxers think because their “victims” are celebrities that it makes it ok. I just want to ask the hoaxers if their own families would find their fake deaths humorous?

      Dawn

  7. Ashleigh Walls says

    I remember looking at the top searches on yahoo the other day and the top one was cher’s not dead. I guess I’m not good in the news because I never heard any of the hoaxes.

    • Dawn says

      I think you had to be in the right place at the right time to catch the ones I mentioned because they were MASSIVE for like a hot minute until they were shot down. But you always have those few who still keep passing them around even though it has been debunked for hours. Ugh.

      Dawn

  8. Laura says

    I missed all those…last one I saw was Jon Bon Jovi. I don’t understand the point of these..annoying and then it’s all over Facebook, Twitter etc.

  9. @MryJhnsn says

    I saw the Bon Jovi one and was in tears, well as I was Googling it to see if it was true and of course, not… My family hates me because I kill their “fun” with those stupid emails that are horrible lies. You would think they would learn by now 😉