As the world learned of the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett last month, false reports were spreading that actors Jeff Goldblum, Harrison Ford, and George Clooney, and musician Rick Astley had also died. Here are a few famous hoaxes about the supposed death of celebrities.
Jeff Goldblum's Cliff Fall
It was claimed in June 2009 and spread on Twitter that Jurassic Park and Law and Order: Criminal Intent star Jeff Goldblum had fallen off a cliff to his death while filming in New Zealand. Australian Today Show entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins became the subject of ridicule both at home and overseas for reporting that New Zealand police had confirmed Goldblum's death. Wilkins had in fact been reading off a hoax report and had not verified any of its claims.
Goldblum was simply the latest in a series of actors who supposedly fell to their deaths from a New Zealand cliff. The same story was told about Tom Hanks in 2006 and Tom Cruise in 2008, both of which proved to be hoaxes.
Miley Cyrus' Car Crash
In September 2008, a faked news report claimed Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus had died in hospital after a road accident in which she collided with a truck. Cyrus is of course alive and well, filming and touring.
Other celebrities said to have been killed in car crashes include rapper Eminem, shock rocker Alice Cooper, pop stars Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, and actor Jon Heder.
Bobby McFerrin's Suicide
Rumours have floated around for over a decade that the Grammy Award winning musician best known for his 1988 hit "Don't Worry Be Happy" had taken his own life. Although he has somewhat faded into obscurity, Bobby McFerrin is very much alive and still performs around the world.
Other celebrities to be the subject of suicide hoaxes include Britney Spears and former Family Matters actor Jaleel White.
Lou Reed's Drug Overdose
An e-mail claiming rock star Lou Reed had died of a drug overdose circulated in 2001 and was picked up by several radio stations. He too is still alive and touring.
Some other (living) celebrities who supposedly died from drug overdoses include Guns N' Roses front man Axl Rose, former American Idol contestant William Hung, and former Blues Clues host Steve Burns.
The Spread of Internet Hoaxes
The internet is a great source of information for traditional media, organisations, and ordinary people but it is a double-edged sword. Life in today's "information age" effectively means anyone with access to an internet connection can start or spread a rumour.
Such hoaxes typically spread via e-mail, blogs, and social networking sites like Twitter. Wikipedia also allows anyone to edit articles, potentially reinforcing hoaxes once they start. Sometimes mainstream media outlets are fooled, further fuelling the hoax and causing mass confusion about what is real and fake.
Websites such as Snopes (snopes.com), Museum of Hoaxes (museumofhoaxes.com), and Hoax Slayer (hoax-slayer.com) can be helpful in checking out whether or not such reports are genuine.
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