&Quot;Busta Troll&Quot;

Did Elon Musk publicly donate $10 million to help the families of January 6 participants "jump-start their lives," as a post on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: The post was published by a page affiliated with America's Last Line of Defense, a network of satire websites run by a self-professed liberal troll who uses various made-up names including "Busta…

Did American country folk singer Oliver Anthony file a cease-and-desist order against Tim Walz for using one of Anthony's songs? No, that's not true: This story first appeared on a Facebook page that says it is all about satire and parodies. Its website has a disclaimer that says "Nothing on this page is real" and a Google search brought up…

Did Beyonce try to convince such singers as Oliver Anthony and Kid Rock to share the stage with her by offering them money? No, that's not true: The claims came from self-described satire sources known for mass-producing false stories. There were no credible news reports confirming these claims. The story originated from a post (archived here) on Facebook by "America's…

Was transgender competitive swimmer Lia Thomas fired from her new high school coaching job after two weeks because "half the team quit"? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. The website where this claim originated has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim…

Did performer Kid Rock cancel six tour dates with singer Sheryl Crow in solidarity with country music's Jason Aldean? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. The website that posted the information, The Dunning-Kruger Times, has a disclaimer that describes itself as part of a network of "parody, satire, and tomfoolery."…

Did Blake Shelton cancel a $30 million project with CMT, saying that "Jason is my friend," in the aftermath of the network pulling Jason Aldean's music video? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. The website that posted the information, The Dunning-Kruger Times, has a disclaimer that describes itself as part…

Did country music singer Luke Bryan pull his music videos from CMT and say it was "time for the Bud Light treatment"? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. The website that posted the information, The Dunning-Kruger Times, has a disclaimer that describes itself as part of a network of "parody,…

Did Miss USA "Natasha Berkelston" state she "won't compete against a man" and boycott the 2023 Miss Universe pageant after Rikkie Kollé was named Miss Netherlands, becoming the first transgender woman to take the title? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. The website that posted the information, The Dunning-Kruger Times,…

Did the mother of Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States, leave her inheritance to a son named "Michael Robinson Obama," insinuating that "Michael" is Michelle Obama's real name? No, that's not true: The claim was made on a website that described itself as satirical. Although the claim originated on a now-defunct satirical website called Obama Watcher, it…

Did actor Kevin Costner file a lawsuit against the American Broadcasting Company's television talk show "The View" for hate speech? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. Lead Stories could find no credible news reports or public statements confirming that Costner sued ABC or "The View." The website that posted the…