Esspots

Did basketball great Michael Jordan call for a ban on the pride flag from U.S. schools and sports? No, that's not true: The website that published the article has a satire disclaimer and is known for publishing fabricated content. The article also identifies its content as "SATIRE." No credible reports support the assertion that Jordan called to ban pride flags.…

Did Elon Musk promise a "major shake-up" at MSNBC, vowing to fire host Joy Reid, as a social media post said? No, that's not true: This first appeared in an article on a website with a satire disclaimer that's known for publishing fabricated content. The post's caption also identifies its content as "RATED SATIRE." The claim appeared in a post…

Did the set for ABC's talk show "The View" burn down amid the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the show told Lead Stories that the program has always been based in New York City. The website where the rumor appeared describes itself as specializing in "Satire and Parody." The image in the social…

Did a Facebook post confirm that Whoopi Goldberg's house burned during the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires? No, that's not true: The website the rumor was found on described itself as a page specializing in "Satire and Parody News," adding that their team is "dedicated" to bringing readers "the latest and greatest in fake news." The image seen in the…

Did celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay kick athlete Lia Thomas out of his restaurant, saying, "I don't let woke people dine here"? No, that's not true: A spokeswoman for Studio Ramsay Global said, "SpaceX Fan Club clearly state that none of their stories are true." This story originally appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer that's known for publishing fabricated…

Did Texas ban Pride flags in school classrooms as of December 16, 2024? No, that's not true: This originated from SpaceX Fanclub, a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer: "We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real." The first comment under the post included a link to the self-described satire website esspots.com. The claim appeared in a post (archived…

Did George Clooney leave the United States permanently for England after Donald Trump was elected president in 2024, with Clooney saying he "can't take the red wave anymore"? No, that's not true: This originated from SpaceX Fanclub, a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer: "We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real." The first comment under the post included…

Did Elon Musk say he would release a "bombshell" client list tied to rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs and financier Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: This originated from SpaceX Fanclub, a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer: "We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real." The first comment under the post included a link to the self-described satire website…

Did actor Tom Hanks withdraw his 2025 Oscar nominations and leave the United States, saying "I've had enough" in an Instagram video? No, that's not true: This story comes from a self-described satirical website whose About Us page announces it is "dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity." Lead Stories found no sign in…

Did the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs say they are boycotting Pride Nights? No, that's not true: Neither the Steelers nor the Chiefs have publicly stated they were boycotting Pride Nights. The post saying so did not offer any evidence to back up its claim but it seems to have originated on a website with a satire disclaimer. The…