Entertainment

Do online videos show authentic documents from Travis Kelce's public relations firm about a staged breakup between him and Taylor Swift? No, that's not true: Kelce's PR firm Full Scope said in a statement to People magazine that the documents of the so-called breakup contract "are entirely false and fabricated." While the displayed papers bore the PR firm's letterhead, the…

Did Coca-Cola cut ties with Taylor Swift after she endorsed Kamala Harris for president? No, that's not true: This comes from a social media post that's clearly marked as satire. Coca-Cola told Lead Stories it wasn't true, and it's not even clear the company still had any contractual ties to Swift when she made her political plug. The claim appeared…

Did Taylor Swift lose 17 million followers after posting an endorsement for Kamala Harris on her Instagram account? No, that's not true: Numbers show that Swift actually gained followers shortly after her endorsement. The account that posted this claim has "#Satire" and "#Parody" in their bio. The claim appeared in a now-deleted post on X (archived here) on September 15,…

Did Taylor Swift cancel her Eras Tour dates after a "backlash" over her endorsement of Kamala Harris for president damaged ticket sales? No, that's not true: The site that reported that Swift had canceled "several upcoming tour dates" describes itself as a "one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary." The site's article about Swift is clearly labeled "satire." As of…

Did actor Jack Black vow to leave the United States permanently? No, that's not true: That story appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer. There is no evidence Black ever said such a thing. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) on the Esspots website on July 19, 2024, under the title "Breaking: Jack Black Vows To Leave…

Does an authentic photo show Kamala Harris posing arm-in-arm with Sean "Diddy" Combs? No, that's not true: Combs' face has been pasted onto the body of the man who was standing next to Harris when the photo was taken in 2001 by Ron Galella as can be seen on Getty Images. The man in the original photo is TV host…

Did Whoopi Goldberg vow to go with basketball star Brittney Griner if she leaves the United States? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence that Goldberg or Griner ever publicly said in 2024 that they would leave the country. The website that published this says in its disclaimer it takes no responsibility for any errors. The claim appeared…

Is the National Football League "reportedly considering banning" Taylor Swift from the Super Bowl, saying, "We're Tired of Her"? No, that's not true: This claim comes from an article on a website with a satire disclaimer. No publicly available evidence confirms the article's information. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) by Esspots on January 30, 2024. The article…

Did Travis Kelce threaten Elon Musk on X over his remarks about Taylor Swift? No, that's not true: The account that posted the "threat" told Lead Stories it was fake. There is no record that Kelce, Swift's boyfriend who is tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs football team, ever replied to Musk's comments about the superstar singer. The claim…

Did Taylor Swift lose "brand deals worth $125 million" after endorsing Kamala Harris? No, that's not true: The online rumor came from a website that labels itself as satire. The article didn't even mention the name of the Democratic presidential nominee. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on September 12, 2024. It said: Taylor Swift Loses…

Did celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay throw Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz out of his "Hell's Kitchen" restaurant in New York City, saying, "Don't come back here, you woke creep"? No, that's not true: This story initially appeared in an article on a website with a satire disclaimer, known for publishing fabricated content. No publicly available or credible evidence supports this claim.…

Did the TV network ABC sign a $400 million deal to give former Fox News host Tucker Carlson a late-night show that would replace current ABC talk show host Jimmy Kimmel? No, that's not true: The claim is from an online article labeled "Parody News," with a headline that said "SATIRE." A representative for ABC told Lead Stories the claim…

Does a photo on Facebook really show Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in blackface? No, that's not true: This image came from the Facebook account for a satirical website that labels itself as all about fake content. The photo in the post is of actor John Slattery, not Walz. The photo appeared in a post on Facebook on August…

Did former NBA star Michael Jordan turn down a $200 million offer to do a commercial with current NBA star LeBron James, saying he would "never [work] with this woke creep?" No, that's not true: This story came from a website that calls itself satirical and "fake news." A representative for Jordan told Lead Stories there was "no truth" to…

Was American football player Travis Kelce fined $10 million for taking a knee during the national anthem, as a post on Facebook said? No, that's not true: This story began as an article by SpaceXMania, a self-described fake news website known for publishing content it says is satire. There is no publicly available or credible evidence to support the story.…

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…

Does a video show Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' pick as her vice presidential running mate, dancing in a cowboy hat and with dollar bills stuck in his pants? No, that's not true: The video has been altered to add Walz's face onto the person dancing. The original video is of musician Alejandro Casas, who is known as El Divo 956,…

Did Taylor Swift endorse Donald Trump in August 2024? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Swift said she wanted people to vote for Trump in the 2024 presidential election campaign. The image of Swift as Uncle Sam with the phrase "TAYLOR WANTS YOU TO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP" appears to be AI generated. Swift endorsed Joe Biden…

Will staring at an image designed by a Japanese neurologist measure your stress levels depending on how fast elements of the image appear to be rotating? No, that's not true: The image is optical illusion art by Yurii Perepadia, a Ukrainian graphic designer. Elements of the image may appear to rotate based on what's called the "peripheral drift illusion." The…

Did conservative commentator Candace Owens sign a $25 million deal with ABC for her own morning show that is "going to replace The View"? No, that's not true: A satirical website first made this claim in July 2024. A post on Facebook in August 2024 appears to be AI-generated and resembles the satirical website's article. Neither ABC nor Owens has…