Entertainment

Did Facebook add a new feature, a funny sound that is triggered by clicking the "like" button? No, that's not true: Memes suggesting that the new Facebook like button makes a sound so funny that people will laugh out loud are a practical joke. There is no new Facebook like button sound, this is just a way to trick people…

Did YouTube ban video clips from the newly released movie, "Sound of Freedom" due to "discriminating against pedophiles" and "discrimination against MAPs"? No, that's not true: There is no policy listed under the community guidelines of YouTube regarding "discriminating against pedophiles" and "MAPs" (minor attracted persons). This article making the claim comes from an online platform known for publishing fabricated…

Do photographs of Ghislaine Maxwell with Donald Duck taken in 1985 confirm that the now-convicted sex offender -- associated with financier Jeffrey Epstein who died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges -- worked for Disney? No, that's not true: The stock images only show an event where Maxwell appeared as representative of her father, owner at the time…

Did country star Morgan Wallen pull his music from Country Music Television (CMT) in response to CMT removing a song by Jason Aldean? No, that's not true: This is a fabricated satirical article crafted to spin off the true news that CMT did pull the video for Aldean's song, "Try That In A Small Town" on Monday, July 17, 2023.…

Did country music's Hank Williams Jr. resign from the Country Music Television's (CMT) board of directors to support fellow singer Jason Aldean? No, that's not true: The website this claim is from is satirical. Lead Stories could not find any evidence that Williams had left the board or even had been on the board, or evidence of a statement from…

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…

Does the music video "Try That In A Small Town" by country music singer Jason Aldean only contain "real news footage," as he asserted in a public response to criticism that his song and video promote violence and allude to timeworn lynching threats? No, that's not true: Not every clip in the video is news footage. There are several stock…

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,…

Does a "Hollywood report" about Angelina Jolie accompanied by a photo of what appears to be the actress in a hospital bed "confirm" anything about the star? No, that's not true: The post and link to a website gives no information about Jolie and only states, "she has now been confirm as" without any other details. The image appears to…

Did a viral video show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy performing a belly dance on camera? No, that's not true: The footage portrays a different person, a professional belly dance instructor from Argentina, and Zelenskyy's face seems to have been superimposed on that person's body. The story appeared in a post (archived here) published on TikTok on July 15, 2023. It…

Does this video prove The Walt Disney Company plans to open "Disney-themed pediatric transgender clinics"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Disney has announced such a plan. The man who makes the claim admitted to posing as a Disney executive under the guise of "satire" in his YouTube video's description. There is nothing aside from that satirical…

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,…

Are images used by the Daily Mail that appear to have been leaked from the "Snow White" set inauthentic? No, that's not true: The Daily Beast article that declared Disney described photos as "fake" was updated to include new comments from the entertainment company reversing its earlier statement and clarifying that the photos with the Daily Mail's report were only…

Does this video document a demonic possession in 1896? No, that's not true: The video was created with CGI digital effects as the account that published it in 2019 noted. The claim appeared in a post published on Instagram on May 14, 2023. It opened: This is so scary...This is footage of an ACTUAL Demonic Possession in 1896 This is…

Did the actor Mark Wahlberg declare war on "Hollywood pedophiles" in July 2023, announcing that they have "nowhere left to hide"? No, that's not true: The purported quote came from a source with a rich history of spreading false statements, and the actor's representative refuted the claim. Lead Stories found no evidence that the purported event ever took place. The…

Did a helicopter release a swarm of deadly mosquitoes over the crowd at Baltimore's African American Festival (AFRAM) on June 18, 2023? No, that's not true: An urban entomologist told Lead Stories that day-active mosquitoes in that region do not swarm the way videos showed. The Baltimore Health Department has not had any reports of mosquito-borne illness from the festival.…

Does a National Geographic magazine cover purportedly published in December 2020 display what appears to be two adults and two children who are all white-complexioned beside a headline that reads "WHITE PEOPLE"? No, that's not true: A National Geographic representative told Lead Stories the cover image in this tweet has been "completely fabricated." The actual December 2020 cover on the…

Did the celebrity gossip website TMZ report that Madonna was "clinically brain dead"? No, that's not true: An image of the headline made to look like it was from TMZ is counterfeit and never appeared on the site. A real TMZ story with a headline about Madonna was posted at the exact time as the fake post but said she…

Does a photo circulating on social media show pop star Lady Gaga endorsing Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign on his social media application Truth Social? No, that's not true: The image has been digitally altered. The original photo does not come from a real post on Truth Social and was taken by a Getty Images photographer. The photo actually displays…

Did Chinese researchers find a uninhabited island with dinosaurs? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that anyone found an uninhabited island with dinosaurs. The most recent dinosaur news out of China was reported to be researchers finding 100 million-year-old dinosaur footprints in southwestern China. The claim appeared on Instagram where it was published on July 4, 2023. The…