&Quot;Christopher Blair&Quot;

Has Taylor Swift said that she wishes she could take back endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential election cycle? No, that's not true: The singer has made no such statement and her endorsement Instagram post is still up. The website that reported on the comment has a satire disclaimer and is known…

Did CNN's fact checker say that Kamala Harris "lied 17 times in the first ten minutes" of the presidential debate? No, that's not true: The claim comes from a network of websites that clearly labels the work as satire, parody and fiction. Also, a spokesperson for CNN told Lead Stories that the claim was "false." The claim appeared in a…

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 the Minnesota Vikings football team denounce Tim Walz as a man whose values they do not support? No, that's not true: The comment comes from a satirical Facebook page that explicitly warns readers not to take it seriously. America -- Love It Or Leave It categorizes its Facebook page as satire/parody. The claim appeared in a post on Facebook…

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…

Were NFL referees given authority to disqualify football players who kneeled during the U.S. national anthem? No, that's not true: The claim is from a satirical website whose articles Lead Stories has debunked before. Lead Stories found no actual news articles mentioning such change to the authority of NFL referees. The claim appeared in a post on Facebook (archived here)…

Did Michael Jordan say that kids who "can afford $8 cups of coffee" can also afford "to pay their own student loans" as a viral post on Facebook said? No, that's not true: the quote first appeared on a Facebook page that is part of a network of self-described satire websites and pages known for publishing made-up stories. If a…

Did Netflix's stock drop almost 40 percent after a "big campaign donation announcement"? No, that's not true: The story originally came from a network of satirical websites and Facebook pages. A representative for Netflix confirmed public records showing the company's stock had not dropped 40 percent. Reed Hastings, Netflix's co-founder and executive chairman, did make a major personal donation to…

Is Garth Brooks selling his bar and leaving Nashville, Tennessee, saying, "I get no respect in this town"? No, that's not true: The site that originally posted the claim says its satirical articles are "not meant to be taken seriously." Brooks' bar is open and will host a holiday event on July 4, 2024. Brooks' website states that as of…

Did Team USA lose $60 million in endorsements after Caitlin Clark was not placed on the 2024 USA Basketball Women's Olympic Team? No, that's not true: the Indiana Fever WNBA player is indeed not on the team but the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee told Lead Stories that the claim about losing endorsements is "not true." A representative of…