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Did Taylor Swift lose five major sponsors after endorsing Kamala Harris for president? No, that's not true: This story initially appeared on a website that says it "specializes in satire, parody, and humor," and that "nothing on this website is real." No actual news websites reported any of this happened. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) titled "Taylor…

Did Shaquille O'Neal throw Minnesota Governor Tim Walz out of O'Neal's restaurant, as posts on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: This story first appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer. There is no evidence that O'Neal and Walz ever had such an interaction. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) on the Esspots website on September 7,…

Did Colin Kaepernick say he will leave for Russia if not respected properly in the United States? No, that's not true: This first appeared on a website with a satire disclaimer that publishes made-up content. There is no public or credible evidence to support this statement about Kaepernick. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on September…

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 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…

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 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 the ABC television network fire the hosts of the September 10, 2024, U.S. presidential debate, calling them "a disgrace"? No, that's not true: A self-described satire and parody website published the story about the pair's supposed firing. Lead Stories found nothing authoritative to substantiate the claim that ABC fired the two. The claim originated from an article (archived here)…

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.…