Entertainment

Did the actor Will Smith testify during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in May 2025? No, that's not true: The claim appeared in a YouTube video whose description labeled it "fictional". Despite widespread and intensive news coverage, no outlet covering the trial has mentioned any testimony by Smith. The rumor appeared in a May 22, 2025, video on YouTube…

Was a story about Bruce Springsteen's royalties "tanking" because of a radio boycott of his catalog that also mentioned "WDKT Baltimore Morning Drive DJ Joey Barron" real? No, that's not true: A viral meme that included a fictional DJ and radio station originated on a satirical Facebook page. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking…

Did Pete Townsend from The Who say Bruce Springsteen should "shut up and play" in May 2025? No, that's not true: The fabricated quotation originated on a Facebook page that describes its content as satirical. Earlier in the month, Springsteen criticized President Donald Trump on stage at a concert in Manchester, England. The fake quotation appeared in a May 21,…

Do viral videos authentically show the British porn actress known as Bonnie Blue being arrested? No, that's not true: The police vehicle is painted to look like police cars in Britain, but licensed to a prop service that provides cars to film and video makers. If the actress, born Tia Emma Billinger, had been arrested, England's notoriously competitive press corps…

Did recording artist Usher testify during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in May 2025? No, that's not true, as of May 21: The claim appeared in a YouTube video whose description labeled it "fictional". Despite widespread and intensive news coverage, no outlet covering the trial has mentioned any testimony by him. The rumor appeared in a May 20, 2025,…

Did Attorney General Pam Bondi say "It's illegal to call yourself 'The Boss' if you're not in charge of the entire country"? No, that's not true: A fake Fox News graphic containing the fabricated quote originated on the Facebook page of someone who calls himself a "satirist" and "comedian." We found no corroboration for the fake quotation, which was a…

Did comedian Mo'Nique testify during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in May 2025? No, that's not true: That claim appeared in a YouTube video whose description labeled the claim "fictional". Despite widespread and intensive news coverage, no outlet covering the trial has mentioned any testimony by her. The rumor appeared in a May 19, 2025, video on YouTube (archived…

Did percussionist Sheila E. testify during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in May 2025? No, that's not true: That claim appeared in a YouTube video whose description labeled the claim "fictional". Despite widespread and intensive news coverage, no outlet covering the trial has mentioned any testimony by her. The rumor appeared in a May 19, 2025, video on YouTube…

Did a legitimate news report reveal the Kamala Harris presidential campaign was making an illegal $200,000 payment for travel expenses to music mogul Beyoncé for appearing at a campaign rally in 2024? No, that's not true: A satire site created that story to trick conservatives into sharing it as real. Campaign finance documents on file show no such payment to…

Does authentic video show a Tesla cybertruck is not destroyed when a boulder described as a ton of rock is dropped on it? No, that's not true: The video originates from a social media account that specializes in generative AI fake videos. The same account features videos of a Yeti frozen in a block of ice, a giant spiked sea…

Was Bruce Springsteen booed off the stage at the Atlanta Southern Fried Rock Fest in May 2025? No, that's not true: A meme making that claim originated on a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and sharing made-up content. The meme appeared in a Facebook post (archived here)…

Did prosecutors in the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs play in court a "secret" recording of the voice of Prince "naming names"? No, that's not true: The rumor appeared in a YouTube video whose description labeled the claim "fictional". Despite widespread and intensive news coverage, no outlet covering the trial has mentioned any recording by Prince. The claim…

Did Billy Joel cancel a series of concerts with Bruce Springsteen in May 2025, during the fallout from criticism by Springsteen of President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: That rumor originated on a Facebook page that describes its output as satirical. During a concert in Manchester, England, Springsteen called Trump "unfit" and described his administration as "corrupt, incompetent and…

Did basketball player LeBron James call Karoline Leavitt "KKK Barbie" in an interview and did she respond that her family "fought to end slavery" while his "came from Jamaica"? No, that's not true: A meme making that claim originated on a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer. The owner of the page is known for tricking conservatives into liking and…

Did several viral videos accurately report Whoopi Goldberg collapsed in court after losing an $800 million lawsuit to Karoline Leavitt? No, that's not true: The fictional lawsuit did not happen and the video used AI generated imagery of Goldberg. The channel that posted the video included a disclaimer saying it did "not claim absolute truth" and that the video was…

Is there evidence that music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs divulged, in testimony, that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attended "Communist Party Freak Off" parties, as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The post appeared while Combs was on trial in federal court in Manhattan on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. But Combs had not testified at…

Did Sam Smith and Pamela Anderson trade insults in May 2025, after Anderson's appearance at that year's Met Gala in New York City? No, that's not true: An account of a "bitter feud" between them was no more than a fabrication. The original source, Wakefield News, describes its output as satirical in nature. The exchange of insults was presented as…

Did Robert Francis Prevost moonlight as "Bobby Prev", a "celebrated jazz trombonist" in Chicago who "headlined several jazz festivals in the '70s and '80s"? No, that's not true: The archives of the Chicago Tribune, which has long provided detailed coverage of jazz, contain no celebrations or even mentions of such a musician. Similarly, a search of the GoogleNews index of…

Did a video shared on social media authentically capture a real-life scene showing a police officer "losing his mind" over a parking ticket? No, that's not true: The video originated from a channel that publishes re-enactments. Its website additionally emphasized that those videos are not authentic footage from body-worn law enforcement cameras and claimed copyright protection for its productions, something…

Did the official X account of The White House post an AI generated picture of President Trump wielding a red lightsaber in front of a backdrop of American flags and eagles? Yes, that's true: The image was published on May 4, 2025, a day informally celebrated as "Star Wars Day" by fans of the franchise. According to an AI detection…