Spacexmania

Did actor Tom Hanks withdraw his 2025 Oscar nominations and leave the United States, saying "I've had enough" in an Instagram video? No, that's not true: This story comes from a self-described satirical website whose About Us page announces it is "dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity." Lead Stories found no sign in…

Did the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs say they are boycotting Pride Nights? No, that's not true: Neither the Steelers nor the Chiefs have publicly stated they were boycotting Pride Nights. The post saying so did not offer any evidence to back up its claim but it seems to have originated on a website with a satire disclaimer. The…

Did late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel say he was ending his show on January 20, 2025, and moving to Canada? No, that's not true: This comes from a website that labels itself satire. An online search turned up no evidence that Kimmel had ever said such a thing. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on November…

Did Elon Musk permanently ban LGBTQ+ Pride content from X because "protecting kids comes first"? No, that's not true: The account that posted this incorrect information is from a self-described satirical Facebook page that explains, "We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real." The word "SATIRE" is at the end of the post's caption. Lead Stories could not find…

Did Elon Musk sue TV show "The View" and co-host Whoopi Goldberg for $70 million because "They Lie About Me"? No, that's not true: This originated from SpaceX Fanclub, a Facebook page with a clear disclaimer that states, "We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real." That has not prevented other pages from picking up the story and republishing…

Did ABC issue an "official statement" that it would not renew the contracts of "The View" hosts Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg because they are "too toxic"? No, that's not true: ABC told Lead Stories that this is false. There have been no credible reports that Behar or Goldberg's contracts would not be renewed as of November 15, 2024. The…

Did McDonald's stock climb 200 percent after Donald Trump made a campaign appearance at one of its franchises? No, that's not true: This comes from a website that regularly publishes fake stories, and the original article was clearly labeled as "satire." McDonald's shares actually dropped after Trump visited one of its restaurants. The claim appeared in a post (archived here)…

Did Beyoncé declare she would no longer perform in "red states," meaning states that went for President-elect Donald Trump? No, that's not true: This comes from a website that publishes fake stories about famous people. The site describes itself as satire, and the original article was clearly labeled as satire. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook…

Did Taylor Swift cancel "red state shows" after President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 general election? No, that's not true: This first appeared on social media in a post on Facebook with "satire" in the caption. Plus, the Facebook account that posted the information says in its bio that it shares satire and parody content. The article the post was…

Did Elon Musk buy CNN in November 2024? No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories "there is no truth in rumors of a sale or change in ownership of CNN whatsoever." The assertion was made by Argentinian President Javier Milei and was picked up by Argentinian news outlets, but he offered no proof of such a sale.…