Entertainment

Did Gene Hackman vow to "corroborate everything in the Epstein client list" in an X.com post a year before his death? No, that's not true: The user name seen in the purported February 2024 tweet does not exist and there is no indication online the 95-year-old actor was active on the social media platform in recent years. While no "client…

Is Joe Rogan correct that Girl Scout cookies are "toxic as fuck"? Here is what we know about the situation: Podcast host Rogan said on his program that a study of Girl Scout cookies shows they have high levels of glyphosate and heavy metals. The Girl Scouts organization published a statement declaring their cookies are safe to consume, and heavy…

In February 2025, public health officials in Texas reported the death of an unvaccinated child following a measles infection. As of this writing, national health authorities report at least three outbreaks of the highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease across eight states. As communities prepare for potential increases in cases, Lead Stories has compiled information summarizing the Texas outbreak, how cases have…

Did actress Michelle Trachtenberg "Die Suddenly" at the age of 39 because of the COVID-19 vaccine? No, that's not true: Social media posts spreading the speculation offered no supporting evidence. As of February 26, 2025, no investigating officers or credible media organization reported any connection between vaccination and Trachtenberg's death. "Died Suddenly," the name on an X account posting the…

Hollywood star Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025, and people are alleging that it was an "double suicide." Here is what we know: Oscar-winner Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were all found in different locations in their home and had apparently been dead for some time.…

Did President Donald Trump's eldest son Don Jr. say on his podcast that "the U.S. should have been sending weapons to Russia" instead of Ukraine, as an X post claims? No, that's not true: The episode in question did not contain such a statement. Two AI detectors indicated that the audio in the viral clip was likely a product of…

Did Damon Imani appear on "The View" and was he verbally sparring with the hosts? No, that's not true: Imani is a producer, artist and commentator who often publishes digitally edited videos placing himself in various existing videos. They are labeled as satire on his own social media channels but sometimes his videos get shared or stolen without that context.…

Did USAID pay Pizza Hut $150 million "to renovate and modernize" in 1997? No, that's not true: The post making the viral claim on social media offered no evidence to support it. Lead Stories found no credible reports proving it, either. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on February 6, 2025. It opened: USAID paid…

Does a video actually show Karoline Leavitt and Whoopi Goldberg together on "The View," with Goldberg walking off the set? No, that's not true: A now-deleted TikTok video with a caption misspelling Leavitt's first name as "Caroline" was generated using AI. In reality, Leavitt hasn't appeared on "The View" since becoming White House press secretary (or before that). A copy…

Did White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt kick "The View" host Whoopi Goldberg off the show after "heated clash on Live TV"? No, that's not true: The story narrated in a viral video was likely written by AI, according to online detection tools. As of February 24, 2025, there is no evidence that Goldberg had been fired from the daily…

Is a video in which pop star Taylor Swift announces a breakup with athlete Travis Kelce and where she says she's looking to date a basketball player real? No, that's not true: The video in which Swift appears to say, "I don't date losers, I only date winners" originated on a YouTube channel specializing in AI deepfakes. An online detection…

Was the TV show "The View" officially cancelled after decades on air, as a viral article claimed? No, that's not true: The story appears to have been written using AI and was published on an anonymously registered website that lists no owners or publishers. There have been no official announcements on ABC's website regarding a cancellation of The View. The…

Does a viral photo really show gymnast Simone Biles pregnant with a clearly visible baby bump posing next to her husband Jonathan Owens who is wearing a suit and bow tie? No, that's not true: A detection tool indicated the image of the Olympic gold medalist was generated using AI. Biles posted pictures to her Instagram account only days ago…

Does a viral video authentically show a C-17 Globemaster plane taking off from an aircraft carrier? No, that's not true: The viral clip was copied from a YouTube channel with an explicit disclaimer saying all footage is made "using simulator games." The Globemaster typically needs a runway well over 3,000 feet -- much more than a typical aircraft carrier has…

Did Carrie Underwood win a billion-dollar defamation lawsuit against "The View" or did she even sue them? No, that's not true: The story alleging there was a lawsuit involving comments on "The View" about Underwood's performance at President Trump's inauguration was put out by a number of clickbait channels on YouTube, but it was not backed up by any sources…

Is British singer Sam Smith "self-partnered," meaning that they are not single but in a relationship with themselves? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a satirical Facebook page with a clear disclaimer. There is no evidence that Smith ever made that declaration about their dating status, as of this writing. The claim appeared in a post (archived here)…

Is the MSNBC television program hosted by the former White House press secretary named "Inside Jen Psaki"? No, that's not true: The program is called "Inside With Jen Psaki." An image circulating on social media had been digitally edited to remove the word "with." The edited image appears in a post (archived here) on X on February 18, 2025. It…

Does a video captioned "Free headphones hack" shared on social media authentically show a Black man stealing a train passenger's headphones? No, that's not true: The video was first posted by a social media creator who shares similar ones of him stealing people's items from trains and dancing afterward as part of an ongoing sketch series. It was reshared to…

Is a viral article claiming country singer Chris Stapleton filed an official objection to Beyoncé winning a Grammy based on actual news events? No, that's not true: There is no record of Stapleton saying "Eveп she admits this is пot a coυпtry albυm." as the story claimed. Stapleton's social media profiles and website do not mention any such objection and…

Was TV host Joy Behar arrested at the airport trying to flee the country after a $50M lawsuit involving comments about White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt? No, that's not true: The story narrated in a viral video was written by AI according to online detection tools, and there have been no actual news reports about any such lawsuit. An…