Bill Cosby Dead: How a Fake News Story Went Viral

The origin of the hoax

On September 23, 2023, a website called News Daily 24 published an article with the headline “BREAKING: Bill Cosby Found Dead in His Prison Cell”. The article claimed that the 86-year-old comedian, who was convicted of sexual assault in 2018, had died of a heart attack in his cell at the State Correctional Institution – Phoenix in Pennsylvania. The article also quoted a fake statement from Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, confirming his death and expressing his condolences to his family and fans.

The article was quickly shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where many people believed it and reacted with shock, sadness, anger, or relief. Some celebrities also fell for the hoax and posted tributes to Cosby on their accounts. However, some users also questioned the credibility of the source and pointed out the lack of evidence and details in the article.

The debunking of the hoax

The hoax was soon exposed by several reputable media outlets and fact-checking websites, such as Wikipedia, The Cinema holic, Freshers live, Media mass, and Cyber Planet. These sources confirmed that Bill Cosby was not dead, but alive and well in prison. They also revealed that News Daily 24 was a fake news website that had previously published other false stories about celebrities’ deaths, such as Dwayne Johnson, Tom Cruise, and Sylvester Stallone.

According to these sources, the hoax was likely motivated by clickbait, pranks, or malicious intent. They warned the public to be careful and vigilant about what they read and share online, and to verify the information from reliable and trustworthy sources before believing or spreading it.

The aftermath of the hoax

The hoax caused a lot of confusion and controversy among the public and the media. Some people who believed the hoax were relieved that Cosby was dead, as they considered him a rapist and a criminal who deserved to die. Others who believed the hoax were saddened that Cosby was dead, as they remembered him as a comedian and an actor who made them laugh and entertained them. Some people who did not believe the hoax were angry that someone would spread such a lie about Cosby’s death, as they thought it was disrespectful and insensitive to him and his family.

Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, issued a statement denouncing the hoax and clarifying that Cosby was alive and healthy in prison. He also thanked the fans who supported Cosby and prayed for him. He said that Cosby was aware of the hoax and did not let it affect him. He said that Cosby was focused on his appeal process and hoped to prove his innocence in court.

Cosby himself did not comment on the hoax publicly, but he posted a tweet on his official account on September 25, 2023. The tweet read: “I’m not dead. I’m alive. And I’m still fighting for justice. #Free Bill Cosby”. The tweet received mixed reactions from his followers, some of whom expressed their support and others their disdain.

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