Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock onstage at Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards was a moment that was hard to believe.
But false news about the shocking confrontation that upended one of Hollywood’s biggest nights came later on social media, including a fabricated letter of apology attributed to Rock and a miscaptioned celebrity reaction photo that has become an internet meme.
Here’s a closer look at claims that have spread widely online.
CLAIM: Rock issued a public apology for his joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying he “crossed a line that I shouldn’t have and paid the enormous price of my reputation as a renown comedian.”
THE FACTS: The apology, which included several spelling errors, is fake. Rock issued no such apology, a representative for the comedian told The Associated Press in an email Tuesday afternoon. The fabricated apology attributed to Rock amassed millions of views across social media platforms. “As a comedian it can be difficult to understand which lines are to be crossed and which ones aren’t,” the fake statement read. “Last night I crossed a line that I shouldn’t have and paid the enormous price of my reputation as a renown comedian. Comedy is never about poking fun at or making lite of people with...
Turkish base fake news in Armenia For several days, a video has been circulating on social media claiming that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan allegedly signed a “secret agreement” with EU ...