Fact Check: Is Chris Tucker dead? YouTube rumor debunked

Chris Tucker was recently trending and for all the wrong reasons. Following recent reports that the actor had passed away while on route to the hospital, he was trending on social media over the weekend. The story is untrue, as Chris Tucker is still alive and well.

On Friday, September 30, 2022, a Facebook page named R.I.P. Chris Tucker was launched, garnering over a million page likes with the following viral message,

"At about 11 a.m. ET on Friday (September 30, 2022), our beloved actor Chris Tucker passed away. Chris Tucker was born on August 31, 1972 in Atlanta. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page."

Additionally, videos were made on YouTube by users saying that the Rush Hour actor had passed away while traveling to the hospital.

The video's title, 10 Minutes Ago / Died On The Way To The Hospital / Goodbye Comedian Chris Tucker, added credibility to the situation. The nine-minute and eleven-second video continues by briefly outlining the comedian's life and expressing sympathy to his family.

People quickly began to accept what they saw in the video as some users were quick to spread the word on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and others. Tucker is the latest celebrity to fall victim to death hoaxes. More often than not, people spread false information simply to amass views online.

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Chris Tucker is not dead

Chris is a victim of a fake death hoax, and he is well and alive. If you look at the YouTube channel that posted this information, you'll see that the account's primary purpose is to produce videos about famous people who have passed away. But they're all false, as it happens.

The account, Celeb TV, started in 2020 and released videos regarding the entertainment sector. But up until now, it has only published fictitious death reports.

Kanye West, Kevin Hart, Lionel Richie, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrities were also the victims of a death hoax.

Tucker's family members should have posted about his passing online if it were true. For instance, his niece, vocalist Jamia Tucker, shared an audition for THE WIZ but mentioned nothing about her uncle's supposed death.

In April 2021, Chris agreed to have ICM Partners represent him in all capacities. ICM Partners would undoubtedly make a public announcement if he passed away.

There was no such announcement on October 1, 2022, despite allegations to the contrary. Tracy Kramer, who served as his longtime manager, also opted not to speak on his alleged passing.

In June 2022, Chris joined the cast of a film about Nike's pursuit of Michael Jordan for his enduring shoe deal. He is also performing live stand-up comedy gigs around the country. If he had indeed passed away, both the movie and his live performances would have to be canceled, with each project's producers publishing their separate press announcements.

But neither has occurred, and it appears that filming on the Nike project is proceeding normally, and none of Tucker's live performances have been postponed.

Celebrity deaths and obituaries are shared by mainstream media, and they would be among the first to report the news. However, not a single newspaper, news organization like CNN or BBC, or a celebrity site like TMZ, broke the news that Chris had passed. That's because Chris Tucker is still very much alive and well.