Why is Jimmy Fallon trending on Twitter? Death claims debunked as memes take over social media

On November 14, rumors of Jimmy Fallon’s death circulated across Twitter. Netizens were stunned by the announcement, which led to the hashtag “RIPJimmyFallon” trending on the social media platform. However, the news is not true. The late-night show host is alive and well.

Twitter page @FallonTonight posted an announcement that read that Jimmy Fallon had passed away. A black and white image of the television host along with a dog was uploaded as well. The tweet read:

The tweet was quick to go viral on the social media platform, with netizens expressing shock over the news. Many were convinced that the announcement was true, as it appeared that it came from the host’s official late-night show account. However, the news is untrue.

The anchor's birth year from the tweet was wrong. Jimmy Fallon was not born in 1923, but in 1974. This would make him 48 years old. If one was to believe the year mentioned in the tweet, it would mean that Fallon would be 99 years old.

Evidently, an unknown person used Photoshop to edit the social media post and create a fake tweet.

Netizens fall victim to Jimmy Fallon’s death hoax

Several internet users did not verify the tweet and were quick to believe the same. Netizens flooded Twitter with tweets that paid tribute to the television host. Many expressed shock and sadness over the fake news breaking online. Some also created memes about the matter at hand. A few tweets read:

Television host confirms he is alive and well

After the hashtag began trending, Jimmy Fallon took to the platform and jokingly asked new Twitter owner Elon Musk to “fix” the news of his death going viral. The tweet read:

Fallon’s representatives also confirmed that the host is alive. Their official statement read that Fallon:

It seems like the fake tweet is a celebrity death hoax. Several high-profile stars have fallen victim to the trend, including Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, JK Rowling, and Bad Bunny, among others. People create fake news in the form of clickbait content to garner massive traction online and gain popularity.

Unfortunately, misinformation circulates online just for internet “clout.” When news of large gravity breaks online, it is important to fact-check the same through other credible publications.

How to report fake tweets on the platform

To ensure that one does not fall victim to believing such false rumors, they can report false information if they speculate it being so. To do so, one must follow the steps below:

About the author

Karishma is a trending writer at SK POP. With a BA in Journalism, Psychology and Literature, Karishma, who has closely followed the latest internet trends from a young age, found her role at SK POP to be the perfect fit for her professional qualifications and personal interests.

She has nearly 3 years of experience in the industry and has interned with The Hindu and Deccan Herald. In her role at Sportskeeda, Karishma covers a range of topics at the pop division, but she believes her skills as a journalist are best reflected while creating impactful and research-intensive stories. For her, no other step in the writing process is as crucial as fact-checking with multiple sources and accurately conveying facts and data.

Karishma holds deep admiration for artists Luke Jerram and Yoshitomo Nara's authenticity and originality, who are her favorite icons. When not ideating her next story, Karishma can be seen deeply engrossed in a book.

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