Betty White Death Hoax: Dead Reports Spread After Fans Misread Satirical Report
Fans of Betty White, keep calm and rejoice, for the comedienne is alive and well.
On Sept. 3, Twitter was flooded with posts from distressed fans upon learning that the actress has "died."
However, this is not the case, as some of White's fans misread the headline of a satirical piece about the actress published by Empire News, which said that the 92-year old "Dyes Peacefully in Her Los Angeles Home."
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Fans immediately took to Twitter to spread the news, not realizing that the writer used a homophone, and that "dies" is not the same as "dyes." Those who read the headline may have not continued reading the article, because the entire article was a satirical piece in which White's agent says that the actress is not a natural blonde.
According to CNN, the story included an alleged quote from White's agent, Jeff Witjas, saying that she "has been dying her own hair in her home for decades."
"Betty has often told me she feels it is relaxing and soothing to dye her own hair, peacefully in her home, where she can laugh and enjoy time with her animals," Witjas supposedly said.
Although Witjas is White's agent, he told CNN that he spoke to Empire News about his client's coloring habits or preferences.
Witjas gave his real comment to the network one day after the news broke, wherein he said that news of Betty's demise was positively untrue, and said that White "will outlive us all."
"Betty and I have an understanding," said Witjas. "I have told her that I have already booked her when she turns 100 and there is no out clause. Betty never backs out of a date."
Things appear to have calmed down on Thursday as Twitter users started posting jokes about the hoax.
Twitter user Bad Bad Leroy Brown posted, "A little thankful that Betty White trending isn't because she had some photos hacked."
But another Betty White fan, Andrew Klavan, won the internet that day as he cleverly tweeted this little gem which read: "RIP Betty. (Rinse in Peace)."
