Get outta here. Word to your mother.
The latest celeb to meet the icy hand of death on social media is 44-year-old Rob Van Winkle – you may know him as Vanilla Ice. According to the reports, the rapper, actor, and producer lost control of a friend’s car on Interstate 80, hit the center divider, flipped it several times, and died on scene. He was going approximately 95 mph and police are investigating whether substances were a factor.
Or, here’s how it happened:
Vanilla Ice died in a single vehicle crash on Route 80 between Morristown and Roswell. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics responding to the vehicle accident and was identified by photo ID found on his body. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been a factor in this accident – June 17, 2012
Fortunately for everyone involved, both of these accounts of the incident are incorrect – because the incident never occurred. It’s just the latest in the seemingly never-ending string of celebrity death hoaxes – which continue to fool people who mindlessly share before they confirm.
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It’s more common for these types of death hoaxes to spread on Twitter. In recent months, Twitter has killed off Madonna, Justin Bieber, Fidel Castro, Jon Bon Jovi, Cher, Eddit Murphy, Soulja Boy, and many more. But the ease of “sharing” on Facebook also makes it a great way to virally spread fake news.
Like the majority of celebrity death hoaxes, the source article that people are linking to comes from fake news generator Global Associated News.
At least Vanilla Ice is being proactive in dispelling the rumor:
Whoever is spreading the rumor that I died in a car crash is full of shit I’m right here kicking colder than ever and I love all my ninjas
Double check before you share, people. And if you see that a celeb was killed in a “car crash” or a “ski accident,” you should probably be extra skeptical.
[Facebook hoax screencap courtesy Sophos]