Eddie Murphy: Dead or Alive? Another Adam Sandler, Aretha Franklin Hoax?

An Eddie Murphy is dead rumor is surging on Twitter today in the wake of rumors that Adam Sandler and Aretha Franklin had died. Currently, the death of the Shrek comedian is rumored to be a hoax in the absence of credible evidence.  However, it underscores the nature of the web in creating fiction from a lack of facts.

 

The rumors about comedian Eddie Murphy being dead started about noon today on Twitter.  As one can imagine, the word that the voice of Donkey from Shrek had died, is quite shocking considering the iconic status Murphy has garnered over the years.

The story surrounding the rumored death of Eddie Murphy is based on a ski accident in which the Beverly Hills Cop star was involved in.  Reportedly, he was killed (instantly) in a snowboard accident in Zermatt, Switzerland while on vacation with family and friends.

Based on the source of the information surrounding the death of the comic, the story is being spread for entertainment purposes only, compliments of Fakeawish.com.  On this website, a user can input a random name of a celebrity and create a generated fake story to be used for mere fun.  However, it is important to point out that many fans who learn of stories such as this are driven towards deep depression, and even self-harm.  What is meant to be for entertainment purposes only is really a bad way to generate an income.

By all accounts, Eddie Murphy is not dead, but is alive and well, based on the source and history of the site promoting the rumor.

Do you think websites that support rumors regarding the death of a human being should be censored?

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