Dead Celebs who keep on dying over and over again.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I've been seeing this for a while on the Social Media Sites (Facebook most notoriously). Basically you keep seeing post about how a celeb died. Again.

Just a few minutes ago I had Richard Kiel's death notice come across my news feed reposted by a friend of mine. Dude died last September. And his is not the only one that has done that. My current record is the death notice of Charles Nelson Reily coming across my feed last year when he died in 2007. Seven years and he just won't stay dead in the social media.

Is it really so @#$%ing hard to do a quick 'Net search?

It's either that or the people who keep claiming that someone's dead when they're still alive and kicking. Betty White's been dead at least a dozen times if you were to judge by the social media sites. Hell one even said that she had died before her roast of William Shatner.

So I guess a zombie roasted Billy boy.

[TheHuckster]

Even George Takei made that mistake once.

I'd expand this rant to pretty much anyone who just automatically shares something without doing research as to whether it's true or not. There's someone who falls for this all the freaken time, posting hoaxes, or sometimes even satirical articles from The Onion or other similar sites as if they were true.

It is annoying enough when it's something trivial, like "All cars built after 2009 must have wifi enabled. Try it yourself! Cool, eh?" but downright terrifying when they post something like, "When washing potatoes, make sure you use bleach! Just regular water and scrubbing won't get all the contaminants out!" Followed by comments saying, "Oh wow! I didn't know about that. Thanks for the info, maybe this is why my kids have been getting sick lately." (Thankfully that specific example is facetious, but I've seen similar dangerous hoaxes posted by her and others in the past)

That same Facebook user posted the Back To The Future "today's the day Marty time traveled to" about 5 times in the last 3 years, each time with someone telling her to stop.

[Aragarthiel]

It's things like that that make it hard for me to believe it when a celebrity really does die. If someone's "death" becomes viral enough, a Google search can't always immediately tell you the truth. It took me a full day to believe that Robin Williams had died, though I think that was because his death resembled a death in one of his lesser-known movies, so it was easier for me to believe it was a hoax.

[wolfie]

It's things like that that make it hard for me to believe it when a celebrity really does die. If someone's "death" becomes viral enough, a Google search can't always immediately tell you the truth. It took me a full day to believe that Robin Williams had died, though I think that was because his death resembled a death in one of his lesser-known movies, so it was easier for me to believe it was a hoax.

With the decline in fact-checking in the major media (costs money, and slows publication so they risk being "scooped"), it's getting so that you can't even believe it if you see it in the paper.

As for the issue of celebrities not staying dead, I have 2 words for you: Elvis Presley. Last I've heard, he's facing a paternity suit after an affair with Bigfoot on the UFO.

[TheHuckster]

As for the issue of celebrities not staying dead, I have 2 words for you: Elvis Presley. Last I've heard, he's facing a paternity suit after an affair with Bigfoot on the UFO.

You read Weekly World News, too? I think he's also harboring Bat Boy.

[Kaylyn]

For some reason, Rue McClanahan died (again) this past week. She actually died five years ago but this is the second or third time her death has reappeared. Funnily enough, my mother-in-law mourned her over FB five years ago, and apparently forgot she had done so and made a big fuss this most recent time. Then again, she's not the brightest crayon in the box...

[HYHYBT]

One strange thing I've seen with the several of these in the past couple of weeks has been the inclusion of an odd sentence about preparing a heavenly mansion for Zha Zha Gabor.

One of these days, the one about Betty White will be true.

[Kheldarson]

For some reason, Rue McClanahan died (again) this past week. She actually died five years ago but this is the second or third time her death has reappeared. Funnily enough, my mother-in-law mourned her over FB five years ago, and apparently forgot she had done so and made a big fuss this most recent time. Then again, she's not the brightest crayon in the box...

I saw an explanation for that one and it may apply to the rest.

Basically Miss Rue has a fan group that remembers her death every year. So they start tweeting #RIPRue and other rememberances. Then others outside of the group pick it up and looking into the articles. Then share said articles. And next thing you know it's trending.

[Andara Bledin]

The Betty White one was a satire piece that used the term "dyes" in the headline because it was about her dying her hair, not about her dying. The fact that so many people don't know the difference is just sad.

[Mr Hero]

The one I keep seeing is Jackie Chan. It's like he did the koopa shell trick for more lives.

[drjonah]

Facebook has cranked up the idiocy of people. It used to be that 'If it's on the internet it MUST be true'. Now it's 'If the article/picture says to like & share, then it's DEFINITELY true!'

[Bloodsoul]

So when do we start seeing this for Christopher "Dracula" Lee? =3

[DGoddess]

Meh. I doubt FB could be considered accurate news quality.

I check Wikipedia daily to check on recent deaths. Another good place to check is Find A Death or Find A Grave if you're not sure who died or when.

[Tama]

In other news that line about Jaws from James Bond being dead is circulating...again.

[dendawg]

For as bad as it is about other news, I find TMZ to be disturbingly accurate in reporting celeb deaths.