Hugh Hefner, the man behind Playboy Magazine is dead, according to Twitter. However, Hefner did not die. He's just the latest victim of a Twitter death hoax.
On Thursday night, Twitter lit up with tweets saying that the owner of the naughty magazine Playboy passed away. This is just a rumor. The 86 year old is still alive and kicking.
Hefner is still alive and enjoying life with his gorgeous Playmates. At 9PM EST on Thursday night, Hefner retweeted a message from his girlfriend Crystal Harris, which read "@CrystalHarris: OK, its official. I am spending way to much sp time on RedBulls site :) this skateboarding video is awesome! https://goo.gl/xRegz <3"
The night before, Hefner tweeted about spending time with Harris. "Before saying goodnight, Crystal & I watched a "Private Screenings: Lauren Bacall," because I identify with Bogie & Bacall," he wrote on Wednesday.
The rumor may have started on the site Necropedia. Necropedia calls Hefner's obituary an "anticipated obituary," which is "an obituary written BEFORE the death of a person. It is common for news agencies to keep pre-written obituary for public figures, famous and high-profile people who are still alive.
It is by no means a death announcement nor an anticipation of death."
A message on the site reads :
"Hugh Hefner, born on April 9, 1926 in Chicago, was an American business man. He died on September 15, 2012, at the age of 86.
Tributes have poured in from across the world."
Tributes are indeed pouring in from across the world on Twitter. Those on the social media site are beginning to mourn and question the possible death of Hefner. Some examples of tweets about Hefner's false death include:
"Damn Hugh Hefner died RIP you player"
"Da biggest PIMP EVER 2 LIVE HAS DIED?!! DAMN!!! #REST IN PEACE HUGH HEFNER!!"
"Wow Hugh Hefner died????!!!!"
"R.I.P Hugh Hefner!! Guess I gotta go Run the Mansion.. It's only right!!"
Some users are tweeting that Hefner was found dead in his hotel room.
Twitter users can put the rumor to rest before it gets too out of hand.
This isn't the first time that Heffner was killed off by the internet. In July 2011, another death rumor that was started on the internet got way out of hand and spread all over the internet. There are several "R.I.P. Hugh Hefner" Facebook pages with the 2011 death date. However, this too was false of course.
Hefner took to Twitter to clear up the previous death rumors himself saying, "The rumours of my death are, as Mark Twain observed in a similar situation, greatly exaggerated. I'm very much alive & kicking."
Hefner is just one of several celebrities that have been killed off by the internet and social media recently.
Tom Kenny, the voice behind SpongeBob Squarepants, country singer Taylor Swift, comedian Adam Sandler, legendary actor Morgan Freeman, Comedian Bill Cosby, Alfonso Ribeiro aka Carlton from the Fresh Prince, and Bill Nye the Science Guy have all been victims of death hoaxes within the past few weeks. All of these famous men are just fine.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
