It seems not a week goes by without a celebrity death hoax taking over social media site Twitter. The fake rumors previously claimed several celebrities including Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp, Taylor Lautner, Mick Jagger, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, among others. Although the truth is they are all alive and well, it was still unnerving for fans to see "RIP" trending with the name of their favorite star on Twitter -- obstensibly because they were deceased. Most recently, the celebrity death hoax phenomenon has also claimed Morgan Freeman, Bill Cosby and Bill Nye.
Check out the latest celebrity death hoaxes of 2012 so far. Click "Start" to view the slideshow.
As the Supreme Court's Proposition 8 decision approaches, Morgan Freeman has lent his voice to a new pro-gay marriage ad for the Human Rights Campaign. ReutersBill Cosby spoke out on the Trayvon Martin case for the first time on Friday, telling the Washington Times in an interview for a Monday story that he thinks Martin's shooter, George Zimmerman, was in the thrall of a "power-of-the-gun mentality" when he pulled the trigger, killing the unarmed 17-year-old on Feb. 26.ReutersActress Reese Witherspoon arrives on the red carpet for the annual White House Correspondents' Association DinnerReutersAdam Sandler wed his wife in 2003 in a Jewish ceremony, according to a People report.ReutersScientist and educator William Sanford Nye, a.k.a. "Bill Nye the Science Guy," spoke out against creationism in a YouTube video published on Thursday, Aug. 23. Three days later, rumors of Nye's death became a trending topic on Twitter, which sparked a massive outpouring of support for the allegedly dead PBS children's show host.CourtesyEddie Murphy
ReutersTelevision personality Paris Hilton arrives at the The Weinstein Company after party following the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California January 15, 2012. ReutersThe last member of the Forbes Five is Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson at $110 million.ReutersCanadian actor Keanu Reeves is the latest celebrity victim of a death hoax. The death rumors gained traction on Twitter a day after singer Whitney Houston was confirmed dead at 48.PAChanning Tatum TwitterAdele Reuters
