Betty White, pillar of humanity and shining example of all that is funny and spectacular in the world, fell victim to a death hoax Wednesday evening, Sept. 3.
Satirical news site Empire News published a story with the headline "Actress Betty White, 92, Dyes Peacefully In Her Los Angeles Home." White's many fans and other Internet news consumers who don't read past headlines confused "dyes" with "dies" and satire with reality, and pronounced the "Golden Girls" star dead.
Of course, White is alive and well, her agent confirmed to The Los Angeles Times.
Other Empire News headlines include "Jay-Z May Have Cheated on Beyoncé With Oprah Winfrey, Says Sister Solange Knowles" and "Bill Clinton Hits Talk Show Circuit to Promote New Book of White House Themed Erotica," but neither has generated such worried responses on Twitter.
Even after several certifiable news sites clarified that White is alive, some Twitter users stuck to mourning:
R.I.P. Betty white. You can see some of her fantastic humour here: https://t.co/Nslh5YYmXv Thanks for all the laughs Betty!
— Smyth Scene (@smythscene) September 4, 2014
Today we have lost one of the truly great ones. It will be very difficult to ever replace the magic we have lost the day Betty White died.
— Mark Finnegan (@finnegan339) September 4, 2014
We love you, Betty White.
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