Entries from January 2019 ↓

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Did Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri pay the price by Tom Cruise for the actress’s romance with Jamie Foxx? That was claim made by one of the tabloids exactly one year ago today. Gossip Cop reported it was false then, and now 365 days later, it couldn’t be more clear how wrong the magazine was.

On January 28, 2018, OK! maintained Cruise was so angered by Holmes and Foxx flaunting their relationship that, as a result, his ex-wife and daughter were “paying the price.” An unnamed and unverifiable “source” was quoted as telling the magazine how Cruise was “less than pleased” with Holmes’s romance with Foxx, who he “used to consider… a friend,” and that he was not inclined afterwards to “have more contact with Katie and Suri.” But, as Gossip Cop noted 12 months ago, not only were some of the assertions completely phony, but the tabloid also didn’t offer a shred of proof to back up its premise.

For starters, the publication never actually explained how Holmes and Suri were “paying the price” for the actress being photographed on public with Foxx at a pre-Grammys party a few days earlier? Equally significant, the idea that Cruise was no longer motivated to “have more contact with Katie and Suri” was beyond absurd. As widely established, Cruise hasn’t been in Holmes and Suri’s lives for years, and he obviously doesn’t care who the actress dates.

And, as Gossip Cop pointed a year ago, the magazine apparently couldn’t keep its various made-up stories straight. While it contended a year ago how Cruise was “upset” about Holmes and Foxx taking their romance public, prior to that the outlet’s narrative was about the Mission: Impossible star being fully supportive of his friend and ex-wife dating. In a 2016 cover story, for example, OK! claimed Cruise gave his “blessing” to Foxx and Holmes getting married and having a baby.

In another front page article two months after that, the very same outlet asserted Cruise sent a “$ 2,500 bouquet of flowers” because he was so happy after hearing Holmes was pregnant with Foxx’s baby girl. Nearly three years later, it’s apparent the actress never had a child with Foxx and that the tabloid’s tipsters are either wholly untrustworthy or possibly even made-up. Regardless, the main issue is the magazine has made (and continues to make) claims about Suri, Holmes, Foxx and Cruise, based on anonymous and unaccountable sources, and the tales don’t hold up over time. Conversely, Foxx and Holmes’s reps went on the record to call last year’s report untrue.

In the intervening year, the publication hasn’t become any more reliable. For instance, over the summer Gossip Cop busted the outlet when it wrongly reported Suri was begging Cruise to visit her. And just a couple of weeks ago, we debunked a cover story that falsely alleged Holmes and Foxx secretly got married in Paris. Curiously, that article left out how another cover earlier in the year untruthfully maintained Foxx and Holmes had split up.

As Gossip Cop has previously mentioned, we revisit stories from a year ago to show readers which outlets they can and cannot trust. Additionally, it’s important to assess the track record of magazines that base their articles entirely on nameless and untraceable tipsters. In an effort to provide as much transparency and confidence in our reporting, Gossip Cop always seeks on-the-record comments and openly lists its sources. It’s safe to say that while Suri and Holmes didn’t pay a price by Cruise for the actress’s relationship with Foxx, the tabloid’s readers did and, in a way, it was way more than the $ 5.99 they were charged for the publication.

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A number of stories claim an “ex-bodyguard” for Brad Pitt says the actor and Charlize Theron are “friends with benefits” and even dished about their alleged “romance.” But Kris Herzog, who’s extensively quoted in those pieces, denies making the remarks. The comments, which form the basis for several articles, were first published by The Sun; however, Herzog tells Gossip Cop he has “never” spoken to the tabloid.

Not surprisingly, sister outlets RadarOnline and OK! both posted stories on Sunday about Herzog’s alleged interview with the British newspaper. In their articles, they quoted the bodyguard agency owner as maintaining Pitt and Theron are keeping their supposed romance hush-hush for fear of angering Angelina Jolie. According to the outlets, Herzog purportedly told the paper, “At the minimum, they’re friends with benefits.”

The “former protector” of Pitt is also quoted as having allegedly claimed he had a conversation with Theron, who shared that she and the actor have “been together for the last four months.” Herzog, noted the outlets, contended they’re “keeping it secret” both until they figure out whether or not they’ll get serious, and because Pitt doesn’t want to tick off Jolie since they’re still working out custody issues. But now the bodyguard asserts, at best, he was “misquoted.”

Herzog exclusively tells Gossip Cop, “I have never given an interview to The Sun in my life.” He also disputed the paper’s characterization of him being Pitt’s “ex-bodyguard.” He assures us he’s never worked for the Oscar-winner.

Herzog says a friend asked him about Pitt and Theron a few months ago, and without any specific knowledge he responded in general, “If they are going out, I hope they keep it on the down low,” knowing how relationships can get “destroyed by the tabloids.” He tells Gossip Cop his responses were all with a “big capital ‘if.’” Herzog adds he simply always expresses his hope that “everybody finds true love,” and his remarks were not tied to any inside information about Pitt and Theron being in some sort of romance. As we noted last week, phony rumors about Pitt and Theron dating have been floated for some time.

Gossip Cop also reached out to The Sun, and was told it stuck by its story. For the record, Pitt’s rep told us last week that the news reports about Theron and Pitt dating were “false.” Contrary to the paper’s claim about them being “together for the last four months” and “friends with benefits,” his spokesperson said the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood star “hasn’t seen her in months,” ever since they shot an advertisement together for Breitling watches. The same sentiment was echoed by a source within Theron’s camp.

While we have long catalogued OK! and RadarOnline’s inaccurate reports about Pitt, but it bears mentioning The Sun has published a number of provably false stories about him, as well. More than a year ago, for instance, Gossip Cop busted the tabloid when it maintained Pitt was dating Sienna Miller and going public with their romance. Later, Miller would shut down the Pitt romance rumors, confirming our exclusive debunking.

Another of the many examples in which the newspaper was wrong was when it published a wholly fictitious tale about Pitt being “in love” with Neri Oxman and wanting to introduce his kids to her. As Gossip Cop noted then, and the MIT professor herself subsequently stated, Oxman and Pitt never dated. Based on denials from Pitt and Theron’s camps, as well as Herzog claiming he “never” gave The Sun an interview, we’re giving this latest story a zero on our fact or fiction meter.

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Is Lady Gaga’s fiancé, Christian Carino, suspicious of her relationship with Bradley Cooper? One of the tabloids claims the singer’s romance is suffering as a result of the close bond she shares with her A Star Is Born co-star. The story is completely untrue.

According to Life & Style, Gaga’s friendship with Cooper could spell the end of her engagement. A supposed source tells the magazine, “People have raised eyebrows over how affectionate Bradley and Lady Gaga are when they’re together,” adding that her fiancé “has been spotted rolling his eyes whenever she brings up the ‘B’ word.”

The alleged insider further claims the singer has been “dismissive” towards her fiancé as of late, and further speculates that Gaga is “second-guessing her romance” with Carino. “At the Critics’ Choice Awards, he was left holding her purse and champagne like some kind of assistant and Gaga refused to have her photograph taken with him backstage,” adds the outlet’s suspicious tipster. “Christian seemed really fed up. This level of fame and attention is known for causing strain in relationships, and right now, Lady Gaga’s career is sky-high.”

None of this is accurate. Earlier this month, Gaga and Carino snuggled up at the Golden Globes, where they were photographed holding hands backstage. Days later, Gaga thanked her fiancé at the National Board of Review awards gala while accepting the award for Best Actress, praising him “for loving and taking care of my heart every day.” At the Critics’ Choice Awards, Gaga called Carino “my love” during her Best Actress acceptance speech.

Carino has mutual admiration for his fiancée. Following the Golden Globes, the talent agent posted an Instagram photo of him and Gaga kissing during the ceremony when she won the award for Best Original Song. “Congratulations, beautiful girl,” he captioned the image. In the past week alone, Carino has posted several Instagram photos from backstage at Gaga’s Las Vegas residency. The agent can be seen carrying his fiancée over his shoulder in one of the snapshots.

As Gossip Cop has stressed several times, Cooper and Gaga share a very close friendship, but their relationship is completely platonic. The singer’s fiancé isn’t suspicious or threatened by the bond she has with her co-star. It’s worth noting, Gossip Cop busted Life & Style last month for falsely claiming Cooper would be singing a duet with Gaga at her wedding to Carino. The outlet even said the actor would be Gaga’s “man of honor” at her nuptials. That story wasn’t true either, but it shows how the magazine can’t keep its narratives consistent. This latest one about Cooper coming between his co-star and her fiancé is more nonsense.

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Are Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani about to make an “engagement announcement”? That’s the premise behind a new tabloid story, which picked up a similar claim from one of its sister publications. Regardless of how many outlets allege it, Gossip Cop is told on the record that it’s “untrue.”

In Touch, which has a poor track record when it comes to articles about Stefani and Shelton, maintains the singing couple is on the verge of sharing with the world that they’re “taking the next big step.” The tabloid then quotes a so-called “insider” as saying they’re “going to be announcing their engagement very soon.” If that sounds familiar, it’s because the magazine is repeating the same phony narrative its sister publication, Us Weekly.

The tabloid, which regurgitates quotes from the Us Weekly article (without disclosing they’re owned by the same company), contends Stefani has been “cautious” about tying the knot with Shelton because of her concern about how it will affect her three sons. But then the magazine relates how the country singer and her boys have grown close. Towards the end of its report, In Touch notes, “It been a long road to engagement.”

Curiously, the tabloid doesn’t mention anything about their “long road to engagement” including Stefani being pregnant with Shelton’s twins two and a half years ago. It also doesn’t reference anything about Stefani getting dumped by Shelton, a story the magazine similarly splashed on its cover. Nor does it say a word about publishing an article on its front page that asserted Stefani was pregnant and getting married to Shelton on his Oklahoma ranch.

Each of those stories, which the outlet believed were worthy of putting on its cover, were 100 percent wrong. And each of them were based on anonymous sources, who the tabloid vouched for. Conversely, while Gossip Cop reaches out to various insiders who help guide us behind-the-scenes to our conclusions, we also quoted on the record Stefani’s own rep saying each of those tales were false. Importantly, time has shown us to be right in every single one of those instances.

A little more than a week ago, Gossip Cop investigated the initial claim about Stefani and Shelton announcing an engagement soon, and we correctly debunked it. Nothing has changed since then. While the publication offers no transparency about who its supposed “insider” is, or that it cribbed its entire report from a related magazine, Stefani’s rep once again told Gossip Cop on behalf of the No Doubt singer that talk of her and Shelton making an engagement announcement is “untrue.”

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Caitlyn Jenner never hired Kim Kardashian’s surrogate for Chicago, despite a report from exactly one year ago today. At the time, Gossip Cop said the former Olympian wasn’t going to have a baby via a surrogate, including the one Kardashian used for her third child. We noted it was untrue then, and now 12 months later it’s clear the claim was 100 percent false.

On January 26, 2018, Heat maintained Jenner contacted the surrogate Kardashian hired to carry Chicago. An alleged insider explained to the publication that with “dozens of other surrogates” available to Jenner, Kardashian’s family questioned why the transgender rights activist had to zero in on the woman her former stepdaughter entrusted to carry her third baby. According to the tabloid’s supposed “source,” Kardashian secretly wanted her surrogate to turn down Jenner’s request, but she didn’t want to meddle and cause more “tension” than there already was.

Of course, a full 365 days have passed and Jenner didn’t hire Kardashian’s surrogate or anyone else to carry a baby for her. As Gossip Cop exclusively reported, contrary to the magazine’s premise that Jenner wanted to become a mother after having been a dad (and stepdad), she had no plans whatsoever to have another child. And as opposed to the outlet’s article, which was entirely based on a nameless and untraceable “source,” Jenner’s rep told Gossip Cop on behalf of her that the publication’s story was completely false.

Since then, Heat hasn’t gotten much better with its reports about Jenner or Kardashian. In May, for instance, Gossip Cop busted the British tabloid when it published a piece that wrongly contended Jenner was going to marry Sophia Hutchins. While the two women are closest of friends and inseparable, Jenner has publicly denied they are in a romance.

Gossip Cop also corrected the magazine in June when it inaccurately asserted Kardashian was running for president in 2020 or 2024. Once again, the outlet relied on an anonymous “insider” to claim the reality star was ready to embark on a “$ 100 million bid” for the White House. However, Kardashian herself said in a CNN interview in June that running for president was “not what I’m going for.”

As Gossip Cop has mentioned before, we occasionally look back at articles from a year ago to show how they’ve held up over time. Last January, the tabloid alleged Jenner was looking for a surrogate, and obviously she didn’t have another child nor is she going to. It’s precisely because we fact-check every claim that Gossip Cop has become known for its reliability.

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Is Jennifer Aniston using Sandra Bullock as her life coach? That’s the claim in one of this week’s tabloids. Gossip Cop looked into the situation and we can set the record straight.

According to Heat, Aniston is relying on her friend to act as her “therapist” to help solve her “life crises.” A supposed source tells the magazine, “Sandra is calm, wise, balanced and shrewd – all the virtues Jen needs when talking over her issues. Their friendship has really grown recently, and Jen looks up to Sandra as one of the most impressive people she’s ever known.”

The alleged insider goes on to say that Bullock “helps Jen with everything she’s going through,” including her divorce from Justin Theroux and navigating single life. “Sandra knows better than anyone what it’s like to go through an ugly break-up in front of the world’s press,” adds the suspicious tipster, referring to Bullock’s 2010 split from ex-husband Jesse James. “She immediately made herself available at any time, day or night, for Jen to call.” The seemingly phony source concludes, “Jen and Sandra have just really clicked and Jen’s been pouring her heart out ever since.”

The magazine’s story reads more like fan fiction than actual journalism. Gossip Cop reached out to a rep qualified to speak on Aniston’s behalf, and we’re assured the tabloid’s report is made-up. Despite what the outlet’s anonymous and untraceable “insider” claims, the actress’s spokesperson says on the record that Bullock hasn’t become her “life coach.” The two actresses are friendly, and it’s reasonable to believe they talk to each other about their personal lives, but the idea that Bullock is acting as Aniston’s de facto “therapist” simply isn’t accurate.

The tabloid seems to have concocted this bogus story because Aniston and Bullock bumped into each other in Jackson Hole, Wyoming over New Year’s. The two actresses didn’t actually go on vacation together, but had an unexpected run-in while spending time at the ski destination. The encounter also resulted in NW making up a story earlier this week about Bullock encouraging Aniston to adopt a baby. The tabloids just seem to be taking advantage of the fact that the actresses recently crossed paths.

It’s worth noting, this isn’t the first time we’ve caught Heat coming up with a story about one of Aniston’s friends playing a big role in her personal life. Last year, Gossip Cop busted the tabloid for falsely claiming Gwyneth Paltrow was acting as Aniston’s “matchmaker.” The outlet has also printed a slew of false stories surrounding Aniston’s relationship with Brad Pitt, including one about the actress teaming up with her ex-husband for a romantic comedy. This latest article about her friendship with Bullock is more fiction.

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Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger’s romance has been the subject of many bogus tabloid stories as of late. Gossip Cop has debunked several false articles about the newly-engaged couple. Here are five wrong rumors.

Earlier this week, Gossip Cop busted OK! for wrongly reporting that Katherine’s dad, Arnold, wasn’t a fan of her fiancé when they first started dating, but the actor managed to win him over. That simply wasn’t the case. The couple has been dating for seven months, but Pratt was spotted spending time with Katherine’s dad for the first time in November. People magazine noted at the time, “Arnold seemed very pleased to spend time with Chris. It was obvious that they got along and enjoyed getting to know each other.” Additionally, Arnold gave a shoutout to Pratt on Twitter back in 2015, indicating he was a fan of the actor years before he started dating his daughter.

Gossip Cop called out NW earlier this week for falsely claiming Pratt’s ex-wife, Anna Faris, believed he was rushing to marry with Schwarzenegger just “so they can sleep together.” Both the actor and his fiancé are devout Christians, and according to the magazine, they’re “saving themselves for their wedding night.” Irrespective of their religious views, the idea that Faris is upset about her ex-husband’s engagement simply isn’t true. In reality, Faris congratulated Pratt and Schwarzenegger on their engagement after the actor announced the news on Instagram. “I’m so happy for you both!! Congratulations!” the actress commented on his post.

NW made up a similar story earlier this week alleging that Faris was “furious” over Pratt’s engagement because she had been planning to announce her own engagement to boyfriend Michael Barrett. The magazine further contended that the actress felt her ex was intentionally trying to “steal her thunder” by announcing he’s getting married. However, Faris actually gushed about Pratt’s engagement on her podcast “Anna Faris Is Unqualified.” She said on the show, “Chris texted me this morning and he was like, ‘I proposed to Katherine last night.’ I was like ‘Ah! That’s amazing.’” She added, “I knew that it was going to happen. I love her, and I love him, and I’m just so happy that they found each other.”

Last month, Gossip Cop corrected OK! after the magazine prematurely reported that Pratt and Schwarzenegger were engaged and having a baby. Of course, the actor proposed to his fiancée a little over a week ago, and wasn’t engaged in December, as we rightly said at the time. As for having a child together, that aspect of the story still remains untrue. The author and lifestyle blogger isn’t pregnant.

And finally, Gossip Cop busted Life & Style last August for falsely claiming Pratt and Schwarzenegger were headed for a split over the actor’s busy work schedule. The publication’s report was based on claims from an anonymous and untraceable “source,” but Pratt’s rep went on the record in August to dismiss the story. Here’s an example of the passage of time completely disproving a phony tabloid story. Far from breaking up, Pratt and Schwarzenegger are headed down the aisle.

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One of this week’s tabloids claims Jennifer Aniston and Orlando Bloom are having a “secret affair,” but it’s not physical. The story is completely ridiculous. Gossip Cop can debunk it.

A headline in the latest issue of the National Enquirer reads, “Jen & Orlando: More Than Friends!” The accompanying article says Bloom is still dating Katy Perry, but he’s emotionally cheating on her with Aniston. An alleged insider tells the magazine, “They had an affair many years ago, even though it was something they tried to deny, and the spark’s never gone out between them.” There’s absolutely zero evidence to suggest Aniston and Bloom ever had an “affair.”

Still, the outlet’s supposed tipster continues, “Jen always says she could see herself with Orlando if the opportunity presented itself. Orlando’s been in love with Jen since ‘Friends.’ If he was free, he wouldn’t hesitate to dive into a relationship with her.” The seemingly imaginary source concludes, “Everybody thinks they would make a great couple. They know they can flirt, but they don’t take it any further. Jen’s not out to steal Katy’s guy. But if they ever break up…”

The tabloid’s tale is coming from an unidentified “insider,” but Gossip Cop reached out to Aniston’s spokesperson, who assures us the article is “absurd.” Despite what the outlet’s so-called “source” claims, the actress isn’t having any sort of emotional affair with Bloom. In reality, the two stars have been friends for several years, but their relationship has never been romantic. Bloom even attended Aniston’s wedding to Justin Theroux in 2015. They also happen to share a manager.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the tabloids have attempted to create a nonexistent love triangle between the three stars. Last year, Gossip Cop busted the Enquirer’s sister outlet, RadarOnline, for falsely claiming Aniston and Perry were fighting over the actor. That story was also based on claims from an untraceable source, but the actress’s rep told us on the record that it was “nonsense.”

Gossip Cop called out the Enquirer’s other sister publication, OK!, for making up a story last year about Bloom calling Aniston “nonstop” following her split from Theroux. That report was equally baseless. Meanwhile, the Enquirer also alleged earlier this week that Aniston was “at war” with Charlize Theron over Brad Pitt. How many nonexistent love triangles does the tabloid plan on creating? At the very least, the outlet could try sticking to one of them at a time. Aniston has had quite a busy week in the fantasy world created by the magazine.

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Did Will Smith and Jada Pinkett “secretly split”? That was the premise behind an untrue tabloid article exactly one year ago today. And because of that type of reporting, Gossip Cop occasionally revisits stories from 12 months earlier to show readers how false narratives don’t hold up over time, as well as to help them assess which outlets are trustworthy and which aren’t.

On January 25, 2018, the Australian magazine NW published a story it clearly hadn’t fact-checked that asserted Smith and Pinkett had quietly split up. To lend credence to its article, the publication quoted an unnamed and untraceable “source,” who contended “the word is” the longtime couple was on a “trial separation.” The same alleged insider further said, “Only time will tell” whether the Smiths “decide to divorce.”

The first tipoff for readers, who don’t have the same contacts and access as Gossip Cop, that the magazine’s story was possibly bogus was how the tabloid’s tale was completely based on comments from an anonymous “source.” Also highly suspect was how the supposed insider couched his or her remarks with noncommittal verbiage such as “the word is” and “only time will tell.” More significantly, the publication only quoted its unidentifiable tipster, while neglecting to include what Smith himself publicly said about Pinkett just one month before.

In a 20th wedding anniversary tribute to his wife, Smith posted on Instagram a long and loving message to Pinkett that read, in part, “I have learned that love is Listening. Love is Giving. Love is Freedom.” He ended his message, which ran alongside a photo of the couple walking down the aisle, with the line, “Happy Anniversary, My Queen! I am forever Devoted to Nurturing your Deepest Truth.” How from those words could a “source” or anyone come to the conclusion that Smith and Pinkett had “split” and were headed for “divorce”?

A full 365 days ago, Pinkett’s rep, speaking on the actress’s behalf, told Gossip Cop on the record that we could convey to our readers and other outlets that NW’s story was “false.” It’s clear a year later the Hollywood couple is still together, and the tabloid’s article was 100 percent wrong. In the intervening months since that inaccurate report both Pinkett and Smith have continued to personally shoot down phony claims about their marriage ending.

Last May, for instance, Smith addressed the divorce rumors about him and Pinkett in a new song called “In The Clique.” One of the verses goes, “Stop the divorce rumors and mind your damn business.” A month later, Pinkett said she and Smith will never divorce in a radio interview. On Sirius XM’s “Sway in the Morning,” the actress maintained their marriage is “never going down. It’s just not… ever.” Hopefully, Gossip Cop won’t have to correct these wrong rumors again about the Smith’s marriage in the coming year.

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Was Rosamund Pike mistaken for Hailey Baldwin by fans in Beverly Hills? That’s the story in one of this week’s tabloids. Gossip Cop has learned it’s complete fiction.

According to Star, two women confused the 40-year-old British actress for Justin Bieber’s 22-year-old wife. A so-called “spy” tells the magazine the fans “spotted stunning Rosamund in Beverly Hills and started gushing how gorgeous she is in person – then congratulated the surprised star on her new marriage to Bieber. Rosamund was left grinning from ear to ear.”

The unreliable outlet doesn’t bother to mention exactly when and where this incident occurred. Was Pike shopping in Beverly Hills when the fans approached her? Was the actress dining? Did she tell the women she wasn’t Baldwin or did she go with it? You won’t find any of these details in the magazine’s article. That’s because this case of mistaken identity never happened.

Gossip Cop reached out to Pike’s spokesperson, who tells us on the record that the report is fabricated. Despite what the outlet’s supposed source claims, a rep qualified to speak on the actress’s behalf confirms the incident described in the magazine never occurred. In fact, Pike’s rep tells us, “Rosamund isn’t even in LA. She lives in London.” The article may be more lighthearted than the typical tabloid fare, but it’s no more accurate.

This story seems to have been fabricated simply because Pike and Baldwin share a resemblance. In fact, celebrities being mistaken for each other is an ongoing theme in the tabloids. Last month, Star made up a story about Cindy Crawford being mistaken for Caitlyn Jenner at the British Fashion Awards.

Gossip Cop previously busted the National Enquirer for falsely claiming an elderly woman confused Emma Stone for Sharon Stone, despite the two actresses being 30 years apart. Shortly before that, the outlet published a story saying Josh Gad loves when he gets confused for Jonah Hill. Prior to that, Gossip Cop called out the publication for claiming a fan mistook Matthew Perry for MSNBC host Joe Scarborough. These countless stories amount to creative writing, and they shouldn’t be mistaken for journalism.

Here’s what’s really happening. The tabloids take two celebrities who share a passing resemblance and create a story about confused “fans” publicly greeting the wrong star. This scenario sometimes plays out in real life and various celebrities have even joked in interviews about it happening to them. But every example listed above, including this latest one involving Pike and Baldwin, is a work of fiction.