Madonna's hospitalization sparked rumors about the Queen of Pop's health which continued even after her discharge from the medical facility. Among the shocking claims about her health scare included the singer being "clinically brain dead."
Guy Oseary, who has been Madonna's longtime manager for years, first confirmed her health scare in an Instagram post, saying she was admitted to an ICU. More reports came out revealing that the singer was intubated after she was found unresponsive at home, leading to speculations that she was indeed in dire health.
Madonna "Clinically Brain Dead" Rumors Debunked
While Madonna truly stayed in the ICU and was intubated, the rumors regarding the 64-year-old "Material Girl" becoming "clinically brain dead" were immediately dismissed.
The online hoax, with the headline "THIS IS THE END MADONNA CLINICALLY BRAIN DEAD...With No Chance of Recovery," sparked concerns despite the singer starting her recovery period. The Mirror explained that the false headline sparked buzz due to the article's inclusion of several news sources, including TMZ.
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The online hoax featured an article allegedly published by TMZ, but upon checking, the news outlet did not post it and had another Madonna-related article in the same identical timestamp instead. The false report also had the same header image, proving that it manipulated the headline and changed it to brain dead-related subject.
Far from what the online hoax's screenshot showed, the original TMZ article has the headline, "MADONNA STILL TOO SICK TO GET OUT OF BED... Opening Tour Dates Uncertain."
The Associated Press Fact-Checking on False Claims About Madonna's Health
The same report caught The Associated Press' attention, leading the publication to do a fact-checking and assessment of the claim.
"AP'S ASSESSMENT: False," the news agency said. "An image of the headline is fabricated, TMZ confirmed, and the pop superstar released a statement on Instagram this week saying she's 'on the road to recovery' after being hospitalized for a 'serious bacterial infection.'"
The Associated Press noted that the fabricated image was also shared on Instagram and Twitter and garnered nearly 10,000 likes and 3,000 likes, respectively, as of Monday.
TMZ spokesperson Casey Carver clarified that they never published the headline and that the image was posted by someone with no relationship with the company.
The Associated Press fact-checking on Madonna's "clinically brain dead" rumors is part of its effort to stop misinformation online. Currently, the singer is already making public appearances again as she gears up to start her previously postponed "Celebration" tour.
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