Madonna hit with false claims she's 'clinically brain dead' after health scare

14 July 2023 , 13:42

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Madonna is fully in recovery (Image: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

While it is true that Madonna was rushed to the ICU on June 24, it is not true that she became "clinically brain dead" as an online hoax is stating.

A false headline has been circulating online that reads: “THIS IS THE END MADONNA CLINICALLY BRAIN DEAD…With No Chance of Recovery."

The headline appeared in a screenshot and is made to look like an article published by TMZ - but no such article actually exists on their website. The fake article has an identical timestamp to a real Madonna-related article that TMZ did post. Plus, the screenshot also uses the same header image as the real article. The only difference is the headline.

Madonna is fully in recovery (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The real headline reads: “MADONNA STILL TOO SICK TO GET OUT OF BED... Opening Tour Dates Uncertain.”

Not only is the headline unable to be found on the actual TMZ site, a spokesperson from the outlet, told The Associated Press that the headline was fake and not published by TMZ.

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He said that the screenshot was "clearly something someone on social media has put together that has no relationship to TMZ.”

Misinformation about Madonna spread across social media as a result of the hoax. In fact, the picture gained more than 9,000 likes. Plus, on Twitter, it also got more than 3,000 likes. With the Internet, it is always hard to say how large the real impact of a stories is because these numbers do not include where the photo was or may have been reposted.

The truth is that her manager, Guy Oseary, posted that Madonna had "developed a serious bacterial infection." She was reportedly found unresponsive and had to be revived with Narcan. Septic shock did lead her to be in the hospital for several days.

When she was able, Madonna shared with Instagram that she is "on the road to recovery." As the actual and real TMZ article was originally speculating on, she also said that the American leg of her tour would be rescheduled. Fans have been supportive and understanding about the decision, encouraging Madonna to recover before trying to tour.

Further confirming that Madonna is not "clinically brain dead," she was seen by a fan out in public. She was outside of a coffee shop with a friend and the fan said that Madonna was "looking great".

Alex West