Keanu Reeves Latest Target in Bizarre Death Hoax
Keanu Reeves fans have been left panicked after seeing "clickbait" ads making the rounds online labeling The Matrix star as dead. One post in question revolves around Reeves meeting a "tragic end," filling up articles and social media feeds all over.
Reeves is currently enjoying great success and viral praise online thanks to the John Wick films, his refreshingly positive lifestyle, and all of the stuff that preceded. The Matrix Revolutions just premiered on HBO Max and in theaters, so it isn't a shock that Reeves is a bit more visible now than at other times of the year. But it is the execution that is leaving people feeling upset.
My Facebook feed has been littered with this #clickbait bullshit story with zero likes and/or comments from multiple sources. Keanu’s ok. No one’s buying your bullshit tragic end story.
— Jaime Ponce 🧢 ☂ (@TheRealJaimeP) January 14, 2022
But also, can someone in the comments verify that Keanu’s ok? Just for peace of mind. pic.twitter.com/QfIg4FoHRd
In the post that has been making the rounds, a headline reads, "A Tragic End for Keanu Reeves." If you do feel like clicking the link, you're taken to a site that quickly pivots into a viral attempt to sell CBD products. In fact, by the end of the article, the tragic end has turned into a semi-advertisement for the company.
Joining Reeves down the article is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Hart, Matthew McConaughey, and others. None of it seems to be real at all, especially the celebrity testimonials that all sing the praises of one brand.
Many on social media weighed in on the ad after they stumbled across it. "Today on unhinged tumblr ads trying to gaslight me into thinking a celebrity is dead or something," one wrote. "Block this type of Advertising as False BS. You won't get that one again, but also warn you group to look for the word Sponsored. That tells you its pure BS right there," another added.
Some also noted that Reeves is not the only celebrity to be taken advantage of in these viral ads. A similar headline is topped by a photo of Willie Nelson on one Facebook post. It also should be noted that in the headline itself spells Jeopardy! in the same way as the TV show, so it seems the trivia series is also being used to help spread these around online.
Thankfully, nothing is wrong with Reeves or Nelson. And while Willie Nelson's relationship with marijuana is pretty clear by this point, it can't be confirmed that any of them use CBD. It just feels like a random walk through dodgy online acts.