Lil Kim and Bon Jovi Victims of Twitter Death Rumors
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The recent death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il sparked rumors that Brooklyn rapper Lil’ Kim was the one entering the great beyond. While it seems the whole thing started as a joke in the wake of Kim Jong Il’s passing, there were many serious tweets mourning the popular rapper’s death.
“Lil’ Kim” even became a trending topic on the popular site. The Wall Street Journal reports that there were over 14 thousand tweets relating to Lil’ Kim’s death in 24 hours.
Kim Jong Il was also a trending topic on Twitter. It was confirmed that the 69-year-old dictator died from a heart attack on December 17. He was known for his many eccentricities like wearing platform shoes to appear taller. Former President George W. Bush once called Kim Jong Il a “pygmy” and a “spoiled child”. His son, Kim Jong Un, will now lead North Korea.
As strange as it sounds, celebrity death rumors are a constant internet phenomenon. Social networks like Twitter seem to perpetuate these rumors due to status updates and retweets. Lil’ Kim was not the only celebrity caught up in social network death speculation–Bon Jovi was also rumored to be dead this week. To poke fun at the inaccuracy, Bon Jovi released a photograph proving he is alive and well and held up a sign that said “heaven looks a lot like New Jersey”.
Both musicians are alive and well. They will continue to make mediocre music in 2012.
