14 DAY TRIAL // The rumor that actor Wayne Knight had died quickly spread on online media late last week as several fake news websites reported this death hoax. According to the sources, the actor had been involved in a fatal accident that took place near the New York – Pennsylvania border.
On Saturday, March 16, Knight took to Twitter to address the rumors and debunk his death hoax by announcing to everyone that he was in fact still alive: “Some of you will be glad to hear this, others strangely disappointed, but..I am alive and well!”
Wayne Knight is best known for his role on the hit comedy sitcom “Seinfeld” where he played the role of the grudgy postal worker Newman, but who has also starred in Hollywood blockbusters such as “Jurassic Park.”
The actor seemed amused and annoyed at the same time with the notoriety his death rumor had brought him when he said on Twitter “Does someone have to DIE to trend? Geez! Thanks for all the love everybody. I didn't know you cared. Glad to be breathing!”
The news of his death was delivered by two fake news sites, one that mimics TMZ and the other masquerading as Us Weekly. They said that on Saturday Knight had died in a tractor-trailer accident. The actor wasn't the only victim as two other people were reportedly injured “after their vehicle slammed into a disabled semi-tractor-trailer late Saturday night along Route 446 near the Pennsylvania-New York state border in Eldred Township.”
Indicating the cause of death, the sites said that “Knight died of blunt force trauma at the scene.” They took advantage of a real accident that took place in the Eldred Township, Pennsylvania earlier last week.
On Friday, March 14, it was revealed that a woman from Grand Island, New York, had died in an accident in which two other passengers in the car were injured. Knight did some research in the matter and found out about this car crash, taking the time to mention it on Twitter “Regrets to my friends and family who were shocked this morning and the family of the woman who actually died in my ‘supposed’ accident.”
He responded to fans who apparently “freaked out” on Twitter over his alleged death. Knight is by no means the only one affected by these death hoaxes. Most recently, reality TV star Chumlee from the hit TV series Pawn Stars was reported dead just last week and previous to that Betty White was also rumored as dead.