With the 24-hour news cycle these days, it’s impressive that someone could miss news of a celebrity’s death. The good news these days, if you miss the first one, you can always catch their second death.
Take Rue McClanahan, the sassy southern belle Blanche Deveareaux on the hit ‘80s sitcom Golden Girls. Rue died back in 2010 — but the internet decided it would be a lot of fun to pretend she just died — sparking outcries of sadness from “devoted’ fans. The news has come as such a surprise to so many that it actually became a trending topic on Twitter.
Of course everything boils down to the internet’s biggest issue of miscommunication: people read the headline of the article, but not the article itself … or the date it was published.
Here are some of the best tweets from people who are in on the joke (and people who aren’t):
Rue McClanahan died 5 years ago and she’s still aging well
— Tyler Morrison (@tylermorrison1) June 12, 2015
Girl on FB shared a link on Rue McClanahan’s death with “OMG I’m crying ily Blanche” should I tell her that story is 5 years old or…?
— courtney (@BurritoDiaries) June 12, 2015
Rue McClanahan is gone too? This is a horrible day! ?
— Alicia Mello (@AliciaIsMello) June 11, 2015
#RueMcClanahan died again guys. RIP the only Golden Girl to die, be resurrected then die again five years later Thank you for being a ghoul
— Aaron Haber (@AaronHaber) June 12, 2015
Going through all the posts that people shared about Rue McClanahan dying today just shows all the nimrods in the world.
— Nikki S. (@ALifesJourney) June 12, 2015
This just in: Rue McClanahan, still dead.
— Max Weiss (@maxthegirl) June 12, 2015
Shout out to my girl Rue Mcclanahan (Blance from #GoldenGirls) for going viral 5 years after her actual death. You go, gal. #GoldenGraves
— Maggie B. (@BlondeInCLE) June 11, 2015
One of a kind..May she rest in peace.Rue McClanahan, One of the “Golden Girls” Stars, Dies at 76 http://t.co/I1h78jk8zq
— Sarah Dash (@SarahDash) June 11, 2015