14 Wild Celebrity Rumors That Forced Stars To Set The Record Straight

The thing about celebrities is that once you reach a certain level of fame, the general public collectively decides you’re no longer a person—you’re a concept we can workshop in Reddit threads.

So we invent nonsense. And sometimes that nonsense sticks around so long it graduates into Myth. Urban legend. TikTok theory. Crossword clue.

Whether it’s rodents in body parts or elevator hookups that defy the laws of physics, some rumors just won’t die, no matter how many times the person involved pleads, “Please stop asking me this.”

Here are 14 of the dumbest, weirdest, and most persistent celebrity rumors that continue to live rent-free in our cultural psyche.

14. Did Richard Gere Actually Do the Gerbil Thing?

This one’s the Roswell of celebrity rumors: nobody saw it happen, nobody has proof, and somehow we all know about it anyway.

The tale goes that Richard Gere had a gerbil surgically removed from his—let’s say “exit ramp.”

Where did this rodent saga come from? Gere blames none other than Sylvester Stallone, who he claims leaked it during a petty feud.

Stallone denies it, but the damage was done.

The rumor has outlived AOL, Blockbuster, and your mom’s landline.

Gere’s response? A shrug and a smirk: “Lots of crazy things came up about me at first.” Translation: I’m rich, beautiful, and unbothered by your weird ferret fantasies.

13. Did Steve from Blue’s Clues Die of a Heroin Overdose?

In 2002, Steve Burns left Blue’s Clues to go to “college.”

The internet, being allergic to chill, immediately assumed that meant “dead in a gutter.”

The most persistent rumor? That he OD’d on heroin and Nick Jr. was covering it up.

In reality, Steve was just losing his hair and didn’t want to go bald on a show with a cartoon dog.

He later explained: “I knew I wasn’t going to be doing children’s television all my life. Mostly because I refused to lose my hair on a kids TV show, and it was happening fast.”

12. Does Halle Berry Have Six Toes?

You know a rumor has traction when Ellen DeGeneres demands to see your bare feet on live television.

Halle Berry obliged, kicked off her shoes, and proved once and for all that she has the standard five.

But thanks to this moment, a bunch of foot freaks now have crystal-clear broadcast footage of Berry’s toes in 1080p.

You win some, you lose some.

11. Is Avril Lavigne Dead and Replaced By a Doppelgänger?

The Avril Lavigne “Melissa” theory is peak Internet: convoluted, paranoid, and oddly well-organized.

According to conspiracy TikTok, Avril died in 2003 and was replaced by a lookalike named Melissa.

The “evidence”? Her handwriting changed. Her fashion sense evolved. And she smiled once.

Avril has laughed it off, saying: “Some people think I’m not the real me, which is so weird!”

Which, to be honest, is exactly what Melissa would say.

10. Did Dana Carvey Hold a 9/11 Moment of Silence in Full Turtle Costume?

Yes. And the world is better for it.

In 2023, Carvey confirmed that he observed a solemn 9/11 prayer circle while fully suited up as Turtle Man from Master of Disguise.

“I couldn’t get the prosthetics off in time,” he explained.

So there he stood: bald cap, shell, flippers, and all, head bowed in prayer. Never forget.

9. Did Mindy Kaling and BJ Novak Have Kids Together?

Mindy Kaling has kids. BJ Novak is their godfather. They used to date.

But people will not stop asking if he’s actually the father.

Kaling has said she’ll talk about it with her kids before she talks about it with the rest of us, which is a wildly fair boundary.

8. Can Lea Michele Read?

We don’t know how this one started, but once the internet latched onto the idea that Lea Michele is illiterate, it was over.

To her credit, she’s addressed it head-on: “I knew my lines every single day on Glee. And then there’s a rumor online that I can’t read or write?”

7. Is Harry Styles Bald and Wearing a Wig?

The rumor mill says yes.

Harry’s friend Tom Hull keeps sending him screenshots and memes suggesting he’s wearing a hairpiece, which is what friends are for.

Styles counters with some armchair genealogy: “My granddad wasn’t bald, so fingers crossed.”

Honestly, he could show up in a lace front tomorrow and the fans would still eat it up.

Hair’s temporary. Harry is forever.

6. Did Cameron Diaz Wash Her Face With Fancy Bottled Water?

Rumor said yes, but in reality, Diaz was just talking about filming in trailers with a chemically treated tank water.

When your only options are “don’t wash” or “wash with the same fluid used in a port-a-potty,” you go for bottled.

So no, she’s not bougie—she’s just not trying to exfoliate with poison.

5. Is Kim Kardashian Bad at Photoshop? Yes. Confirmed.

Kim Kardashian posted a pic of her daughter Chicago and niece True at Disneyland—except it wasn’t really True.

Eagle-eyed fans realized Kim had Photoshopped True’s face over Kylie’s daughter Stormi.

Months later, Khloé posted pics calling it True’s “first Disneyland trip,” blowing up the timeline.

Her response? “Welllppp I f*cked this one up.

4. Is Steve Martin in Mensa?

The New York Times Crossword said yes. Steve Martin said nah.

“FYI, I’m not a member of Mensa and never have been. Just a regler guy.” (Yes, he tweeted “regler.”)

3. Did Scarlett Johansson Hook Up in an Elevator?

There was a time when everyone was convinced Scarlett Johansson got freaky in an elevator.

But she’s called B.S. on it, citing both logistics and the laws of gravity: “It’s a very short period… the logistics of that seem so unappealing.”

2. Did J.Lo Insure Her Butt?

Rumor said she insured her assets for $1 million. J.Lo says: “There’s no such thing as that!”

Except… there kind of is.

Celebs have insured legs, smiles, even vocal cords.

So either J.Lo’s modest, or she hasn’t read the fine print on her own premium (I wonder if it covers gerbil-related accidents).

Either way, the butt remains undefeated.

1. Did Jada Pinkett Smith Hook Up With Her Son’s Friend?

Yeah. And then talked about it on Facebook.

In 2020, Jada and Will sat down at the infamous Red Table Talk and confirmed that yes, she had an “entanglement” with August Alsina, a close friend of her son Jaden.

They were in an open relationship. He had permission. Then maybe he didn’t. Then Will cried. Then Jada wrote a book. And now… we all know way, way more than we wanted to.