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CNN Apologizes After Erroneous Michael J. Fox Obituary Post

The mistake shows how prewritten obituaries can trigger viral false alarms.

Overview

  • CNN briefly published a page titled “Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox,” then removed it and issued an apology to Fox and his family.
  • The post raced across social media and panicked fans until his management told TMZ he is alive and had just appeared at PaleyFest.
  • Michael J. Fox reassured followers on Threads, joking about how to respond when a TV network reports your death.
  • CNN has not explained how the error occurred, highlighting the risk when obituary drafts appear online without confirmation.
  • Fox, diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991 and largely retired since 2020, recently returned as a guest on Apple TV+’s Shrinking and discussed the role at PaleyFest.