Fact Check: Is Steve Harvey dead? Viral social media claim debunked

Social media is often flooded with death hoaxes and rumors that are not rooted in reality. The latest celebrity to fall victim to this is Steve Harvey. It all started after "RIP Harvey" began trending on Twitter, leading many to believe that the famous TV host has passed away.

However, Harvey himself soon hopped on to the platform and debunked the rumors by posting a picture that took a dig at people paying tributes to him.

"RIP Harvey" started trending on July 18, 2023, after a Kentucky Radio Station’s regular, known as Harvey Doyle, passed away, and his death was later announced on the radio. Matt Jones, the host of the station, announced:

"It was posted on his page today that the great KSR caller Harvey has passed away. We will obviously talk more about it tomorrow, but it is terrible news that makes me very sad.”

Hence, it can be deduced that the real Harvey who passed away was the caller and not Steve.

Therefore, Steve Harvey is alive and well as of July 2023. The news being spread about his passing away is just a hoax, although many people are falling prey to the news and believing that it is true.

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After Steve Harvey cleared the air, social media users began trolling the "RIP Harvey" trend on Twitter

While the TV host was quick to debunk the death hoax, many who fell prey to it had already started posting their tributes on social media. Hence, as soon as the clarification about the two Harveys surfaced online, social media users began mocking the trend and also expressing their relief that the Harvey in question was not Steve.

The comments section under Steve Harvey’s post also blew up with tweets:

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that the popular TV Host had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that the popular TV Host had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that the popular TV Host had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that the popular TV Host had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that the popular TV Host had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Social media users trolled the RIP Harvey trend as many were convinced that Steve Harvey had passed away. (Image via Twitter)

Death hoaxes are common on social media. However, netizens should be extremely careful while sharing them further, as they should only be shared and believed if they come from a trusted source.