Everyone who has had a relationship go down in flames wants to get back at their ex in any way they can. But most wouldn't go this far — and that's exactly the reason why this hoax went viral.
An (admittedly hilarious) article has been spreading on social media from the website Dude Humor. It shows an AI-generated mugshot of a woman, with the height chart reading inaccurate numbers.
The title reads, "WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER HIRING A CLOWN TO ATTEND EVERY ONE OF HER EX'S SOFTBALL GAMES AND CLAP SARCASTICALLY". That sounds like such a good story, right?
To get more into the specifics, it talks about how this all supposedly went down. "According to authorities, 31-year-old Brittany Keller hired local entertainer 'Bobo the Magnificent' just three days after a breakup with former boyfriend Tyler Dawson."
"According to the police report:
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- Strikeouts were met with standing ovations
- Routine groundouts received slow clapping
- Dropped fly balls earned confetti throws
- One missed catch triggered a kazoo rendition of 'Nearer My God To Thee'"
But an in-depth investigation into whether this funny story is actually real isn't even needed. The article, and also its viral version on social media, have clear signs it isn't even real.
Of course, the AI-generated pictures are one thing. But the website itself is a parody of real news sites! It's filled with mentions of [PARODY] and also features a disclaimer at the bottom of the page.
It says, "All reports on The Dude Humor Report are satire and parody."
The Internet Went Wild Over the Fake Clown Story
Of course, this is the sort of thing that ticks all the boxes for going viral. It's relatable (to a point), and also just lies on that line between believable and absolutely insane.
So social media lapped it up. Commenters were quick to mention just how unbelievable it sounded — but some did believe it, whilst others wanted it to be true.
Other commenters took issue with the part of the story where she actually got arrested. "What was she charged with, Petty Theft of a Stephen King storyline?" one commenter wrote. Another wrote, "I wonder what was the charge? Harassment?"
