How #RIPJosh sparked unwarranted panic among Josh Peck fans
Fans were left in a state of panic when the hashtag #RIPJosh began trending on X (formerly Twitter), leading many to believe that actor Josh Peck—acclaimed for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—had passed away. However, the hashtag in question actually referred to someone else. After misinformation spread like wildfire, it was later revealed that the person in question was a deceased Donald Trump supporter known as "MAGA Josh" or "The Dirty Truth Josh," not the Nickelodeon star.
Tragic death of 'MAGA Josh' led to confusion
MAGA Josh, a quadriplegic Trump supporter, was found unresponsive in his nursing home bed on Sunday night. The cause of death remains unknown. Following his tragic and unfortunate demise, some X users took advantage of the situation and spread misinformation, causing immense confusion among Peck's fans. Meanwhile, some individuals used the hashtag to speak ill of the deceased for his political views.
Is actor Peck alive and okay?
Peck, who commenced his career as a child actor in the late 1990s, rose to prominence through his portrayal of Josh Nichols alongside Drake Bell's character in Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh. Following this success, Peck ventured into films, making notable appearances. More recently, he graced the screen in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. It's worth highlighting that the rumors surrounding his death were debunked by multiple X users—confirming that Peck is "indeed alive."
Why did fans refuse to believe Peck was dead?
A user named Katsu was the initial person who started the trail of this misinformation with his post that claimed Peck was dead. The post was accompanied by a caption that read, "RIP Josh Peck, thank you for all the childhood memories." While some admirers were initially misled by this false news and began sharing their condolences with "RIP Josh" posts, others maintained a skeptical stance due to the absence of any confirmation from Peck's fans and family members.
Take a look at the post which started it all!
Fans rushed to stop users from spreading misinformation
Among the flurry of reactions, some individuals rushed to urge users to cease spreading false information. One user took it upon themselves to clarify the situation, stating, "RIP Josh is NOT Josh Peck. Josh Peck is just fine." Another user candidly expressed, "Okay, so when I see RIP Josh, I panic and think it means Josh Peck's dead. Turns out it ain't that; At least we still have the TRUE Josh."
