Questionable Quotes

We all love the pithy quote, the clever put-down, the witty bon mot, the scintillating turn of phrase. We store them away in our conversational jewelry boxes, waiting for just the right occasion to decorate our speeches with their sparkle. What we often don’t realize is that many of these glittering linguistic gems are not the real thing, but mere costume jewelry.

Did Transgender Olympian Chelsea Wolfe Say She Wants To ‘Burn a US Flag on the Podium’? The BMX Freestyle rider’s qualification to join the U.S. team made history.

Unproven

Did Anthony Bourdain Praise Wuhan’s Bat Soup? It didn't contain any bats, but Bourdain did once eat a dish in South Korea...

False

No, Elon Musk Didn’t Tweet ‘I Miss You Ghislaine’ in Acrostic Code Critics of the SpaceX founder often point out that he was once photographed with Ghislaine...

False

In May 2021, social media users shared a tweet appearing to indicate that Pope Francis had introduced a dramatic new rule for hundreds of millions of Catholics throughout the world — vaccination against COVID-19 would be needed in order to get into heaven.

Did Pope Francis Say COVID-19 Vaccine Is Required To Enter Heaven? A vaccination card probably isn't necessary to get through the Pearly Gates.

Originated as Satire

We looked into rumors about Chelsea Clinton posting a message on Twitter criticizing Bill Gates for having a relationship with an employee.

Did Chelsea Clinton Tweet About Bill Gates’ Relationship With an Underling? The best place to see Chelsea Clinton's tweets is on Chelsea Clinton's Twitter page.

False

Did Bob Marley Say This About ‘The Perfect Woman’? "The most beautiful things are not perfect, they are special," he supposedly said.

Unproven

We looked into whether Chelsea Clinton tweeted, "If Jesus were alive today he'd be working at Planned Parenthood."

Did Chelsea Clinton Tweet ‘If Jesus Were Alive Today He’d Be Working at Planned Parenthood’? Outrage over this alleged Chelsea Clinton tweet is misdirected.

False

screenshot of video from viral tweet about cops having the "best sex after killing"

Did a Police Trainer Say Police Have the ‘Best Sex’ After Killing Someone? The remark was featured in a 2016 documentary on the militarization of U.S. police.

Correct Attribution

Did Prince Philip Say He Wanted To Be Reincarnated as a Deadly Virus? This line of thinking first appeared in a foreword authored by the prince to an...

True

Did Freud Say Before Diagnosing Yourself With Depression, Make Sure You Are Not Just ‘Surrounded By Assholes’? Sigmund Freud had some questionable scientific views, but was this one of them?

Misattributed

We looked into rumors that Tucker Carlson only felt comfortable eating at a particular restaurant.

Did Tucker Carlson Say He Can’t Go to Restaurants Without Being Harassed? The Fox News host reportedly feels comfortable dining in only one restaurant in D.C.

Outdated

Did Keanu Reeves Say ‘The Road to Heaven Isn’t Through Your Yard’? A viral quotation has been around online for years, but only belatedly was the Hollywood...

Unproven