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Fact ChecksQuestionable 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 Keanu Reeves Say, 'I Buy Myself Clothes. I Have Great Times by Myself'?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan 28, 2023 The "sad Keanu" meme strikes again.
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Sophia Loren: Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.

Did Sophia Loren Say 'Everything You See I Owe to Spaghetti'?

Written by:
David Emery
Jan 25, 2023 The quote first appeared in the Aug. 11, 1961, issue of LIFE magazine.
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Denzel Washington never said just because you don't share it on social media doesn't mean you are not up to big things and live it and stay low key as well as privacy is everything.

Did Denzel Washington Say, 'Just Because You Don't Share It on Social Media Doesn't Mean You Are Not Up to Big Things'?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Apr 19, 2022 We looked for the origins of a quote about social media that's been credited to the actor in twe ...
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Does Prince Harry Say His Father Traumatized Him By Playing 'Got Your Nose'?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan 16, 2023 Following the release of Prince Harry's memoir "Spare," the "I've got your nose" gag got royal i ...
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Did Morgan Freeman say 'Don't take criticism from people you wouldn't go to for advice'?

Did Morgan Freeman Say 'Don’t Take Criticism from People You'd Never Go to for Advice'?

Written by:
David Emery
Jan 14, 2023 For some reason, people like putting pithy sayings in Morgan Freeman's mouth. Is it because of h ...
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Did Hakeem Jeffries Describe a US Select Committee as a 'Committee On Insurrection Protection'?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Jan 11, 2023 At issue is the U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan-chaired "Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Fe ...
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Mark Twain

Did Mark Twain Say This About Reading the Newspaper and Being Misinformed?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan 6, 2023 The false attribution of quotes to famous people is a common internet phenomenon.
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Did Fyodor Dostoevsky Say This About Tolerance?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Dec 31, 2022 We wondered if this was a statement about our times.
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Did Morgan Freeman Say, 'Your Age Doesn't Define Your Maturity'?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan 2, 2023 The Academy Award-winning actor is the frequent target of spurious internet "wisdom" quotes.
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Did Sean Spicer Tweet 'Today Is Dday' On Pearl Harbor Day?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Dec 7, 2022 While both events are historic, they did not occur, nor are they celebrated, on the same day.
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Former US President George Washington never said when any nation mistrusts its citizens with guns it is sending a clear message nor did he say that it no longer trusts its citizens because such a government has evil plans.

Did George Washington Say, 'It Is Better To Be Alone Than In Bad Company'?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Nov 29, 2022 He was, at least, aware of the saying.
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Did Oscar Wilde Say This About Forgiving Your Enemies?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Nov 28, 2022 Spurious quotes are a common internet phenomenon.
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Did Thomas Jefferson Say 'Two Enemies of the People are Criminals and Government'?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Nov 28, 2022 The alleged quote regards the Constitution's role in protecting individual rights.
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Did Johnny Depp Really Say This About Animal Violence?

Written by:
Nur Ibrahim
Nov 26, 2022 The actor has been rumored to be vegan in the past.
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Mother Teresa

Did Mother Teresa Say This About Raising Children?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Nov 5, 2022 Many "inspirational" internet quotes have been attributed to her.
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Benito Mussolini

Did Mussolini Say This About Equal Voting Rights?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Nov 4, 2022 "When I said I supported equal voting rights, I meant men shouldn't vote either," Mussolini has ...
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Mark Twain did not say, "The truth has no defense against a fool determined to believe a lie."

Mark Twain Did Not Say 'The Truth Has No Defense Against a Fool Determined to Believe a Lie'

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Nov 2, 2022 A quote from a famous person would not magically appear for the first time on the internet long ...
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Teacher, Person, Human

Did Einstein Say This About Boats Being Safer at Shore?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Oct 29, 2022 While the shore might be safer, the quote goes on, that's not what ships are built for.
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George Washington’s private life and writings reveal no evidence of anti-Semitism.

No, George Washington Didn't Make This Anti-Semitic Remark

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Oct 16, 2002 Anti-Semitic screeds are nothing new; neither, unfortunately, is the practice of attempting to l ...
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Although Jefferson certainly expressed disdain and mistrust of banking institutions and paper currency on many occasions, this particular quotation bears all the hallmarks of being a retroquote.

Did Thomas Jefferson Say 'Banks and Corporations Will Deprive' People of 'All Property'?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Dec 8, 2008 Given the fear and uncertainty engendered by the economy, it was only a matter of time until som ...
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