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 Pope Francis Say This About ‘Rivers Drinking Their Own Water’? The quote has been online longer than Francis has been pope. A version of it...

Misattributed

Attributed to Marilyn Monroe: "If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”

Did Marilyn Monroe Really Say This? "If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve...

Misattributed

Did Al Gore Say ‘I Invented the Internet’? Despite decades of media mirth-making about the supposed statement, former vice president Al Gore never...

False

Politician Quotes Wrong Bible Verse Politician cites the wrong verse as his favorite Biblical passage?

Did Joseph Stalin Say, ‘It’s Not the People Who Vote That Count …’? One version of a famous quote about those who count the votes determining the outcome...

Mixture

Did Stalin Pluck a Live Chicken as a Lesson to His Followers? A common tale expresses the thought that a dictator can do anything he wants to...

Legend

This painting of Thomas Jefferson was created by Rembrandt Peale and is hosted by Wikimedia Commons.

Did Thomas Jefferson Warn About the Dangers of Governmental Interference In Medicine? The purported quote reads, "If the people let the government decide what foods they eat...

False

A quote meme claimed that Thomas Paine once wrote or said that the duty of a true patriot is to protect his country from its government.

Did Thomas Paine Write, ‘The Duty of a True Patriot Is to Protect His Country from Its Government’? We recommend taking a few seconds to search Google for reliable sources before blindly sharing...

Misattributed

Did Queen Elizabeth Say This About the Need To ‘Kick Some Ass’? The Queen could be said to have kicked some proverbial ass during the Second World...

Misattributed

Did Albert Einstein predict that if something eliminated bees from our planet, mankind would perish within 4 years?

Did Einstein Say Without Bees, Mankind Would Soon Perish? The purported quote reads, "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then...

Unproven

Did Morgan Freeman Say This About Stupidity? Freeman is frequently (and falsely) credited with morsels of viral internet wisdom.

Misattributed

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