Macaulay Culkin Isn’t Dead

No need to softball this one. Macaulay Culkin is definitely not dead.

But, because the Internet is powered by the quantum energy that emanates from otter-pup GIFs, '90s nostalgia quizzes, and slanderous misinformation, a death hoax picked up critical mass this weekend, leading many to believe that Culkin had shuffled off this mortal coil.

Twitter feeds around the globe were full of that weeping-kitten emoji when MSNBC.website (yes, .website) reported yesterday that "multiple unconfirmed reports" said the Home Alone actor and Pizza Underground frontman had been found dead in his "exceptionally clean" Manhattan apartment.

Culkin's representatives have confirmed that he has not yet given up the ghost. (In fact, he and his band were in Austin just last night, performing at the Fun Fun Fun Fest.) "[Macaulay Culkin] joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax," his reps said in a statement. "He's still alive and well; stop believing what you see on the Internet." A rep for Culkin has reached out to say this quote is a fake.

This photo from 2 a.m. probably didn't help things, however: