logo
Fact Check: Debunking rumor Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp bought country club after being denied entry

Fact Check: Debunking rumor Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp bought country club after being denied entry

Yahoo2 days ago

Claim:
After being denied entry and banned from a country club, actors Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp bought the property on the spot.
Rating:
In June 2025, posts appeared on social media alleging that after being denied entry at a country club, actors Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp purchased the club on the spot without any evidence to corroborate the claim. The assertion was false.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122248559036230093&set=a.122111652680230093
The false rumor was spread in posts on Facebook detailing the supposed event, with photos and links to unreliable news sites. Both the story and the images showed signs of being created by artificial intelligence (AI) tools like DALL-E or Chat GPT.
Without naming a source for its information, one post sharing the claim began:
"Maybe you two should stick to mini-golf—less dress code drama there." The remark, intended as a jab, struck a nerve with Depp, who has faced public humiliation before, notably during his 2022 defamation trial with Amber Heard. Reeves, ever the peacemaker, attempted to diffuse the situation, but Depp's eyes narrowed as he retorted, "I've been kicked out of better places than this." Turning to Reeves, he added, "What do you say, Keanu? Should we buy this place?" Reeves, with a mischievous grin, replied, "Why not?" What happened next defied all expectations....
There was no evidence to support the assertion that Depp and Reeves bought a country club after being denied entry. If, hypothetically speaking, there was even a sliver of truth to the claim — for instance, if there was evidence Reeves or Depp owned a country club in the first place — that information could be found in place of public record and reliable entertainment publications would have reported it. That had not happened.
In short, the claim appeared to be made up from whole cloth for the purpose of gaining clicks, or views, online, in order to earn advertising revenue, like other claims Snopes has previously covered.
This was not the first misleading rumor related to Reeves or Depp that captured social media users' attention. For example, we previously debunked the false claim that Reeves debated tech billionaire Elon Musk about artificial intelligence, an assertion that was also spread with the help of AI tools.
Christensen, Laerke. "No Proof Keanu Reeves Debated Elon Musk about AI." Snopes, 10 Apr. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/ai-musk-keanu-reeves/.
Liles, Jordan. "Did Green Bay Packers Reject Ad for Musk's Tesla Electric Vehicles at Lambeau Field?" Snopes, 13 May 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/packers-rejected-tesla-ad-lambeau-field/.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I used Snapchat+ for a month and I can't get enough of its generative AI features — here's why
I used Snapchat+ for a month and I can't get enough of its generative AI features — here's why

Tom's Guide

time2 hours ago

  • Tom's Guide

I used Snapchat+ for a month and I can't get enough of its generative AI features — here's why

I've hit an age where I'm so late on hearing about social media trends that it's considered "cringe-worthy," and I've accepted the fact that I'll never be as cool as I was during the boom of Facebook during my teens. It comes as no surprise, then, that plenty of the most popular social media apps have past me by over the years, and that includes Snapchat. I mean, I dabbled with it back in its prime after its release in 2011 (the good 'ol iPhone 5 days), and then to touch base with pals in university. After that (and multiple smartphone changes), it faded from my home screen. But I'm mistaken, as Snapchat is very much still in its prime, and the platform has gone well beyond just being an app these days. It released its own pair of smart glasses, now evolved into the latest Snap Spectacles AR glasses that push augmented reality even further — and I had a whale of a time trying them out (and you will, too, with the company's recently announced Snap AR Glasses next year). Anyway, Snap's popularity really came to my attention when I was given the opportunity to try out Snapchat+. Me, using a premium subscription service for a social platform that offers complete control over how one interacts with, views and posts Stories? I was in for a trip. I signed up, made an account and and was flooded with a host of camera options, customizable filters and a never-ending reel of snappy videos. But most importantly, I was introduced to Snap's generative AI Lenses — and let me tell you, I've been entertained for weeks. We've seen viral AI image generation trends like turning yourself into an action figure with ChatGPT and the wild level of creativity Midjourney offers, and while Snap's own generative AI Lenses, along with its My AI chatbot and more, isn't the best around, it is some of the most fun I've had with an easy-access social media app. You can learn all you need to know about generative AI with our handy guide, but what exactly is Snapchat+? Snapchat+ is a subscription service that offers users access to exclusive, experimental and pre-release features that enhance and personalize their Snap experience. It's priced at $3.99 / £4.49 per month or $29.99 / £33.99 for an annual plan. Put simply, it offers a boatload of tools to make the most of the platform, such as Story Boost to get more views on a story over 24 hours, Replay Again to see a Snap twice, Peek a Peek to see if a friend is looking at a one-to-one or group chat, add a pet or car to your Bitmoji for all to see on Snap Map and plenty more. It also offers several AI features, like customizing the My AI chatbot to your liking, adding AI captions to your Snaps and exploring exclusive generative AI lenses as they come out. Then there's Snapchat Premium, which is the same as the Plus subscription but without any ads — so no sponsored Snap, Stories or Lens ads. Is it for everyone? No, and probably not for those like me that barely take pictures to post on a daily basis. But I can imagine what Snapchat+ can do for social media aficionados, whether they're small brands or big-time influencers. And judging by the 15 million Snapchat+ subscribers there are to date, it says a lot about the subscription service. I had no idea where to start with Snapchat, so I sat down with my partner and started scrolling through Lenses. If you're not in the know, these are AR overlays that apply digital effects, whether it's turning you into an anime character or making you look like Squidward. You'll know a Lens in Snapchat is powered by generative AI when it includes a sparkle"✨" icon, among other ways. There are millions of Lenses to try, and on the first attempt, we spent the better part of an hour just going through them all, and crying with laughter along the way. We came upon the New Hairstyle AI Lens, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm a proud member of the no-hair club. As a bald man, this Lens excited me, and it gave my partner a look at what could have been (also, there was one Lens that gave a bald look and, er, it didn't change a thing for me — so I guess it did a good job). The AI-generated images look more like my face is superimposed on a random body, but that didn't stop my partner from shedding a few tears (presumably because of its beauty, I hope?). Other fun ones include being made into a slender Atlantean king, as apparently that's my kingdom, being a bedazzled DJ at a royal party and dropping some "ye olde beats" as a Duke with not one, but two peace signs. The one of me at the royal party has the essence of my appearance, but more like a a version of me in another universe where I would actually attend a royal party. I could also use the My AI chatbot to describe the pictures I take, and from what it came up with, it could be fairly accurate. It could name a cup of coffee, and chopping board and more, and when taking a picture of myself and asking AI to fill in the caption, it said "bald and bearded - the ultimate combo!" So, thanks for that, I guess. There's also the option to send snaps to My AI, where it can ask you what something is. I took a snap of my partner's dog, asking the AI to describe what breed it was. It did say he's a puggle, a mix between a pug and a beagle, which wasn't far off (there's a bit of Jack Russel Terrier in there). It's clear Snapchat has done a lot with its own take on AI, but angled it as an amusing way to create fun, hilarious and silly images and videos that people can have a laugh with. But I've seen other ways it's been implemented, especially with its Spectacles for developers, and it's all to do with being able to communicate in new, creative ways. From sharing silly snaps or videos with friends and family to simply having a laugh, Snapchat+ offers oodles of entertainment. There can be some impressive generative AI here, and while it won't be the most realistic or detailed images or videos of yourself being part of a royal party or some other random situation like we've seen with Google's Veo 3, I have to remind myself that AI can just be fun. If you are looking to get creative and see how far you can push AI, you'll find the best AI image generators and best AI video generators will do the trick. Now, I'm off to see what other hairstyles I can whip up.

People Don't Realize Meta's AI App Is Publicly Blasting Their Humiliating Secrets to the World
People Don't Realize Meta's AI App Is Publicly Blasting Their Humiliating Secrets to the World

Yahoo

time17 hours ago

  • Yahoo

People Don't Realize Meta's AI App Is Publicly Blasting Their Humiliating Secrets to the World

At this point, we're probably all familiar with the trope of the dirty old uncle who doesn't realize that simping for thirst traps on social shows up on his public feed. Now, in a hilarious 2025 riffs on the phenomenon, users of Meta's AI app are inadvertently posting the most private queries imaginable to what they don't realize is showing up for anyone to see. Released in late April, Meta's "AI assistant" app — really just a flashy chatbot meant to harvest your data — has quickly become a go-to virtual helper for many around the world. Just a month after its release, Meta bragged that its app had surpassed over 1 billion users. There's just one tiny problem: everything you ask Meta's AI is liable to wind up in a public feed for the whole world to laugh at. From when you first log in, the app is eager to get you rolling. The first thing a new user sees is a sparse screen populated with suggested prompts, ranging from "let's get to know each other" and "describe me in three emojis." If an unsuspecting user — say, a granddad not well-versed in tech — decides to start here, they might accidentally stumble into a little "share" icon in the top corner that uploads their query into the app's "discover feed." Given the virtual assistant's life-like voice and instance-based chat sessions, one would be forgiven for thinking that one-on-ones with Meta AI would remain private, no matter what random buttons you click. Meta even addresses this on its website: "as always, you're in control: nothing is shared to your feed unless you choose to post it." Nothing could be further from the truth. A quick survey of the app's discover feed reveals a mountain of exchanges that people are almost certainly not intending to share publicly. Tucked among the now-to-be-expected generative AI slop — stuff like "teen girl walks her raptor on a leash casually," or "Wonder Woman driving a 1965 green mustang fastback" — are scores of chatbot queries with some astonishingly personal information. "How do i [sic] improve my bowel movements," one user asked, for instance. The chatbot responds with some general tips, then explicitly asks for personal details: "what's your current diet and lifestyle like? Any specific issues you're experiencing with bowel movements?" "I have high calestrerol and often strugfle with stool movement is it ralated?" asks the user, with typographical errors throughout. Horrifyingly, if you logged into Meta AI with an existing Facebook or Instagram account, whatever name you have visible on there — your real one, for most users — is visible under your public queries. The unfortunate user struggling with bowel movements, for example, has a profile containing other private questions, like "whats the easiest way to get rid of crabs?" followed up with "is their a reason i keep getten [sic] em?" Like the discover feed, the privacy violations are endless. Other examples we found include teachers generating test questions, users asking for situationship advice, more queries on sexual hygiene, detailed discussions about medical history, and assistance generating a "heartfelt" letter to a judge ahead of a criminal sentencing. Astonishingly, the app also records and uploads voice queries, no matter the length. We found one recording that went on for over an hour, where the conversation drifted from Candace Owens' take on Black Lives Matter to whether or not anyone was actively "trying to kill George Soros" to asking for detailed directions based on the user's current location. Another spent several minutes detailing their tax woes. "What do I do if I made about two hundred thousand last year and I forgot to file taxes," they asked. "If you owe taxes, the IRS will likely send you a notice with the amount due," the chatbot suggests. "Well I'll just wait till [sic] they call me I guess," the user sighs. Other conversations drifted into topics better left for the incognito tab. On one hand, the whole thing reveals the staggering amount of faith people already have in these brand new products — and the extent to which they've quickly become a crutch for many. One user, for example, asked it "what to say to congratulate my niece who graduates from UCLA." At the same time, it also underscores the mammoth responsibility Meta has as the provider of a de facto public service — and the horrifying lack of accountability the company has consistently shown throughout its lifespan. More on Meta: Mark Zuckerberg Is Reportedly Absolutely Furious at His Own Failure

How Ananda Lewis discovered she had breast cancer — and the regrets she had about her treatment plan
How Ananda Lewis discovered she had breast cancer — and the regrets she had about her treatment plan

New York Post

time18 hours ago

  • New York Post

How Ananda Lewis discovered she had breast cancer — and the regrets she had about her treatment plan

Ananda Lewis, a staple of MTV's golden era, died this week after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She was 52. In the years leading up to her death, the beloved TV personality stirred controversy by opting for alternative treatments instead of a doctor-recommended double mastectomy — a decision she stood by until the end, though not without some regrets. 'Do everything in your power to avoid my story becoming yours,' Lewis wrote in a candid essay for Essence published in January, reflecting on the choices she made both during her illness and long before cancer entered her life. Advertisement 7 Lewis' sister announced the news on Facebook Wednesday, June 11. Getty Images Lewis discovered a lump in her right breast while showering in December 2018. It was slightly larger than a pea and located where she'd often experienced mastitis while breastfeeding her son. The former MTV Video jockey and TV host hoped it was nothing — but a biopsy the following month revealed stage III breast cancer that had already spread to her lymph nodes. Advertisement 'For a really long time, I have refused mammograms, and that was a mistake,' Lewis shared on Instagram when she went public with her diagnosis in October 2020. 'If I had done the mammograms from the time they were recommended, when I turned 40, they would have caught the tumor in my breast years before I caught it through my own self-exam,' she continued. 7 Lewis was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2019. imanandalewis/Instagram Despite the advanced stage, Lewis chose to face the diagnosis her way. Advertisement 'My approach in life is to deal with things head-on as they happen,' she wrote in Essence. 'So instead of panicking, I made a game plan.' After seeing her mother and cousin go through traditional cancer treatment, she turned down doctors' advice to undergo surgery to remove both her breasts, along with possible chemotherapy and radiation. 'My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body,' Lewis told CNN in an October 2024 interview. 'I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body in a different way.' Advertisement She later admitted she had doubts about her decision. 'Looking back on that, I go, 'You know what? Maybe I should have,'' she said. Instead, she dove into research and overhauled her lifestyle, focusing on diet, detoxes and natural healing. 'My goal was to do things that supported my body's ability to continue to be whole enough to heal, instead of destroying it up front,' Lewis wrote in Essence. 7 Lewis gained popularity in 1997 when MTV hired her as a video jockey. WireImage She received monthly ultrasounds from a breast surgeon to track the tumor and committed to a mix of alternative therapies, including high-dose vitamin C IVs, hyperbaric chamber sessions, qigong, energy work and prayer. Progress was steady — until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. California shut down, and Lewis could no longer access her treatments or scans. 'By the summer of 2020, I felt the tumor growing again,' she wrote. With limited options in California, she traveled to Arizona, where medical clinics remained open. There, she underwent 16 weeks of integrative treatment, including acupuncture, cryoablation, and low-dose chemo. Advertisement The results were promising: her cancer dropped from stage III to stage II, it cleared from her lymph nodes, and her tumor shrank. But the cost was steep. Without insurance, Lewis couldn't keep up the treatments back home and had to pause care for more than two years while supporting herself and her son. 7 Lewis welcomed her son Langston in 2011 with Will Smith's brother, Harry Smith. By October 2023, her cancer had progressed to stage IV. Advertisement She re-entered treatment at an integrative clinic in Southern California. After 12 weeks, by January 2024, her condition had improved significantly. But the toll of years without consistent care weighed on her. 'Am I in the clear? No,' she wrote. 'But I could have ended up here no matter what route I took, because I didn't come in with the resources that I needed to stay the course the whole time.' 7 Lewis departed MTV in 2001 to host her own daytime talk program, 'The Ananda Lewis Show.' WireImage Doctors generally advise against skipping surgery for breast cancer — especially in earlier stages. Advertisement 'In stage I to III breast cancer, which is curable, there's no scenario that we can skip surgery altogether,' Dr. Stephanie Downs-Canner, a breast surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering, told Health. Research consistently shows that women who refuse surgery have lower five-year survival rates and are more likely to die from the disease. Still, Lewis remained firm in her convictions. 7 Lewis was also a human rights activity and professional carpenter. FilmMagic Advertisement 'I understand that people don't get it,' she told host Shameika Rhymes on Soulibration in October 2024. 'I still feel like I did the right thing. I need women to learn from my mistakes. I need them to learn from my victories.' Lewis also said she regretted ignoring factors she now believes contributed to her illness — from chronic stress to poor nutrition and skipped screenings. 'If I had known what I know now 10 years ago, perhaps I wouldn't have ended up here,' she wrote in Essence. 'I would've been doing all the things I've been forced to do now, to keep my body from creating more cancer and remove what it has already made.' She urged women to manage stress, sleep well, stay active, get enough vitamin D, hydrate, eat clean and avoid environmental toxins. 'Increase your knowledge about how to prevent getting here in the first place,' Lewis wrote. 'Prevention is the real cure.' 7 Lewis wanted to live until her son's middle school graduation day, and did exactly that. Paul Redmond Breast cancer is the most common cancer among US women after skin cancer, with one in eight expected to develop it in their lifetime. Rates are rising, especially among younger women and those who are Asian American or Pacific Islander, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Despite major advances in treatment and early detection, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death among women — behind only lung cancer. Black women are disproportionately affected, facing higher mortality rates at every age. In 2025, the ACS expects 316,950 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the US, and 42,170 women will die from the disease. Most major medical groups recommend women at average risk start annual mammograms at 40, according to Those at higher risk — due to family history, genetics, or other factors — are generally advised to begin annual mammograms at 30 and breast MRIs between ages 25 and 35.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store