This is the age of disinformation and fraudsters making use of AI and the sheer vastness of the internet to peddle lies. One of the most common hoaxes is claiming that a famous celebrity has passed away.
Hollywood stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, among others, had such lies peddled about them, which were obviously debunked later on.
Now, it has happened to a TikTok celeb popular in the musical theatre space- Elphaba Orion Doherty. So, it’s time to find out whether the allegations are true.
No, Elphaba Orion Doherty isn’t dead. The trans activist who frequently impersonates the Wicked Witch of the West debunked the news on her official Instagram, saying, “I AM NOT DEAD.” She has taken a social media break while she battles Tourettes and other mental health issues.
What Happened to Elphaba Orion Doherty?
As per the latest rumors, TikTok sensation Elphaba Orion Doherty has passed away. Various blogs and news sites like SNBC13 had reported her death, with some even claiming that her obituary and funeral were going to happen soon, although no set date was given.
But the rumors are wrong. Elphaba Orion Doherty is alive, and she has debunked the lies. Taking to her Instagram, @elphabaoriondoherty, she posted a story to her 129k followers, stating:
“I AM NOT DEAD. The effing news are posting now. I’m trying to heal, and people making this up makes me feel sick that people are fantasizing over this like it’s a trend…”
The fake news likely originated because, in late September, she confirmed to her fans on her official Instagram account that she was taking a break from social media due to Tourettes as well as other mental health issues.
Also, what aided the spread of the fake news of her passing was the fact that she hasn’t been active on her main TikTok profile for more than a year after getting banned from it.
However, she has a second account on the platform, @elleodoherty, which is updated frequently. That account has more than 350,000 followers and has amassed 250,000 likes in just half a year.
Doherty is famous for impersonating the iconic green witch in Gregory Maguire’s lauded work, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” The trans activist regularly shows up at conventions in her witch attire.
However, some people aren’t convinced of her innocence in the entire drama.
On the subreddit r/Elphaoriondoherty, user Unlikely-Reading-923 said that Elphaba might be posting the fake news of her death herself. They posted:
“I’m fully aware they’re not dead, but in the past few hours, there are so many ‘news pages’ that are reporting that Elf Bar has died. Think she’s paying them/writing the articles herself?”
Multiple users agreed with the poster regarding this. One Redditor, Legitimate_Touch370, wrote:
“I assume she has written a couple of them using an AI generator.”
Do you think Elphaba Orion Doherty wrote the articles about her death to gain internet sympathy points? Or was it a genuine case of a fraudster trying to spread fake news to get clicks on their article?
Let us know what you think about this case.
