The year may be winding down, but the celebrity hoaxes are still going strong.
The latest misinformation making the Internet rounds is a purported People magazine cover that proclaims Taylor Lautner is "Out & Proud." The real People magazine confirmed to Gossip Cop that the supposed Jan. 7 issue is "absolutely fake."
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The phony cover features the 19-year-old Lautner with the text, "Tired of rumors, the Twilight star opens up about his decision to finally come out" and the fabricated quote, "I'm more liberated, and happier than I've ever been."
At least one person was fooled by the sham. Russell Simmons initially tweeted, "Proud of Taylor Lautner for his bravery and his courage" before replacing the tweet with "Disappointed that people would joke about someone coming out about their sexuality. Let Taylor Lautner be whoever he wants to be."
