Debunking This Week’s Tabloids: August 7, 2020

Prince Harry Missing For 72 Hours?

The cover of this week’s New Idea reads “Harry Missing For 72 Hours” with the subheadings, “Meghan Forces Prince To Flee” and “Out Of Control” paired with old photos of the prince drinking. All these elements together are clearly an effort to make the reader believe that Prince Harry actually took off for three days to party without his wife and son, but the article inside the publication backs off these claims immediately.

Instead, sources claim the Duke of Sussex is attending “top-secret celebrity parties” and has the possibility to disappear for as many as three days. The outlet presses forward, with a source insisting, “Harry is the life of the party; everyone looks forward to him turning up.” The source then delves into pure speculation and says, “You get the impression that he could party for three days straight if he wanted to — and perhaps he even does.”

It’s safe to say this story gets more wrong than it does right, which is fairly common for this particular tabloid. After all, New Idea was the outlet that claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were planning to renew their vows in America. That vow renewal still hasn’t taken place, proving our judgment right.

In this case, the overall premise is totally tainted by the cheap trick the tabloid pulled with its cover. Prince Harry never disappeared on a three-day drinking binge, as the outlet merely says that it’s a possibility. This outlet also claimed just last month that Prince Harry left his wife behind in America to sneak back to the UK. That was blatantly false.

Daniel Craig Bans Ben Affleck From No Time To Die Premiere?

Star writes this week that Daniel Craig is “spreading the word that Ben [Affleck] is persona non grata” for the premiere of No Time to Die. Craig’s ego is so fragile that he cannot allow Ana de Armas and Affleck, apparently known for “packing on the PDA,” to steal his spotlight. At least that’s what one anonymous insider said. This insider concludes by saying, “It’s Daniel’s party… he won’t be upstaged by a circus sideshow!”

Yeah, Gossip Cop doesn’t think so. Craig has attended dozens of premieres in his decades of acting, and never before has he seen fit to use his clout and have an actor banned from one. Furthermore, Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck are professionals with red carpet experience who only started dating in 2020, so they’ve hardly had time to build a reputation of “packing on the PDA” as this insider suggests. We also reached out to our source close to Craig, who assured us this whole story was untrue.

We have already debunked loads of stories about Affleck and de Armas, and they’ve yet to hit a year of dating. Apparently Jennifer Garner, Affleck’s ex-wife, was warning him that de Armas was just dating him for his fame (fame she had before dating Affleck but whatever). It’s been said that Affleck had purchased de Armas a $200K promise ring or, on an entirely separate occasion, a sports car. What’s with Star and expensive gifts? If de Armas wants a sports car, she could always just buy it herself with some Blade Runner 2049 money.

Angelina Jolie Using Kids To Spy On Brad Pitt?

After a long and strenuous custody battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, it seems that the former spouses have found some sort of common ground. Life & Style maintains that Jolie is “using this opportunity” to have her kids to spy on Pitt. A source spills to the tabloid, “Friends say Angie is only doing what a lot of ex-wives do when their kids start spending the night at the other parent’s home. Having them report back on what’s going on at Dad’s house, especially if there’s another woman there.”

This “other woman” the outlet is hinting towards is Alia Shawkat, who is said to be Pitt’s new girlfriend. The magazine purports that Shawkat has Jolie “unhinged” and she’s “constantly asking the kids questions” about Pitt and Shawkat. “Angie wants to know every detail of their interactions. It’s not jealousy, per se, but she’s fishing for something,” adds the insider.

The only piece of truth to this narrative is that Pitt and Jolie are in a better place when it comes to co-parenting their children. The rest of the story is made-up. Gossip Cop has already corrected the notion that Pitt and Shawkat are dating, therefore there isn’t anything for Jolie to investigate.

Two months ago, we busted the unreliable tabloid for claiming that Jolie banned Pitt from introducing Jennifer Aniston to their kids. The magazine said that Jolie forbade Pitt from letting their children meet any women he was dating until their divorce was finalized. This was incorrect. Pitt and Aniston are not together, which is another storyline Gossip Cop corrected several times.

Gwen Stefani “Jealous” Of Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton?

“Jealous” Gwen Stefani is only returning to The Voice in order to come between boyfriend Blake Shelton and fellow coach Kelly Clarkson, according to this week’s Globe. The outlet’s insiders say that Stefani was worried that the newly single American Idol winner would try to make a move on her man. “Gwen won’t let Kelly and Blake out of her sight! She’s not taking any chances!” the source squeals. Shelton has been lending Clarkson “a shoulder to cry on” as she goes through her divorce, and the insider says Stefani wasn’t too pleased about that.

It’s absolutely absurd to suggest that the only reason Gwen Stefani rejoined the judges on The Voice was in order to make sure nothing happened between Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. The only reason Stefani took a break was because she wanted to finish her Las Vegas residency. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it doesn’t seem likely that large musical gatherings will be continuing for some time, so the timing of Stefani’s return is likely due to the current circumstances, not a case of jealousy.

The Globe is infamous for its outlandish reports, like when it reported that Shelton was scheming to replace The Voice coach Adam Levine with Stefani last summer. That was simply untrue. Gossip Cop has encountered so many rumors about the musical couple in 2020 alone that we combined the most outrageous rumors we’ve investigated into an article of their own. When will these tabloids learn to leave well enough alone?

George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones Had Affair?

“George & Catherine’s Shock Affair Bombshell” is the headline for a recent article in New Idea. The accompanying article, however, paints a different story. According to the outlet, Amal Clooney has “blacklisted” Catherine Zeta-Jones from George’s inner circle after spouses had a “stand up row” over George reuniting with his former co-star. Insiders claim the actor is working on a new script for himself and Zeta-Jones but Amal has begged her husband: “Anyone but Catherine!”

“Aside from their history together, Catherine is like a Hollywood version of Amal,” an insider purports. “The chemistry between them,” the insider continues, “is electric. Even though Catherine is married to Michael Douglas, Amal does not want her husband cozying up to her much sexier doppelganger on a film set.”

Gossip Cop isn’t buying this over-dramatized tale. For starters, the tabloid baits its readers with the misleading headline which insinuates that George Clooney is having an affair with Catherine Zeta-Jones. The article’s narrative doesn’t once mention this supposed “affair” but tries to assert that Amal is jealous of Zeta-Jones.

Clooney and Zeta-Jones haven’t starred in a film together since Ocean’s Twelve more than a decade and a half ago, and they’re both happily married. We highly doubt the two are embroiled in some sort of entanglement. Moreover, the tabloids are constantly suggesting that George and Amal Clooney’s marriage is trouble.

Two months ago, we busted New Idea for claiming that George and Amal Clooney’s marriage hit a breaking point. Gossip Cop debunked the phony story. The publication didn’t even have evidence to support its bogus claim.