Is Jon Bon Jovi dead?
No, is the short answer. The internet came alive with rumors that the veteran rocker had died of a heart attack on Monday evening (December 19, 2011), with a fake report suggesting paramedics had been called to his hotel after a 999 call. The speculation soon began to intensify on Twitter with 'Bon Jovi Dead' quickly becoming a top trending topic.
The story originated on 'dailynewbloginternational', which claimed Jon was "pronounced dead after paramedics found him in a coma at his Empress Hotel". The Los Angeles Times quickly established that some sentences in the report were identical to a story used to announce the death of Michael Jackson in 2009. After Bon Jovi fan sites frantically sought news on the apparent death, the man himself put to bed rumors by posting a picture on his Facebook page standing in front of a Christmas tree. Wearing a plain black t-shirt with a large gold chain around his neck, the singer held a sign that read, "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey". His friend David Bergman also wrote a message to end all doubts, saying, "I happened to be with Jon Bon Jovi in New Jersey when we heard a rumor that he had died. I can safely say that he is alive and well. I just shot this photo to prove that he's OK". After also laughing off rumors of his demise on his official website, the rocker wished his fans a happy holiday.
Bon Jovi, who have now sold 130 million albums worldwide, were declared the second richest band for 2011, behind U2. The group earned approximately $125 million following a sell-out world tour.