As LARRY KING bows out, CNN honchos under fire as they deny their network’s web site was origin of "MORGAN FREEMAN is Dead" Twitter update.
According to multiple reports, the death Tweet had been reported as "Breaking News: actor Morgan Freeman has passed away in his Burbank home."
Sender: CNN, allegedly.
The death "notice" was then re-Tweeted around the world, prompting an outpouring of tributes to the suddenly "dead" star.
Peter Shankman, Morgan’s pal, quickly went online insisting the The Dark Knight star was still very much alive, demanding CNN to retract the statement.
The news giant removed the update, saying the breaking news was a "mistake".
But as editors subsequently undated CNN’s Twitter page they said they have launched an investigation and the Freeman death Tweet did not originate from them, implying the work of a hacker.
On the official CNN home page it read, "CNN did not report Morgan Freeman death. Rumor is false. CNN will aggressively investigate this hoax."
Meanwhile, with CNN, once the leader in global news, way behind Fox News in ratings, conspiracy buffs suspect the Tweet "hoax" to be an "inside job" designed to bolster CNN’s flagging position.
