Fact Check: Mel Gibson, Mark Wahlberg ‘non-woke’ film studio claim is satire
Social media posts claiming that Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg joined forces to establish a “non-woke” film production studio originated from a satirical site, and it is not true, Gibson’s publicist said.
Posts on Facebook and Instagram, opens new tab shared screenshots of an article headlined: “Breaking: Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg Join Hands to Create a Non-Woke Film Production Studio, ‘Hollywood Is Saved’.”
Website Esspots, which describes itself, opens new tab as a “one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary,” originally published the satirical headline on a March 31 article, opens new tab.
The text of the article says: “The announcement comes as a breath of fresh air for many in the industry who have grown weary of the pervasive influence of political correctness and social activism in filmmaking.”
But Esspots’ About Us page says, opens new tab: “Our team of writers and editors is dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity, all with a healthy dose of humor and satire.”
An Esspots spokesperson told Reuters by email the site only posts satire and the article is not based in fact.
The article page is also labeled “satire”, a detail missed in the social media posts.
Mel Gibson’s publicist told Reuters it is not true the two have started a “non-woke” production studio.
Mark Wahlberg’s publicist declined to comment.
