There are rumors circulating around the internet today that actor and comedian Martin Lawrence has passed away. What apparently touched off the stories are reports of people receiving cryptic text messages broadcasting reports that Lawrence had died in his sleep. If you'll remember, similar text messages were tagged as the source of death rumors regarding Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and actor Bernie Mac. Sadly, the rumors surrounding Mac's death turned out to be slightly prescient; he was gravely ill in a hospital at the time and passed away a few days later. Let's hope that isn't the case with these stories of Lawrence's passing.
The rumors surrounding Lawrence's death may have been started by the recent news that the Big Momma's House star is joining Tracey Morgan and Chris Rock in a remake of the 2007 film "Death at a Funeral." A publicity stunt, perhaps?
Lawrence actually did have a near-death experience August 1999. The actor went into a three-day coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging in 100-degree heat while wearing several layers of heavy clothing. He did recover, although there were reports that at one point he had a body temperature of a seemingly impossible 107° and was on a respirator.
Let's hope the rumor is just that - a rumor, and hope it gets cleared up quickly. As we've seen, the internet is a great tool for spreading information, but not all of it is true. The sad story of Natasha Richardson's tragic accident that has been dominating the news today has been rife with false information and innuendo. I can't imagine how difficult it would be for Lawrence's children, Jasmine; 13, Liana; 8 and America, 6 to hear false stories in the media about their father's death.
Photo
