A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these is legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked these out. Here are the real facts:
___
CLAIM: Bravo greenlights reality show with restaurateur B. Smith, her husband and his girlfriend
THE FACTS: Bravo says it has not given approval to a reality television show starring former model and restaurateur B. Smith, her husband and his girlfriend, despite reports circulating online. Smith, 69, whose first name is Barbara, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013. Her husband and business partner, Dan Gasby, recently revealed that his girlfriend, Alex Lerner, was spending a significant amount of time at their East Hampton home, creating an uproar on social media. Then came false reports of plans for a reality television show. Online petitions began circulating on the website Change.org under the headlines including “Tell Bravo not to air B. Smith show” and “Say NO to B. Smith Reality Show.” Bravo confirmed in an email Tuesday to The Associated Press that there is no show in development. Gasby also knocked down the reports. “The story is false,” he said in a statement to the AP. Smith was in the limelight for decades, first gracing the cover of magazines as a top model, then as a restaurateur and lifestyle maven, before the progressive disease began to affect her memory and behavior. She and Gasby, who have been married for more than 20 years, have been open about the challenges of living with Alzheimer’s.
–AP Writer Beatrice Dupuy reported this item from New York.