Music

Fox News thought this dancing Aerosmith fan was Robin Williams

by Mark Teo

Yesterday, when news leaked of Robin Williams’ death, we lost a part of our childhood. Indeed, there were countless classics that were mainstays of our youth: Hook. Jumanji. Good Will Hunting. Heck, he was the genie in Aladdin, which inspired one of yesterday’s most-shared—and saddest—images. Honestly, we teared up a little when #goodbyegenie emerged on Twitter.

Naturally, in the rush to publish memorials to the departed Mork and Mindy star, some news outlets made a few mistakes. Yet none were more glaring than Fox News, who, as Gawker reports, actually used fake Mrs. Doubtfire footage in their coverage. Here’s the news piece Fox ran, with Larry King soberly reporting on Williams’ death.

The Mrs. Doubtfire clip used was credited to 20th Century Fox—which would’ve been proper attribution if they actually used a sample from the film. Instead, Fox News used a clip they found on YouTube, of user Robert Christie dancing in a Halloween costume (complete with a grey wig) to Aerosmith’s “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” Check the original clip below.

Hilarious? Yup. But it doesn’t lessen the sting of losing a comedy icon. R.I.P., Robin.