Martin Lawrence has been the subject of several internet hoaxes over the past year, including a death hoax and a false report that he was returning to television with a new version of this 1990s show Martin with Ashanti assuming the role originally played by Tisha Campbell.
Not Returning to Television
The false story was first published in late 2014 by satire and entertainment site The News Nerd. Although fictional, the story that Martin is returning to TV in 2015 with Ashanti in the role of Tisha Campbell’s character (Gina Waters) continues to circulate on social media.
Synopsis
The News Nerd stated that Martin was being revived in 2015 with singer-actress Ashanti in the role of Gina Waters, a character originally played by Tisha Campbell. The article stated that Campbell refused to return to the show because of disagreements dating back to the show’s final years in 1996-1997.
The News Nerd
The News Nerd is yet another “satire” website releasing daily fake news articles. A disclaimer posted on their site states, “The stories posted on TheNewsNerd are for entertainment purposes only… rest assured they are purely satirical”. In late September, the site was responsible for a viral hoax in which it claimed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had reportedly created an Ebola vaccine which only worked on Caucasians.
Viral Satire Reported by Real News Sites
Some of the fake news articles originating from a host of popular satire sites occasionally goes viral as readers hastily pass on headlines through social media channels. These fake viral stories are somehow occasionally picked up and reported by major news networks, an issue which has caused some to deem satirical news sites a nuisance. According to this site, the fake Martin story was repeated by a CBS affiliated radio station website in Washington, D.C., yet the story was quickly removed.
‘Partners’ with Martin Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer
The fake Martin article came nearly two months after Martin Lawrence made his debut in the FX series Partners, a sitcom in which Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer played incompatible attorneys. The show had humble beginnings and was dismissed by many critics as mediocre and derivative of other earlier sitcoms. Ratings were dismal, and the show quietly disappeared after 10 episodes.
Latest Martin News
As of July 2015, Lawrence continues to perform stand-up comedy and is promoting his Runeteldat smartphone app, a behind-the-scenes digital channel offering fans an up-close look at the performer. Martin is also said to be interested in a third installment of the Bad Boys film series, which is currently being discussed.
Lawrence is quite active on social media and has not mentioned a new Martin series.
Bottom Line
Fox is not airing new episodes of ‘Martin’ in 2015 with Ashanti playing Gina Waters. This report comes from The News Nerd, a site which admits to creating fictional news labeled as entertaining satire. Lawrence is currently promoting stand-up shows and a smartphone app, and is eyeing a third Bad Boys feature film.
Updated July 29, 2015
Originally published October 2014
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