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Commentary:

We humans love to laugh at apparent displays of stupidity by others, which may explain why this fake "news" story has circulated so widely. The article has been posted to numerous forums and blogs and is also traversing cyberspace in the form of an email forward.

The story claims that, when she appeared on the quiz show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire", Kathy Evans of Idaho "set a new standard for stupidity" when she could not answer a question that asked her to identify the largest item from a list comprising an elephant, the moon and a peanut. According to the message, despite using all of her "lifelines", Kathy ultimately "went with her gut" and locked in "Elephant" as her final answer.

However, the incident described never happened. The article originates from BSNews.org, a satirical website that features fake news items on a variety of subjects. Within their original context, it should be clear to even gullible readers that the articles are satirical in nature and are not intended to be taken seriously. Even the name of the site (BS News) should alert astute visitors to its true nature. Moreover, the site includes the following disclaimer on its "About" page:

DISCLAIMER: BSNews.org, and all it's contents, fall under the category of Satire and Parody. Don't take any of this bull[****] seriously, ok? In other words, NONE OF THIS IS REAL! Understand? Good.

However, the article was apparently lifted from its original setting and began circulating as a supposedly legitimate news item, thereby fooling many recipients into believing its claims. The original version claimed that the host slapped "Kathy's" face after the show and she was subsequently hospitalized "in critical condition" after being beaten by angry audience members. The version currently circulating omits these details, possibly because they are so far-fetched that they would likely "give the game away".

The photograph included with the message is a doctored adaptation of a legitimate screenshot from the UK version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". The real question asked for another name for the "trachea" and had nothing to do with elephants or the moon. And the contestant's name is Fiona Wheeler, not "Kathy Evans" as claimed in the message. What's more, far from being stupid, Fiona answered the question correctly and won £32,000.

It is not uncommon for satirical "news" items to break out of the confines of their original settings and circulate via other means, fooling gullible recipients as they travel. A 2004 "news" article from another satirical news site falsely reported the demise of American Idol contestant William Hung. Another fake news item describes proposed legislation intended to provide work-place benefits for "the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or ambition".

It is always wise to check the validity of any apparent news items that arrive via email or are posted to blogs and forums. If information in such items is genuine, it will usually be featured on legitimate news outlets such as online news websites and will not be hard to verify.