Popular radio show host Tom Joyner (Image courtesy of CNN)

In a classic switch-up of names, reports emerged that popular radio show host Tom Joyner had passed away but the death rumors were cleared up after a fact check. The 73-year-old influential media personality and philanthropist is alive and well. However, another Tom Joyner who worked in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws had died and this resulted in confusion.

The retired Morning Show host’s fans let out a sigh of relief as they learned that ‘their’ Tom Joyner was doing alright. However, they expressed their condolences for the film industry personality of the same name. Members of the Black American community in particular were taken aback by reports of Tom Joyner’s death as the man holds a special influence.

How did death rumors start for radio’s Tom Joyner?

Usually, celebrity death hoaxes originate from obscure news sources. However, in the case of Tom Joyner, rumors of his death began to circulate after major news outlets like Deadline reported it. Despite being clear enough, the headlines misled people into believing that the popular radio show host had passed away.

However, after going through the news in detail and a thorough fact check across other sources, the rumor was clarified. The person who had actually died was an actor and a prominent assistant director of the same name. Social media users had to differentiate between the two media figures as the white Tom Joyner and the black Tom Joyner.

The other Tom Joyner from the film industry who died

The late Tom Joyner might be less popular than the living one but the man did make a name for himself in the film industry. He had worked as an assistant director in films like Steven Spielberg’s Jaws and Clint Eastwood’s Bronco Billy. 

He had also worked in various production capacities in some major film studios like Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. Tom Joyner is a recipient of the DGA’s Frank Capra Award for his career and services in the film industry. 

He was 79 at the time of his death after a long battle with cancer and heart disease, according to Tom Joyner’s family.

Life and career of the radio host Tom Joyner

Synonymous with The Tom Joyner Morning Show on ABC Radio since 1994, the popular host focused on a lot of social issues such as education, justice, philanthropy and Black entrepreneurship. 

Tom Joyner radio morning show host death rumors
Image courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

Tom Joyner’s impact on the world of radio broadcasting and the African American community cannot be overstated. During his career, Tom had been a trailblazer who paved the way for future generations of radio personalities and entrepreneurs.

Social media reactions from Black community

Surprisingly, Tom Joyner’s Wikipedia results on Google still falsely claim that the veteran radio show host is dead, at the time of writing this article. This has led to even more confusion among the Black community on Twitter and other social media platforms.

While we mourn the death of the former AD of the same name who passed away, we are also relieved that The Tom Joyner Morning Show is alive and doing well at the age of 73.

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SOURCES: Twitter, Deadline