<\/p>\n
\n\tThe internet coming up with outrageous conspiracy theories is nothing new, but accusing celebrities of being cloned is undoubtedly a whole new level. <\/p>\n
\n\tMost recently, Jim Carrey<\/a>, much to his dismay, has been at the center of the eye-rolling conversation. All because fans were convinced the Dumb and Dumber<\/em>\u00a0actor had been replaced by a clone due to his appearance at the C\u00e9sar\u00a0Awards\u00a0in Paris, where he was being honored.<\/p>\n \n\tIt\u2019s important to note that these theories are baseless and have no evidence supporting them. But when has that ever stopped the internet from running with it? If your answer was \u201cnever,\u201d you\u2019d be correct.<\/p>\n \n\tThe theories stemmed from fans online claiming the actor\u2019s face looked different in clips coming out of the C\u00e9sar\u00a0Awards. And then a decades-old clip of Carrey on\u00a0Late Night With David Letterman<\/em>,\u00a0where he said he uses decoys<\/a>\u00a0to fool paparazzi, resurfaced, only adding fuel to the fire.<\/p>\n \n\tC\u00e9sar Awards organizers quickly shut down the rumors on Monday, with the general delegate of the C\u00e9sar Awards, Gregory Caulier, saying in a statement, \u201cJim Carrey<\/a>\u2019s visit has been planned since this summer.\u201d He also called the theories a \u201cnon-issue,\u201d adding, \u201cI just remember his generosity, his kindness, his benevolence, his elegance.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tFor an additional layer of confirmation, the actor\u2019s personal rep also told TMZ<\/a><\/em>, \u201cJim Carrey attended the C\u00e9sar Awards, where he accepted his honorary C\u00e9sar Award.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tBut Carrey isn\u2019t the first celebrity to find themselves dragged into the commotion. Pop-punk artist Avril Lavigne<\/a> has been battling clone conspiracy theories for years.<\/p>\n \n\tFans claim that Lavigne was replaced by a lookalike named Melissa Vandella after dying more than 20 years ago. While there\u2019s no legitimate proof for the theory, the rumor reportedly ignited in 2011 because of a Brazilian fan page called \u201cAvril Est\u00e1 Morta\u201d (\u201cAvril Is Dead\u201d), alleging that Vandella was hired at the height of Lavigne\u2019s fame to distract photographers but ultimately replaced the \u201cComplicated\u201d singer following her death.<\/p>\n \n\tLavigne is very much alive, and she actually laughs at the rumors, telling Alex Cooper on her Call Her Daddy <\/em>podcast <\/a>in 2024, \u201cIt\u2019s just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone\u2019s like, you look the exact same. You haven\u2019t aged a day. But then other people are like, you know, there\u2019s a conspiracy theory that I\u2019m not me.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWhile the \u201cSk8er Boi\u201d singer called the theories \u201cso dumb\u201d because \u201cobviously I am me,\u201d she also said things could be worse.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI feel like I got a good one,\u201d she added. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s, like, negative. It\u2019s nothing creepy.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThat may be Lavigne\u2019s perspective, but for other stars, like Selena Gomez<\/a>, the conspiracy theories can derive from something much more personal and sensitive.<\/p>\n \n\tSome fans have alleged that the \u201cLose You to Love Me\u201d singer was replaced with a body double to maintain her brand after she underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 due to lupus and died after complications (Gomez did undergo a kidney transplant but is very much alive and currently married to Benny Blanco). People have cited a perceived change in appearance and mannerisms in recent years to try and back up their claims.<\/p>\n \n\tOn a darker note, theories escalated when an unverified screenshot of an email allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced online, which included the line \u201cdecided about Selena.\u201d However, the alleged email has not been authenticated and does not confirm that the \u201cSelena\u201d being referenced is Gomez. There are also no records of the \u201cBluest Flame\u201d singer being connected to Epstein.<\/p>\n \n\tGomez has never directly addressed the conspiracy theories, but has been open about how her condition impacts her physically and emotionally. \u201cMy lupus, my\u00a0kidney transplant, chemotherapy,\u00a0having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks \u2014 these were all things that honestly should have taken me down,\u201d she told\u00a0Elle<\/em> magazine<\/a>\u00a0in 2021,\u201d but would remind herself, \u201c\u2018You\u2019re going to help people.\u2019 \u2026 That\u2019s really what kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tShe also reportedly addressed her appearance during a previous TikTok livestream, saying that she tends \u201cto hold a lot of water weight\u201d when taking certain medication.<\/p>\n \n\tSince lupus is an autoimmune condition, it causes chronic inflammation in many parts of the body, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. Medical professionals have also said treatments and medications, such as immunosuppressants, as well as natural aging, can affect one\u2019s appearance and weight.<\/p>\n \n\tUnfortunately, social media trolls commenting on a woman\u2019s body, especially someone in the spotlight like Gomez, is nothing new, as women constantly have unrealistic expectations placed on them.<\/p>\n \n\tBut all the online discourse surrounding celebrity clones also begs the question: Why are people so obsessed with conspiracy theories to begin with?<\/p>\n