copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-11): One of the most popular tweets included a video that lasted three minutes and 10 seconds, and read, "SHOCKING: Mel Gibson (Sound of Freedom) is the REAL DEAL. Warned about the evils of HOLLYWOOD in 1998. Predicted how they'd turn on him. Alludes to actors being actual demons. He knows something very dark & wants to EXPOSE it. The seriousness in his voice is chilling." SHOCKING: Mel Gibson (Sound of Freedom) is the REAL DEAL warned about the evils of HOLLYWOOD in 1998 [...] NEW: Mel Gibson is promoting 'Sound of Freedom' which is set to be released tomorrow July 4th, exposing the reality of child sex trafficking.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-03-10): While Mel Gibson continues to be a controversial figure in Hollywood—he has hit headlines in the past for making racist, antisemitic and sexist comments—and is known for his commitment to the Catholic faith. [...] Perhaps in light of his documented devotion to his faith, claims have recently been shared that Gibson once accused members of a so-called Hollywood elite of torturing and murdering children, before drinking their blood in satanic rituals.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-12-27): Sound of Freedom endorsed by Mel Gibson Despite the mixed reception from the critics, Sound of Freedom has been performing incredibly well at the box office following a shaky development and subsequent endorsement from numerous celebrities, including Mel Gibson. [...] It’s reported that the filmmakers battled to buy back the rights for Sound of Freedom, which garnered numerous endorsements from A-listers. Mel Gibson shared a video in which he urged people to go and see the film. "One of the most disturbing problems in our world today is human trafficking, and particularly the trafficking of children," he said. "Now, the first step in eradicating this crime is awareness… go see Sound of Freedom."
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-09-09): The film — produced by the Mexican actor and conservative activist Eduardo Verástegui — premiered in Latin America, having received support from far-right political figures, such as Mayor Sandra Cuevas in Mexico and President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador "The movie that the elites don’t want you to see." Searching this phrase on Google generates more than three million results. And — at least, on the first page — the film Sound of Freedom is what pops up. Since its release on July 4 in the United States, the movie — produced by Mexican actor and conservative activist Eduardo Verástegui — has generated controversy and high expectations. These two ingredients have allowed the film, which had a budget of less than $15 million, to rake in more than $180 million in the U.S. alone, surpassing ticket sales for new installments of franchises such as Indiana Jones or Mission Impossible.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-08-18): Sound of Freedom tells the story of Tim Ballard, the real life former American government agent who created the anti-child sex trafficking organization, Operation Underground Railroad. The movie stars Jim Caviezel as Ballard, and celebrities like Mel Gibson offered their support ahead of its launch. [...] "In fact this type of viewer will often pejoratively refer to Hollywood studios executives as 'elites' who are out of touch with the common core values of regular Americans. This forgotten class of viewership has taken it upon themselves, often at grassroot levels, to not only promote the film Sound of Freedom, but to also boycott Hollywood studios who don't align with their moral values," Da Frè said. [...] The loyalists of Sound of Freedom are ones who feel that there is finally a movie they can champion, that speaks to their moral compass, and as a result, those viewers will do anything financially to support the film, promote the film, and see its full success in the modern distribution era without the help of the Hollywood studios.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-23): Video doesn’t show Mel Gibson seeking protection from ‘Hollywood elite’ after ‘Sound of Freedom’ [...] "7 MINUTES AGO: Mel Gibson Cries For PROTECTION From Hollywood Elite After Sound of Freedom," reads the caption of a nearly 11-minute video in a July 23 Facebook post. [...] In the video, Gibson — who Ballard has said helped edit "Sound of Freedom" — doesn’t cry for protection from Hollywood elite, to use the Facebook post’s language.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-20): Monteverde obviously couldn’t have predicted any of this when pre-production began on Sound of Freedom, and he met with actor Jim Caviezel. Monteverde was taken by the actor’s conviction about the subject of child trafficking and cast him as Ballard. Still best known then for his portrayal of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, Caviezel, who for many years had been vocal about his strict Catholic faith, was just coming off Person of Interest, a five-season CBS sci-fi crime drama.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2021-11-15): I had a thread back in the spring about how he promoted a false QAnon conspiracy theory claiming that children are being drained of their blood.The actor appeared at the Clay Clark’s Health and Freedom Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 16, which includes a line-up of far-right conspiracy theorists.Speaking on his new film Sound of Freedom, in which he plays a former Department of Homeland Security agent who quits his job to rescue children from child sex trafficking, Caviezel touched upon the outlandish conspiracy known as "adrenochroming".The false theory suggests that rich people torture children to harvest their adrenaline, which is said to contain rejuvenation properties.Last year, it was confirmed by Caviezel that a sequel to 2004’s The Passion of the Christ was in the works. "Mel Gibson just sent me the third picture, the third draft," he said. "It’s coming. It’s called The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection. It’s going to be the biggest film in world history."
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-07): Star’s link to QAnon "Sound of Freedom" doesn’t depict anything close to QAnon conspiracy fantasies, which have been linked to incidents of extremism and violence including the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The film’s villains are common criminals, not the shadowy cabal of occultists imagined by QAnoners.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-24): Jim Caviezel: ‘All of a sudden, I wasn’t popular anymore just for playing Jesus’ ‘Sound of Freedom’ is the surprise of the summer, a film that embodies conservative ideals and features an actor who fearlessly embraces his faith even when it jeopardizes his career "You’ll never work in this town again," Mel Gibson warned Jim Caviezel after he accepted the role of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ (2004). Caviezel told this story to the congregation of First Baptist Church of Orlando. His response to Gibson was just as resolute: "We all have our own cross to bear." Gibson’s prediction was only partially accurate. Two decades later and despite some career setbacks, Caviezel now stars in the summer’s most controversial surprise hit film. [...] The film has been boosted by an advertising campaign launched by the far right, led by Donald Trump, who sponsored a Sound of Freedom screening at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey on July 19. Caviezel is backed by Mel Gibson and right-wing figure Steve Bannon, who recently interviewed him on his War Room podcast. "It [adrenochrome] has some mystical qualities to make you look younger," repeated Caviezel during the interview.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-07): If you’re Leonardo DiCaprio, in any other role, you probably win an Oscar for all this. But if you’re Jim Caviezel, and the film is Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004), it brings the normal part of your career – when Hollywood was willing to roll out the red carpets – to a startlingly abrupt end. Yet Caviezel has now hit box office gold with Sound of Freedom, a faith-based child trafficking thriller that just opened in the US and made $14.2 million to the surprise of all.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-17): In addition to becoming an unexpected blockbuster, Sound of Freedom has sparked controversy for its alleged apology for one of the most beloved conspiracy theories of the amorphous far-right movement QAnon, which argues that the progressive elite in the United States feeds a sinister global organization of child sex trafficking. During the campaign that brought Trump to the presidency, it was one of the most unhinged arguments against Hillary Clinton. The story led to Pizzagate, which argued that a group of high-ranking Democrats abused minors in the basement of a popular Washington pizzeria. A QAnon adherent showed up one day with a rifle, only to discover that he had been tricked: the Comet Ping Pong restaurant has no basement. Sound of Freedom, directed by the Mexican Alejandro Monteverde with efficiency bordering on the aesthetics of an after-dinner telefilm, does not delve into politics, nor does it quote QAnon. Caviezel, who played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, has been in charge of connecting the dots in the promotional interviews, in which he has repeated the motto of the alt-right ("the storm is already here") and has brought up "adenochrome," a substance derived from adrenaline, which conspiracy theorists claim that liberal elites extract from the blood of kidnapped children.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-07-14): Mel Gibson's claims in an interview about the "evils of Hollywood" have resurfaced online after the launch of the movie Sound of Freedom. [...] "SHOCKING," he begins before explaining what the attached video is. "Mel Gibson (Sound of Freedom) is the REAL DEAL. Warned about the evils of HOLLYWOOD in 1998. Predicted how they'd turn on him. Alludes to actors being actual demons. He knows something very dark & wants to EXPOSE it. The seriousness in his voice is chilling," Schaffer wrote. Schaffer puts Sound of Freedom in brackets after Gibson's name in the tweets, which suggests he was involved in the film in some way. However, the actor has only been seen promoting the movie on social media, but otherwise, is not believed to be involved.
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-08-29): Sound of Freedom itself has also been criticized by anti-trafficking experts for providing a "false perception" of child trafficking and promoting "rescue" tactics that may actually put real victims in danger. [...] "Since Sound of Freedom launched in the U.S., demand has been building around the world in dozens of regions and languages," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "Child trafficking is a global issue, and we hope to build on the incredible momentum here in the states and share the film’s powerful message worldwide."
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2023-06-09): Though he's not credited on IMDb, Ballard claims Gibson did the final edit for his movie Sound of Freedom. Through this relationship, Ballard claims Gibson rang him at the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, and asked him to help rescue children from the country. [...] Gibson—who over the years has been accused of making racist, antisemitic and sexist comments—was previously accused of making extreme claims about Hollywood's elite. Quotes attributed to Gibson read: "Worldwide, children are stolen and sold to pedophile rings. They're tortured, raped, and murdered as part of satanic ritual ceremonies. The murderers then drink the children's blood and they eat their flesh."
Claim: Mel Gibson requests protection from Hollywood elites after Sound of Freedom (Viral post, 2023-07-24)
Evidence (2024-07-27): The film, titled Sound of Freedom, has been accompanied by a fusillade of laudatory statements from personalities including Mel Gibson, who Ballard claims gave OUR "valuable intelligence" that led to the group and its partners breaking up a pedophile ring in Ukraine, motivational speaker and longtime OUR backer Tony Robbins, and Matt Schlapp, the chair of the Conservative Political Action Conference. (CPAC now claims to have its own anti-trafficking arm as well.) It’s also getting approving write-ups from faith-based publications like Catholic World Report and The Christian Post. All of this is probably helping drive pre-sales. The film, which is being marketed directly to religious audiences as the film Hollywood doesn’t want them to see in something like the way the record-setting Passion of the Christ was, reportedly saw an impressive $10 million in gross sales before even opening. More usefully, perhaps, for OUR, many of the writeups about the film gloss over OUR’s long history of exaggeration and misrepresentation, helpfully bolstering the organization’s tallest tales about itself.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2019-07-09): There is no evidence that Lewis ever said or wrote this statement.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2017-09-08): And please note this: You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. A gentleman nearing retirement age once approached me after I’d given a speech to his corporation. He said, "You know, that was real great motivation for the young guys, but I’ve done all my work. There is nothing else for me to do." [...] In 1993 a columnist in a North Hills, Pennsylvania newspaper discussed the 1992 work by Les Brown and found his quotation compelling enough to reprint it together with another remark from the book:[4]1993 January 1, North Hills News Record, Book gives strategies for turning life around by Robyn-Denise Yourse, (Discussion of book "Live Your Dreams" by Les Brown), Quote Page A10, Column … Continue reading "If you are the same person today that you were a year ago, or even a day ago, you are not growing "You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream," says Brown. . . [...] The website "Essential C. S. Lewis" includes a section dedicated to evaluating the accuracy of quotations attributed to Lewis. The writer William O’Flaherty concluded that the ascription to Lewis was incorrect and Les Brown was the likely creator.[8]Website: Essential C. S. Lewis, Website section: Confirming Quotations, Not Quite Lewis, Article title: (CCSLQ-7) Never Too Old, Article author: William O’Flaherty, Date on website (update): … Continue reading
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2023-02-22): C.S. Lewis > Quotes > Quotable Quote (?) [...] Friends Who Liked This Quote [...] All Members Who Liked This Quote
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2020-08-22): This is the 6th article in a series devoted to clarifying whether or not C.S. Lewis wrote something you’ve seen quoted in a book and/or shared on social media. Each post examines two quotations. The first quote is something I became aware of since my book, The Misquotable C.S. Lewis came out in early 2018. The second quote is a reminder of one that is mentioned in that work. [...] 6.2 – "…never too old…" [...] Frankly, I’m tired of seeing this expression credited to C.S. Lewis. Over on Twitter, it seems if someone is sharing a Lewis quote then there’s a 50% chance it is this one…something he NEVER wrote. But, I get it, the words are meant to be encouraging for those who feel like giving up on goals or dreams (especially if they are up there in years like me). So, go ahead and love the quote if you want. However, be aware that Lewis is not the author.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2021-01-13): Quote of the Day: "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." – C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2024-09-09): Clive Staples Lewis, known as C.S. Lewis, an Irish-born scholar and author, is a prolific writer who made significant contributions to literature and Christian apologetics. Born in Belfast in 1898, Lewis was a professor of English literature at Oxford University and Cambridge and authored around 40 books, including The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and author of The Chronicles of Narnia series. [...] What did C. S. Lewis say about life? C.S. Lewis had this knack for weaving profound thoughts into simple words, and when it comes to life, he nailed it with, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." This quote is like a warm nudge to keep chasing those dreams, no matter where you are in your life’s story.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2024-09-16): C.S. Lewis > Quotes > Quotable Quote (?) [...] dream, future, goals, old [...] All Members Who Liked This Quote
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2016-11-12): However, even with all the nice things that this quotes reminds me, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Lewis never said it. The fictional C.S. Lewis in the movie Shadowlands (played by Anthony Hopkins) DID say it, but that STILL doesn’t mean the real Lewis said it. Would it be something he agreed with? It seems reasonable to suggest he would. However, it is NOT reasonable to say that he made the statement when it is clear that it’s a line from a movie. [...] While Lewis believed in encouraging others his published writings do not contain any statement similar to this. His general style of writing is very different than this cliché-like expression. Also, there is very little reason Lewis would have said it. A possible reason we may think Lewis said it, or something very close, is because he was over 50 years old when the first Narnia story was published. Yet, he was already an accomplished writer by this time. Prior to Narnia, Lewis was famous because of The Screwtape Letters that came out as a book in 1942 and it was chiefly this that led to him being on the cover of Time in 1947, well before Narnia was published!
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2022-03-11): You are never too old or too young to set goals. Experience is what defines wisdom, not age. [...] It’s never too late to set another goal. Anyone from any age can turn their dream into a reality, but, what it will take are dedication and courage. Nothing can stop those who are determined enough. Goals can be set and dreams can be pursued at any age.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2023-04-29): C.S. Lewis > Quotes > Quotable Quote (?) [...] Friends Who Liked This Quote To see what your friends thought of this quote, please sign up!
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2024-03-06): I love these quotes on dreamsn and goals – they work like a lighthouse for us, indiciating where to go. The most difficult thing is to lead a rudderless life where we have no idea where we’re going. It makes us feel that life is pointless – we need a purpose or goal to associate ourselves to. This goal can be anything, the best way is to tie them back to our values. The inspiration I want to talk about today is this quote from C.S.Lewis – you are never too old to set goals. [...] Who said you are never too old to set goals? C.S.Lewis – some articles also refer to Les Brown as the person who said you are never too old to set goals.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2014-01-26): Not long ago I was talking to Abraham Lincoln and he told me, "The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot confirm their validity." My reply to him was that I thought C.S. Lewis had actually made that statement! Of course, I’m making this up; I’ve never spoken to Lincoln and I don’t believe Lewis ever said it. However, there are many quotations floating around online that are attributed to Lewis that he actually never wrote.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2024-01-15): This is the third in a series new for 2024 entitled "MISQUOTE MONDAYS." Each Monday this year I’m sharing a YouTube short highlighting a quotation credited to Lewis that is questionable. He didn’t write most of them. Below is the quote examined this week. You can also read about this one in a previously written article.
Claim: Claims that English author C.S. Lewis once stated, "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (Viral Quote, 2019-07-09)
Evidence (2015-10-10): If you happen to be facing fewer years ahead of you than are behind you (like myself), than you likely wish the above statement is correct. While many hope such a proclamation is true, falsely attributing it to Lewis doesn’t make it any more accurate, but some find it more believable if a person as famous as Lewis stated it. [...] While Lewis believed in encouraging others his published writings do not contain any statement similar to this. His general style of writing is very different than this cliché-like expression. Also, there is very little reason Lewis would have said it. A possible reason we may think Lewis said it, or something very close, is because he was over 50 years old when the first Narnia story was published. Yet, he was already an accomplished writer by this time. Prior to Narnia, Lewis was famous because of The Screwtape Letters that came out as a book in 1942 and it was chiefly this that led to him being on the cover of Time in 1947, well before Narnia was published! [...] Exploring C.S. Lewis Misquotes and Misconceptions (2017 6-part podcast series)