Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy Reuters

Eddie Murphy is alive and well despite a report Friday that the actor was killed in a snowboard accident in Zermatt, Switzerland.

The rumor quickly caught fire and spread around the Internet with fans wondering if Murphy, who starred in "Tower Heist" and "Beverly Hills Cop," had really been killed.

The full report from Global Associated News is complete fiction, according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the page. It appears to be an Onion-esque site without the wit.

"Fake...This story is 100% fake! This is an entertainment website, and this is a totally fake article based on zero truth and is a complete work of fiction for entertainment purposes," the bottom of the page reads.

The fabricated story seems to taken Murphy's name and replaced previous mentions of celebrity deaths.

"The actor & novice snowboarder was vacationing at the Zermatt ski resort in Zermatt, Switzerland with family and friends. Witnesses indicate that Eddie Murphy lost control of his snowboard and struck a tree at a high rate of speed," the site wrote in an article virtually identical to a fake report on the death of Brad Pitt.

"Eddie Murphy was air lifted by ski patrol teams to a local hospital, however, it is believed that the actor died instantly from the impact of the crash. The actor was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and drugs and alcohol do not appear to have played any part in his death."

The Detroit Free Press published a story Friday that confirmed Murphy, along with recent death hoax victims Bill Cosby and Rihanna, is alive and doing fine. The death hoax phenomenon has taken claim to Bill Nye in recent weeks as well as Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Margret Thatcher, Phil Collins, and countless others. Denzel Washington was also thought to be killed just over a week ago.

It's not even the first time Murphy has been thought to be dead, the most recent rumor of his demise popped up just last month, although Gossip Cop reports that the actor had been "killed" dozens of times in his life. He also was thought to have perished at the end of 2011.

This not-quite news follows word earlier this week that Murphy could be involved in a TV show based on his role in the "Beverly Hills Cop" movies. In the 1984 mega-hit, Murphy played Axel Foley, whose son would be the subject of the new show set to take place in Detroit. The actor first made his name while appearing on "Saturday Night Live" before embarking on a hugely successful standup comedy career.