Avril Lavigne addresses ‘dumb’ body-double conspiracy theory
Global News
Pop culture conspiracy theorists have long insisted that Avril Lavigne is dead and has been replaced with a doppelgänger named Melissa.
It’s become an age-old question of internet lore: Is it Avril Lavigne or Melissa?
During a May 15 appearance on the ever-popular podcast Call Her Daddy, the Canadian singer-songwriter addressed persistent rumours that she’s been replaced by a body double named “Melissa.”
Host Alex Cooper said she had to ask Lavigne, 39, about the “crazy rumour” that has followed her career.
Lavigne played coy for a moment before explaining, “There’s a conspiracy theory that I’m not me. Obviously, I am me. It’s so dumb.”
(NOTE: The video below contains strong language. Please watch at your own discretion.)
The rumour about Lavigne first surfaced in an internet forum in the early 2000s, shortly after the release of her second studio album, Under My Skin. As the conspiracy theory goes, the real Lavigne died in 2003, but was replaced by a doppelgänger at the behest of record label executives looking to continue the punky Lavigne brand. Some bandwagoners go so far as to insist that the look-alike, apparently Melissa, is a “clone” of Lavigne.
The conspiracy theory has over the years produced “proof” ranging from intense analysis of Lavigne’s facial features to way of dressing — namely the belief that Lavigne wears pants, while Melissa prefers skirts and dresses.
