The Most Outrageous Headlines in Tabloid History That Everyone Talks About

Tabloids are known for their sensationalism and outlandish headlines that grab the attention of the readers. In this article, we have compiled a list of the 30 hottest headlines from tabloid history that made people stop in their tracks and wonder what on earth was going on.

1. Bat Boy Found in a Cave

In 1992, the Weekly World News ran a story about a half-human, half-bat creature that was found in a cave in West Virginia. According to the article, the Bat Boy had been living in the cave for centuries and was eventually captured and taken to a secret government facility for study.

2. Aliens Destroyed My School

In 1987, the National Enquirer ran a story about a group of school children in Zimbabwe who claimed to have seen strange beings and a UFO. The article stated that the aliens had destroyed the school and left the children traumatized.

3. Elvis Found Alive

In 2002, the Weekly World News ran a story claiming that Elvis Presley was alive and living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The article included a photo of a man who reportedly looked exactly like the King of Rock and Roll.

4. Loch Ness Monster Caught on Tape

In 2007, the Sun published a story about a tourist who had captured footage of the legendary Loch Ness Monster on their mobile phone. The video went viral, and people around the world debated whether or not it was genuine.

5. Titanic Survivors Found on Island

In 1912, the New York Times ran a story claiming that a group of Titanic survivors had been found on a remote island. The article sparked a frenzy of interest, as people around the world tried to imagine how the group had managed to escape.

6. Marilyn Monroe is Pregnant with an Alien Baby

In 1996, the National Enquirer published a story suggesting that Marilyn Monroe had been impregnated by an alien during one of her extraterrestrial encounters. The article included a photo of Monroe with a strange bulge in her stomach.

7. Bigfoot Captured in Woods

In 1972, the National Enquirer printed a story claiming that a group of hunters had captured Bigfoot in the woods of northern California. The article included details about how the creature had been restrained with heavy chains and kept in a remote mountain cabin.

8. Princess Diana is Alive and Living in Disguise

In the years following Princess Diana’s death, there have been countless rumors suggesting that she faked her own death and is in fact alive and living in disguise. The National Enquirer has published several stories claiming to have spotted the princess in various locations around the world.

9. Michael Jackson is Cloning Himself

In 1997, the Weekly World News reported that Michael Jackson was obsessed with the idea of cloning himself. The article claimed that the pop star had already cloned himself several times, and that the offspring were being kept on a secret ranch in California.

10. 2-Headed Parrot Found in South America

In 2001, the Sun reported that a two-headed parrot had been discovered in the jungles of South America. The article included a photo of the bizarre creature, which had two fully-formed heads, eyes, and beaks.

11. Man Sells Soul to Devil, then Changes His Mind

A number of newspapers have carried stories about people who claim to have made deals with the devil for fame, money, or power, only to regret their choices later. In one particularly bizarre case, the National Enquirer alleged that a man in Texas had sold his soul to Satan, only to beg for his life to be spared a few months later.

12. Hillary Clinton is Secretly an Alien

In 2016, just before the U.S. presidential election, the National Enquirer published a story alleging that Hillary Clinton was secretly an alien. The article included a “photo analysis” of Clinton’s face, which apparently revealed “telltale signs” of extraterrestrial origins.

13. World Ending in 2 Weeks

Many tabloids have carried stories about the end of the world, often making specific predictions about how and when it will happen. In one particularly memorable instance, the Weekly World News claimed that the world was going to end in just two weeks’ time, leaving people scrambling to prepare for the worst.

14. Spider Eggs Found in Bubblegum

In 1991, the Sun ran a story about a boy who had been chewing on a stick of gum, only to discover that it was filled with spider eggs. The article included a gruesome photo of the boy holding up a tangled mass of spider web and baby spiders.

15. George Washington Had Wooden Teeth

This so-called “fact” about President George Washington has been repeated in countless newspapers and magazines for well over a century. The claim is largely untrue, as Washington’s teeth were actually made from a combination of ivory, human teeth, and animal teeth.

16. Giant Squid Surfaces Near Florida

In 2001, the Sun reported that a giant squid had been spotted off the coast of Florida. The article included a photo of the massive creature, which reportedly measured over 30 feet long and had tentacles as thick as tree trunks.

17. Man’s Body Found in Shark’s Belly

Shark attacks are always a hot topic in the news, and some tabloids have pushed the envelope by reporting on particularly gruesome incidents. In one story that made headlines around the world, the National Enquirer printed a photo of a human leg that had reportedly been found in the belly of a giant shark.

18. Lady Gaga is a Man

For years, there have been persistent rumors online that Lady Gaga is actually a man in drag. In 2010, the National Enquirer took the story one step further by alleging that Gaga had admitted to being a man in an interview with Barbara Walters.

19. Giant Bird Sighted in South America

In 1949, the Smithsonian Institution received a letter from a man claiming to have seen a massive bird while travelling in South America. The man said that the bird had a wingspan of over 20 feet and had a beak that looked like it could “easily swallow a human being.”

20. D.B. Cooper Jumps from Plane with $200,000

In 1971, a man known only as “D.B. Cooper” hijacked a plane and demanded $200,000 in ransom. Cooper then jumped out of the plane with a parachute and was never seen again. The story has become legend in the United States, as people continue to debate who D.B. Cooper might have been and whether or not he survived the jump.

21. Bathtub Babies Sold in China

In 1987, the Weekly World News published a story about a group of deformed babies that was being sold in China. The article claimed that the babies had been born with “bathtub-shaped” skulls and were being exploited for profit by unscrupulous Chinese entrepreneurs.

22. Bill Clinton Had a Secret Love Child

For years, rumors have swirled about the existence of a secret child fathered by former U.S. president Bill Clinton. The National Enquirer has run several stories claiming to have identified the woman in question, although subsequent investigations have failed to produce any concrete evidence.

23. Mermaid Found in Caribbean

In 2001, the Daily Star reported a story about a mermaid that had been found washed up on a beach in the Caribbean. The article included a photo of the creature, which reportedly had a human upper body and a fish-like tail.

24. Octo-Mom Gives Birth to 8 Babies

In 2009, Nadya Suleman made headlines around the world when she gave birth to octuplets — eight babies at once. Suleman, who was nicknamed “Octo-Mom,” had conceived the babies via in vitro fertilization.

25. Elvis Presley Died of AIDS

In 1994, the Globe printed a story alleging that Elvis Presley had died of AIDS. The article claimed that the King of Rock and Roll had contracted the virus during a blood transfusion and had been covering up his illness for years.

26. Hillary Clinton is a Robot

In 2016, the National Enquirer again went after Hillary Clinton by running a story alleging that she was in fact a robot. The article featured quotes from “experts” who claimed to have analyzed Clinton’s movements and concluded that she was not human.

27. Shark Attacks Mermaid in Australia

In 2003, the Sun reported a story about a mermaid that had been attacked by a shark off the coast of Australia. The article included a photo of a bloodied mermaid tail, allegedly the result of the attack.

28. Titanic’s Wheel Found on Ocean Floor

In 1998, a team of oceanographers located the wreck of the Titanic on the ocean floor. The discovery made headlines around the world, but it was a subsequent story published in the National Enquirer that really caught people’s attention — the story claimed that the ship’s massive steering wheel had been found intact.

29. World’s Tallest Man Found in China

In 2017, the Daily Mirror published a story claiming that the world’s tallest man had been discovered in China. The man reportedly measured over eight feet tall, making him significantly taller than the current Guinness World Record holder.

30. David Bowie is Alive and Living in North Carolina

Following David Bowie’s death in 2016, rumors emerged that the singer had faked his own death and was still alive. The National Enquirer ran a story alleging that Bowie was living in a small town in North Carolina and had been spotted at a local diner.