The Conspiracy Theory That Katy Perry Is Actually JonBenét Ramsey
It grabbed headlines in 1996 when 6-year-old beauty pageant queen JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in her Colorado home the day after Christmas. No one was ever charged in the case, per CNN. Cut to pop singer Katy Perry burning up the charts with her smash debut album, "One of the Boys," about 13 years later in 2008, via AllMusic. When any murder goes unsolved, conspiracy theories abound: who could have done it, and what was their motive? One far-fetched example surrounding the death of Ramsey is that the young girl was not killed at all, but she grew up to be Perry instead.
Wacky whispers that Ramsey and Perry are the same person popped up where such things often show up: on YouTube, right around 2015, according to Billboard. Via The Wrap, one early voice leading the chorus of YouTubers who claim Perry and Ramsey are one and the same belonged to Dave Johnson. In one of his videos, Johnson said, "JonBenét Ramsey did not die. Nobody died, nobody got hurt ... That sacrifice was in-name-only, and that sacrifice was to get something — and that something was to become a star" (per The Wrap).
The Perrys looks a little like the Ramseys, sort of
Leading off the list of reasons why some people believe the highly unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that a tragically murdered young girl grew up to be one of the biggest pop singers of her generation is a vague resemblance between Perry and Ramsey's actual parents. Never mind that Perry was born in 1984, which would make her 12 at the time Ramsey died (per AllMusic). There's an explanation for that, or so the online conspiratologists claim, via Billboard. They say JonBenét could actually have been 12 in 1996, right? (Wrong.)
Also according to supporters of this fringe theory, there are lyrical references in Perry's music, as well as allusions to the cover-up in her music videos and even her tweets (per Billboard). Support for the truly unbelievable theory that JonBenét Ramsey and Katy Perry are the same person isn't just limited to some alleged similarities in the appearance of Perry and the Ramsey's either. Johnson says even Perry's parents look like JonBenét's parents.
"He shaved his head, she lost some weight ... That's about it," Youtuber Dave Johnson said, comparing photos of the two couples over time and claiming it could be the same people (via The Wrap). Additional evidence can supposedly be found in photos of Perry and Ramsey themselves.
Ramsey and Perry look the same, kind of
According to The Wrap, Dave Johnson among other Youtubers, claim to be able to prove that JonBenét Ramsey — whose murder is still under investigation — grew up to be Perry through photographs of the late beauty pageant contestant and the current-day pop star, especially when it comes to the eyebrows. According to Billboard, one YouTuber said, "The eyebrows don't change much on a person. You're born with your eyebrows," he says. But just what does Katy Perry think of the shocking and totally unproven theory?
On the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) red carpet, host and comedian Billy Eichner asked her that very question. According to Teen Vogue, Eichner said, "Blink twice if you're actually JonBenét Ramsey." To which Perry responded, "Um wait, no, that is not real" (via Teen Vogue). No, Katy, it clearly is not. And who instigated such a crime in the opinion of those who believe this conspiracy theory to be true? Why, the Illuminati and Free Masons, of course (per Billboard).