'He was 95… and WHITE!' Social media erupts after a New Zealand newspaper accidentally pays tribute to Spike Lee following Stan Lee's death

  • New Zealand newspaper lit up social media after making a gaffe on its front page
  • The Gisborne Herald carried a headline Tuesday which said 'Spike Lee dies at 95' 
  • But it was the Marvel legend Stan Lee who had in actual fact passed away

By Bryant Hevesi For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 19:13 EST, 13 November 2018 | Updated: 21:25 EST, 13 November 2018

A newspaper which incorrectly paid tribute to Spike Lee following the death of Marvel legend Stan Lee is being ridiculed online. 

The Gisborne Herald, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, made the spectacular gaffe on its front page on Tuesday.

'Spike Lee dies at 95', the headline read, which was accompanied by a photo of Stan Lee.

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Social media was sent into meltdown on Tuesday after The Gisborne Herald, a New Zealand newspaper, paid tribute to Spike Lee following the death of Marvel legend Stan Lee

Social media was sent into meltdown on Tuesday after The Gisborne Herald, a New Zealand newspaper, paid tribute to Spike Lee following the death of Marvel legend Stan Lee

Stan Lee (pictured), who revolutionised pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk, died early Monday in Los Angeles

Stan Lee (pictured), who revolutionised pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk, died early Monday in Los Angeles

Spike Lee (pictured) is an American director known for movies such as BlacKkKlansman and Malcolm X. He is still alive, aged 61

Spike Lee (pictured) is an American director known for movies such as BlacKkKlansman and Malcolm X. He is still alive, aged 61

Twitter users reacted to the front page gaffe, with comments including 'There's something different about Spike Lee but I can't quite place' 

Twitter users reacted to the front page gaffe, with comments including 'There's something different about Spike Lee but I can't quite place' 

Readers quickly picked-up the mistake before posting photos of the front page and comments online.

'Oh dear', one wrote, while another said: 'Three shocks this morning! Not only is Spike Lee dead!! He was also 95 and... WHITE!'. 

'There's something different about Spike Lee but I can't quite place it,' another comment said. 

One commentator even offered the proofreading services of her Marvel fan son and quipped the paper should have taken cues from the 'top academics' who were also featured on the front page.  

'How did you even? Perhaps if you had one of the ''top academics'' proof read it for you, pretty sure they would all know the difference between a Stan and a Spike Lee!! My 16-year-old Marvel Fan is offering his services as a proof reader,' they said. 

The mistake was only limited to the front page however. The story on Stan Lee's death on page 12 referred to him by the correct name. 

Twitter users described the mistake as an 'epic fail' and one added: 'Three shocks this morning! Not only is Spike Lee dead!! He was also 95 and... WHITE!'

Twitter users described the mistake as an 'epic fail' and one added: 'Three shocks this morning! Not only is Spike Lee dead!! He was also 95 and... WHITE!'

The Gisborne Herald did have Stan Lee's name correct on Page 12, which carried the full story of his passing

The Gisborne Herald did have Stan Lee's name correct on Page 12, which carried the full story of his passing

Stan Lee, who revolutionised pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and The Hulk, died on Monday.

The face of comic book culture in the United States died in Los Angeles after suffering a number of illnesses in recent years.

Stan Lee was declared dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Kirk Schenck, an attorney for Lee's daughter, J.C. Lee.

His death came just one day after he tweeted a photo of himself in his WWII uniform for Veterans' Day.

As the top writer at Marvel Comics and later as its publisher, Stan Lee was widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book.

Stan Lee (pictured) was the top writer at Marvel Comics and later as its publisher and widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book

Stan Lee (pictured) was the top writer at Marvel Comics and later as its publisher and widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book

The dapper, friendly comic book genius continued to work into his 90s on numerous projects, including comics, films and DVDs. He is pictured above in 1990

The dapper, friendly comic book genius continued to work into his 90s on numerous projects, including comics, films and DVDs. He is pictured above in 1990

He revived the industry in the 1960s by offering the costumes and action craved by younger readers while insisting on sophisticated plots, college-level dialogue, satire, science fiction and even philosophy.

Spike Lee is still alive, aged 61. He is an American director known for movies such as BlacKkKlansman, Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing. 

'They didn't do the right thing,' one Twitter user wrote of The Gisborne Herald mistake, referencing the Do the Right Thing movie.    

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New Zealand newspaper accidentally pays tribute to Spike Lee following Stan Lee's death

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