It’s a public case of mistaken identity.
On Tuesday morning, one of the most successful music producers ever, 90-year-old Beatles producer George Martin, died. The news was met with an outpouring of affection and grief across the internet for the man who had been lovingly nicknamed the “fifth Beatle.”
But in another segment of the internet, the news of George Martin’s death sounded an awful lot like a death knell for another beloved artist whose name differed by just two letters: George R.R. Martin, the 67-year-old creator of Game of Throneswhose health has been closely monitored by fans since the thus-far incomplete series became a runaway hit.
Fans reacted with an emotional cocktail of grief, shock, guilt, relief, and generally conflicted.
https://twitter.com/TheRickyV/status/707508598365102080
No one told me George RR Martin died
— chase klein (@klein_chase) February 29, 2016
I was near emotional breakdown until I've realized it's not that George Martin https://t.co/SkhqCHFYE2
— Ivan XM🦀 (@ixaos) March 9, 2016
SOMEONE NAMED “GEORGE MARTIN” DIED AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GEORGE R R MARTIN AND I ALMOST SCREAMED IN CLASS
— stephanie boisclair (@savagedturtles) March 9, 2016
RIP George Martin not to be confused with George R R Martin who isn't allowed to die until he finishes writing the next book.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) March 9, 2016
Is it bad that I was relieved when I realised it was George Martin who had died and not George RR Martin? I need to know the end!
— Jakespeare (@jakeyt23) March 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/VicTheEpic/status/707471045863862276
I'm sorry to hear that #GeorgeMartin has died but I'm glad I was mistaken in thinking it was #GeorgeRRMartin
— Jack Dowd (@stforce1) March 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/stillfuckinitup/status/707461900272062465
#GeorgeMartin For one second, I thought it was George RR Martin, and thought I'd never be able to read Winds of winter.
— 𝙿𝚂 (@dostoyevesque) March 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/SpiralHorn/status/707466188754952193
The two have also had their photos mixed up, which likely generated more confusion:
LOL, @kolo8 just killed George RR Martin. pic.twitter.com/LuyXRGPpev
— John Davidson (@JD24) March 9, 2016
The confused fans however were outweighed by the flood of comments mourning the passing of producer George Martin, and the tributes celebrating his life:
George Martin saw something in the Beatles no one else did. Other record execs in England told them "bands with guitars are on the way out."
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 9, 2016
Just want to say this today… Thank You George Martin.
— Don Gonyea NPR (@DonGonyea) March 9, 2016
Remembering George Martin, who was given an honorary degree by Oxford in 2011 pic.twitter.com/DCVVUxbPMk
— University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) March 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/David_Boreanaz/status/707588594211291136
"The world has lost a truly great man…" Paul McCartney on George Martin: https://t.co/M2ySCKfisOpic.twitter.com/dDE5cm2F0a
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) March 9, 2016
George Martin is survived by his wife Judy Martin, and four children.