Editing Paul is dead (section)

==In popular culture==
There have been many references to the legend in popular culture, including the following examples.

* The June 1970 issue of the [[DC Comics]] title ''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'' (#222) had a story titled "Dead ... Till Proven Alive" in which it was rumoured that Saul from the band the Oliver Twists was deceased and replaced with a double. On the cover of the comic book, [[Robin (character)|Robin]] is holding an album that mimics the back of ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Brian|last=Cronin|url=https://www.cbr.com/batman-robin-broke-up-beatles/|title=Batman and Robin Broke up the Beatles|publisher=[[CBR.com]]|date=27 December 2017|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=22 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022113319/https://www.cbr.com/batman-robin-broke-up-beatles/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=William|last=Gatevackes|url=https://www.popmatters.com/115698-the-four-color-adventures-of-the-fab-four-the-beatles-and-comic-book-2496119948.html|title=The Four-Color Adventures of the Fab Four: The Beatles and Comic Books|website=[[PopMatters]]|date=10 November 2009|access-date=7 September 2021|archive-date=22 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022113331/https://www.popmatters.com/115698-the-four-color-adventures-of-the-fab-four-the-beatles-and-comic-book-2496119948.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The 1972 [[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]] comedy album ''[[Radio Dinner]]'' has several announced "clues" placed throughout, including backmasked segments and notes in the album's gatefold, all parodying the hoax.<ref name="Radio Dinner">{{cite AV media notes|title=[[Radio Dinner]]|year=1972|publisher=[[Blue Thumb Records]]|location=US|type=LP liner notes|asin=B001BKLFIE|quote="Clue Number Five: II Tim. 4:6 [...] Clue Number Six: R.I.P. P.Mc."}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last=Bangs | first=Lester | date=November 1972|title=Album Review: National Lampoon Radio Dinner|magazine=[[Creem]]}}</ref>
* In [[the Rutles]]' 1978 television film satirising the Beatles' history, ''[[All You Need Is Cash]]'', the identity of the alleged dead band member was transferred to the George Harrison character, Stig O'Hara, who was supposed to have died "in a flash fire at a water bed shop" and been replaced by a [[Madame Tussauds]] wax model. Building on Harrison's reputation as the "Quiet Beatle", the "Stig is dead" theory was supported by his lack of dialogue in the film{{sfn|Rodriguez|2010|p=308}} and clues such as his trouser-less appearance on the cover of the Rutles' ''Shabby Road'' album.<ref>Idle, Eric (1978). "The Rutles Story". ''[[The Rutles (album)|The Rutles]]'' (LP booklet). Warner Bros. Records. p. 16.</ref>
* On the February 13, 1993, episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', Paul McCartney was interviewed on [[The Chris Farley Show]], a recurring sketch where [[Chris Farley]] nervously asked questions of his guests, usually about whether they remembered parts of their career. Regarding the "Paul Is Dead" rumours, Farley outlined the urban legend, then asked "That was, um, a hoax, right?" McCartney responded by saying "Yeah. I wasn't really dead."
* McCartney titled his 1993 live album ''[[Paul Is Live]]'' in reference to the hoax.{{sfn|Clayson|2003|p=228}} He also presented it in a sleeve that parodied the ''Abbey Road'' cover and its clues.{{sfn|Doggett|2011|p=339}} 
* The 1995 video for "[[Free as a Bird]]" – a song recorded by Lennon in the late 1970s and completed by McCartney, Harrison and Starr for the band's ''[[The Beatles Anthology|Anthology]]'' project – references "Paul is dead", among other myths relating to the Beatles' impact during the 1960s. According to author Gary Burns, the video indulges in the same "semiological excess" as the 1969 hoax and thereby "spoof[s]" obsessive clue-hunting.{{sfn|Burns|2000|pp=180–81}}
* In the 1995 episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", Paul McCartney guest stars and mentions that if his song "Maybe I'm Amazed" is played backwards, it contains a recipe for [[lentil soup]]. The song plays over the end credits, and, if played backwards, it not only contains the aforementioned recipe, but also McCartney himself saying "oh, and by the way, I'm alive".<ref>Mirkin, David (2005). Commentary for "Lisa the Vegetarian", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>
* "Paul Is Dead", a track on the 1995 [[Yo La Tengo]] album ''[[Electr-O-Pura]]''.
* In 2010, American author [[Alan Goldsher]] published the [[Mashup novels|mashup novel]] ''Paul Is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion'', which depicts all of the Beatles as [[zombie]]s except Ringo Starr.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/31/beatles-zombie-mashup |title=The Beatles flesh out zombie mash-up craze |first=Alison |last=Flood |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=31 July 2009 |access-date=10 January 2016 |archive-date=22 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822200629/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/31/beatles-zombie-mashup |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Joel Gilbert#Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison|Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison]]'' is a 2010 [[mockumentary]] directed by [[Joel Gilbert]] that purports to tell the story of George Harrison, believing himself to be on his deathbed after being stabbed on December 30, 1999,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/31/world/george-harrison-stabbed-in-chest-by-an-intruder.html |title=George Harrison Stabbed in Chest by an Intruder |first=Sarah |last=Lyall |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=31 December 1999 |access-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704054829/http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/31/world/george-harrison-stabbed-in-chest-by-an-intruder.html |url-status=live }}</ref> revealing that McCartney had died in a car crash with a girl named Rita and that [[British intelligence agencies]] had orchestrated a coverup through which he was replaced by a lookalike. The film is narrated by a voice actor purporting to be George Harrison, describing over archival footage and reenactment the clues left behind in songs and album art that McCartney was dead.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1683472/ |title=Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison |people=[[Joel Gilbert]] (director) |year=2010}}</ref>
* In 2015, the indie rock band [[EL VY]] released a song called "Paul Is Alive", which contains lyrics referencing [[Beatlemania]]<ref>{{cite web |first=Dean |last=Van Nguyen |title=EL VY post lyric video for new single 'Paul Is Alive' |website=[[NME]] |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-national-19-1215123 |date=7 October 2015 |access-date=24 July 2017 |archive-date=27 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927165046/https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-national-19-1215123 |url-status=live }}</ref> and partly addresses the 1969 rumour.<ref>{{cite web|author=WCYT staff|title=EL VY – 'Return to the Moon'|publisher=[[WCYT|wcyt.org]]|url=http://www.wcyt.org/el-vy-return-to-the-moon/|date=16 November 2015|access-date=30 September 2018|archive-date=30 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930115733/http://www.wcyt.org/el-vy-return-to-the-moon/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* A 2018 comedy short film, ''Paul Is Dead'', depicts a version of events where McCartney dies during a musical retreat and is replaced by a look-alike named Billy Shears.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://urbanistamagazine.uk/paul-is-dead-a-comedy-short-film-inspired-by-the-classic-bizarre-rock-roll-conspiracy-theory/ |title=Paul Is Dead ... A Comedy Short Film Inspired by the Classic Bizarre Rock & Roll Conspiracy Theory |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=30 September 2018 |publisher=urbanistamagazine.uk |access-date=5 February 2019 |archive-date=8 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708080821/https://urbanistamagazine.uk/paul-is-dead-a-comedy-short-film-inspired-by-the-classic-bizarre-rock-roll-conspiracy-theory/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*A graphic novel co-created by Paolo Baron and Ernesto Carbonetti called ''[[Paul Is Dead (comics)|Paul Is Dead]]'' was published in English by [[Image Comics]] in 2020.
*In 2023, the American supergroup [[Boygenius]] released the song called "Revolution 0" which was originally going to be called "Paul is Dead".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Graye |first=Megan |date=2023-01-20 |title=New Phoebe Bridgers song is about 'falling in love online', as singer confirms she's not engaged |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/phoebe-bridgers-paul-mescal-boy-genius-engaged-b2265803.html |access-date=2024-06-21 |work=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>