avril lavigne conspiracy theory

Avril Lavigne/YouTube Avril Lavigne/YouTube Call Her Daddy/Spotify

‘It could be worse’: Avril Lavigne finally addresses clone replacement conspiracy

The 21-year-old conspiracy remains, let’s say, ‘complicated’.

 

Mike Hadge

Pop Culture

Posted on May 16, 2024

It must be hard to be Avril Lavigne’s replacement clone these days. Everyone just keeps bugging you about the conspiracy theory that you replaced the early 2000s pop rocker two decades ago and the whole time you have to be like, “uhhh, no that’s TOTALLY a nutty stance, guy” while trying with all your strength to not wink into the camera. 

What is the Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory?

For those unfamiliar, in 2011 a Brazilian fan site theorized that Melissa Vandella, an actress Lavigne had allegedly hired to deal with the paparazzi for her, had replaced her for realsies in 2003 after the starlet’s mysterious so-called death.

The theory goes that ever since, Vandella (pretending to be Lavigne) has needed to deny such wild accusations in her best Avril-impression voice. I admit, she’s got it down. We got a regular Frank Caliendo over here. 

As you might expect, the internet has ran with the theory:

Avril Lavigne addresses the conspiracy theory

Okay, okay, let’s say for the sake of “official record,” that the whole theory is coo-coo bananas and that Avril Lavigne is just still boring regular old, original recipe Avril Lavigne. Either way, Lavigne recently made her podcast debut on Alex Cooper’s “Call Me Daddy”. Naturally, the topic came up. 

“I mean, it’s just funny to me,” the “Sk8eer Boi” singer explained. “Like, on one end, everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, you look the exact same, you haven’t aged a day!’ Other people are like, ‘There’s a conspiracy theory that I’m not me.'”

Host Cooper, on the other hand, wasn’t so casual about the theory.

“Avril, this conspiracy theory about you is a little creepy, come on,” she said.

Avril responded, “I don’t know, it could be worse. Obviously, I am me. It’s so dumb.”

In the grand scheme of celebrity conspiracy theories, Lavigne’s perspective is sound. I’m not even going to link to most of the more malignant internet diatribes about certain celebs and public figures. Heck, they make a good ol’ fashioned early-2000s death replacement seem quaint by comparison. If it’s good enough for the Beatles…

On the actual music side of her existence, Lavigne has most recently guested on Nate Smith’s “Bulletproof.” (Or HAS she?!) Take a listen:


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*First Published: May 16, 2024, 3:24 pm CDT