So you can’t trust the mainstream media now to give you the straight news? Is the mainstream media competing with bloggers for attention? What is this world coming to?

It was a joke, O.C. Weekly magazine says of the rumor it started that Zac Efron and Lil Wayne are collaborating on a new album.

The well-respected arts and entertainment publication, had published a story that the High School Musical star and the rapper have been witnessed by a reporter of the magazine sharing a smack on the lips.

The article writes with Efron saying “What’s up, my n**ga?” to the rapper and then giving him a hug and a kiss on the lips. The magazine failed to print the story with a disclaimer making the readers believe that the story was true.

The magazine tells celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, “I just wanted to clarify that the Zac Efron and Lil’ Wayne story is purely fictional and is simply intended as a joke (and a hysterical one at that).” (Source)

I didn’t find it the least bit funny. Especially the part where the writer threw in the word “nigga.”