Fact Check: Did Elon Musk cancel his "exclusive show" on ABC after calling network a "disgrace"? Viral Facebook post debunked
On September 13, 2024, an article and Facebook post regarding Elon Musk pulling the plug on an "exclusive show" with ABC Network circulated online. A Facebook page named SpaceX Fanclub posted about Musk canceling his show, described as a blend of Survivor, Shark Tank, and Star Trek. The post alleged the tech billionaire called ABC a "disgrace to the media industry."
"Elon Musk Pulls His Exlusive Show From ABC, "They're a Disgrace to the Media Industry"," the post read.
The post also linked an article from the website Esspots, which detailed Elon Musk's alleged move. However, fact-checking website Snope debunked this claim, pointing out that the Facebook post was marked as satire. SpaceX Fanclub also described itself as a "satire/parody account" in the intro.
Similarly, the Esspots website marked the article as satire. The website is known for its "Satire and Parody News," as stated on its About Us page:
"Welcome to the US page of Esspots (A Subsidiary of SpaceXMania.com specializing in Satire and Parody News), your one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary about the United States of America. Our team of writers and editors is dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest in fake news and absurdity, all with a healthy dose of humor and satire."
According to AAP Fact Check, SpaceX Fanclub and Esspots were created by Pakistan-based Muhammad Shabayer Shaukat. The articles on the website are entirely satirical, written by AI tools such as ChatGPT to generate advertising revenue.
Elon Musk called out ABC for being "unfair" to Trump
The first presidential debate between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump was hosted by ABC News on September 10, 2024. Trump's remarks were fact-checked by hosts Linsey Davis and David Muir a few times.
The first instance occurred when Trump claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets. During this, Muir interjected and said that the city manager confirmed there were no reports of this occurring.
The second fact-check came when Trump alleged that abortions were being held in the ninth month of pregnancy. Linsey Davis corrected Trump, saying no state in the US allowed late-term abortions. The debate sparked reactions, with many Trump supporters criticizing the moderators for perceived bias.
Elon Musk, who endorsed Trump in July, also agreed with this sentiment. Following the debate, the X owner took to the social media platform to call out the moderators for being "unfair" to the former president. He also praised Harris's performance in the debate.
“While I don’t think the debate hosts were fair to @realDonaldTrump, @KamalaHarris exceeded most people’s expectations tonight,” he posted on X.
He also claimed Trump would do a far better job than Harris if elected president. Musk also joined in on the MAGA rumor of Haitian people eating pets in Springfield, posting tweets in connection to it to his 198.3 million followers.
Elon Musk recently courted controversy after questioning why no one was trying to assassinate President Joe Biden or VP Kamala Harris, following Trump's second assassination attempt on September 15.
The tweet received 1.3 million views and 18K likes in nine hours before he deleted it after facing immense backlash. Elon Musk later posted two follow-up tweets, claiming his now-deleted tweet was meant to be a joke.
