On September 13, 2024, a viral Facebook post made waves online, claiming that billionaire Elon Musk canceled an “exclusive show” on ABC Network, calling the network a “disgrace to the media industry.” According to the post, the show was supposed to be a mix of popular formats like Survivor, Shark Tank, and Star Trek. The post originated from a Facebook page named SpaceX Fanclub and was quickly shared across social media platforms, drawing considerable attention.
The post titled, “Elon Musk Pulls His Exclusive Show From ABC, ‘They’re a Disgrace to the Media Industry,’” also included a link to an article from the website Esspots, which further detailed Musk’s alleged decision to pull out of the show. However, both the post and the article were later revealed to be part of a satirical hoax.
The Truth Behind the Viral Post
After fact-checking websites like Snopes examined the claim, it was confirmed that the viral post was satire. The Facebook page responsible for the post, SpaceX Fanclub, identifies itself as a satire and parody account, as indicated in its description. Likewise, the article from Esspots, a website known for publishing satirical and parody content, is not rooted in any factual basis. Esspots clearly states on its “About Us” page that it specializes in “Satire and Parody News,” noting that their articles are written with humor in mind, not to be taken as real news.
In fact, Esspots is a subsidiary of SpaceXMania, a satirical news outlet known for creating fictional stories for entertainment and advertisement revenue. These articles are largely generated by AI tools such as ChatGPT and are intended to attract traffic, not to convey factual information.
Clarification from Fact-Checking Sites
The claim about Musk canceling his show on ABC and calling the network a “disgrace” was thoroughly debunked by various fact-checking platforms, including AAP Fact Check. According to AAP, both SpaceX Fanclub and Esspots were created by Muhammad Shabayer Shaukat, a content creator based in Pakistan, with the primary purpose of generating humorous, satirical content rather than accurate reporting.
Musk’s Criticism of ABC Over Trump Debate
While the claim about Musk canceling his show was false, the tech billionaire has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with ABC’s handling of the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on September 10, 2024. During the debate, ABC News moderators Linsey Davis and David Muir fact-checked Trump on several occasions, including his claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, and late-term abortions in the United States. These corrections sparked backlash among some Trump supporters, who believed the moderators were biased against the former president.
Musk, who had endorsed Donald Trump earlier in July 2024, echoed these sentiments after the debate. He took to his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the moderators, accusing them of being unfair to Trump. “While I don’t think the debate hosts were fair to @realDonaldTrump, @KamalaHarris exceeded most people’s expectations tonight,” Musk tweeted. He also reiterated his belief that Trump would perform better as president than Harris if elected, and even referenced the controversial rumor about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, fueling further debate.
The claim that Elon Musk canceled an “exclusive show” on ABC after calling the network a “disgrace” is entirely false and originated from a satirical Facebook page and website. Both SpaceX Fanclub and Esspots are dedicated to parody content, and the story in question was fabricated for entertainment purposes. While Musk has been critical of ABC’s moderation of the recent presidential debate, there is no truth to the claims regarding any canceled TV show on the network.