A hilarious but false rumor is spreading like wildfire online, as Elon Musk and his new be-diapered buddy, Donald Trump, prep to destroy our country one fresh department at a time.
As Musk and Trump slowly morph into one obnoxious, excessively-wealthy being, they’re facing criticism from the too-few Americans left with brains in their heads. Among their top detractors is, and has long been, horror author Stephen King, who’s never been one to mince words where either billionaire is concerned.
The celebrated writer is known for offering spectacular takeaways on any number of political issues, but for once he wasn’t behind a blistering insult hurled Musk’s way. He’s been getting the credit, however, and as a result broad disinformation has spread from X to other social media sites, including TikTok.
Those claims come in two parts: First, that King called Musk the new “First Lady” of the United States, since he’s increasingly replacing Melania at Trump’s side, and second that those comments earned him a permanent ban from Musk’s X. Neither claim is true, something that can easily be established with a quick search for King’s X page, but the rumors became so widespread in a matter of hours that King himself had to step in to correct the record.
King took to his very much still active X account in the wee hours of Nov. 13 to explain the situation “I see there’s a rumor going around that I called the Musk-man Trump’s new first lady,” he wrote. “I didn’t, but only because I didn’t think of it. There’s also a rumor going around that Muskie kicked me off Twitter. Yet here I am.”
The whole tweet is effortlessly casual, while also inserting several jabs Musk’s way. King’s play on his name are sure to rub the 53-year-old toddler the wrong way, but not nearly so much as his use of Twitter rather than X. Musk hates how many people still refuse to call his social media site by its silly new name, and King’s prominence — and the 2.2 million people who’ve already seen his tweet — guarantee that Twitter it will remain in the hearts and minds of many.
Musk even responded to the tweet with a snarky “Hi Steve,” adding another touch of weird internet lore to the whole spectacle. Its recorded fact that these men don’t like one another a bit, but it is amusing to see them enjoy the same joke — in this case, the wild workings of the online rumor mill — as it embroils both of them in a falsehood.
King’s tweet clears up a claim that’s sure to keep spreading for a few days still before it slows down. My personal TikTok was awash with delighted denizens gushing over King’s gall — and complaining over the supposed ban — and that was hours after I myself debunked the story. It takes time for accurate information to spread around the web, but when it comes from the mouth of Stephen King himself, it tends to land quicker.