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A video has been making the rounds online showing MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow breaking down in tears over a meme that suggests Tesla CEO Elon Musk is planning to buy the network. The video, which has garnered tens of thousands of views, shows a visibly emotional Maddow struggling to compose herself after reading the meme. But is it genuine?
Was Rachel Maddow crying on air over Elon Musk’s temptation meme?
For some context, Musk is well-known for his trolling behavior on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), a platform he purchased in 2022 for $44 billion. However, by last month, the platform’s value had dropped to around $9.4 billion. Regardless of how you feel about Musk as a businessman, his public comments about MSNBC have been harsh. He’s called the network “the utter scum of the Earth” and accused it of spreading “puerile propaganda,” a phrase that sounds more pretentious than meaningful. Despite his controversial remarks, Musk is the wealthiest person in the world, which means that a purchase of MSNBC, though far-fetched, could technically be within his reach.
The meme that sparked this reaction showed a priest trying to resist the temptation of a scantily clad woman, which was used as a metaphor for Musk’s supposed interest in buying the network. The video of Maddow’s emotional reaction, in which she can barely keep her composure while the meme appears on screen, seems to suggest this is an authentic response to the meme. The banner at the bottom reads, “Elon Musk posts dangerous meme,” adding to the drama. But here’s the catch: This video didn’t happen the way it seems. In reality, the footage was from 2018 when Maddow became visibly upset during a report about migrant children being separated from their families. The meme and the banner were both photoshopped to create this misleading narrative.
The video has been circulating among alt-right groups online, but users on X’s Community Notes feature quickly pointed out the truth, adding the correct context to debunk the doctored clip. Furthermore, while many of Musk’s supporters are excited about the possibility of him purchasing MSNBC, there’s no solid evidence that Comcast, which owns the network, has any interest in selling it. In fact, Comcast’s CEO, Brian Roberts, is working on restructuring the company, moving MSNBC along with other cable channels like CNBC and USA Network into a new entity called “SpinCo.”
But in today’s fast-moving media landscape, facts often take a backseat to sensational stories. This is evident in the way Joe Rogan jokingly commented on Musk buying MSNBC, saying that he’d not only want Maddow’s job but would wear the same outfit and glasses, and even “tell the same lies.” It’s all in good fun, but it highlights how rumors can easily spread.
For now, Maddow’s position at MSNBC appears secure. Her show was recently renewed, showing that it still has strong staying power. Although her viewership took a hit after Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, much of that drop was likely due to political fatigue among viewers who were disappointed by the outcome. Similarly, Fox News saw a rise in viewership following the 2024 election, likely driven by a sense of victory among its audience. In contrast, Fox’s ratings dipped after Trump’s loss in 2020, and the network faced major fallout from the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, which resulted in a $1.6 billion settlement. This severely damaged its credibility.
