In April 2025, widely shared videos claimed television host Jimmy Kimmel kicked billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk, an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, off his late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Shared by YouTube accounts Visionary Tales and Elite Vault, the videos showed images of Musk and Kimmel along with a voice-over detailing a disagreement they had during the interview.
Both videos described slightly differing accounts of a purported clash in which Musk accused Kimmel of ambushing him with pointed political questions, and eventually exited the stage.
One of the videos, uploaded by Elite Vault, had the title "Jimmy Kimmel Kicks Elon Musk Off His Show - What Happened Next Left America Speechless!" According to the caption:
When Elon Musk appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, no one expected the night to spiral into one of the most talked-about media moments of the year. What began as a casual interview quickly turned tense, with sarcastic jabs and pointed questions that pushed Elon to his limit. Moments later, Kimmel abruptly cut the segment—and Elon was escorted off stage. But the real story didn't air.
Within hours, raw footage from backstage surfaced online. It wasn't edited, filtered, or framed — it was honest. That short clip lit a fire across the country, triggering a wave of support, controversy, and conversations that mainstream media didn't see coming.
A video from Visionary Tales stated:
In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk and Jimmy Kimmel engage in a tense exchange during a talk show appearance. What began as a casual conversation quickly escalates into a heated moment that leaves the audience stunned. This fictional scenario imagines what could happen when strong personalities clash on live TV. Watch the full video to see how it unfolds.
The longer video on Elite Vault described an encounter after Musk walked off the stage and apparently called out Kimmel backstage, leaving the host "squirming."
However, both videos are fictional accounts. They originate from YouTube channels known from posting fictional stories and also have disclaimers at the bottom of each caption. As such, we rate this claim as fake.
The Elite Stories video caption stated: "The stories presented on this channel are entirely fictional and crafted solely for entertainment. Any resemblance to real events, individuals, or situations is purely coincidental and unintentional. These narratives are not intended to depict, reference, or represent any actual occurrences, persons, or entities."
The caption under Visionary Tales also had a disclaimer: "This video is a fictional story created for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or situations is purely coincidental."
Kimmel has often poked fun at Musk on his show. In March 2025, after Kimmel joked about how Tesla vehicles were being vandalized around the country, Musk called him an "unfunny jerk."
These videos follow a pattern carried out by similarly named YouTube channels, such as Elite Stories, that concoct elaborate fictional tales about public figures, often depicting them in a heroic or inspiring light. We have previously covered the fake story of how Musk allegedly transformed "The Progressive Bean" cafe in San Francisco into "a groundbreaking sustainable technology hub" after he was refused service there.
Snopes has debunked similar YouTube videos with fake stories about prominent individuals like Musk and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as clips that used AI technology for audio or visuals. We have published a series of articles to help people identify that type of media.