A segment from the widely viewed daytime talk show The View has ignited widespread outrage across the nation after hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar made fun of Elon Musk’s 4-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, during a live broadcast. What began as a standard discussion quickly escalated into controversy, eliciting strong backlash from the public and a vigorous response from Musk himself.

In the episode, Goldberg and Behar mocked the child’s distinctive name, with Goldberg quipping, “You can’t name a kid after a captcha code and expect them to be normal,” which elicited laughter from some co-hosts and audience members. Behar added her own sarcastic remark, saying, “Can you imagine the poor kid at school roll call? ‘X-Ash-A-12, present!’”

The segment swiftly attracted significant criticism on social media, with viewers accusing the show of overstepping boundaries by targeting a child too young to defend himself. Numerous parents and public figures voiced their concern, stressing that children should be shielded from public mockery, regardless of their parents’ fame.

Elon Musk promptly reacted on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), denouncing the remarks: “Mocking a 4-year-old child on national television is disgraceful and cowardly. @TheView should be ashamed. I demand an immediate apology—not just to my son, but to every parent watching.”

Musk’s statement quickly went viral, garnering widespread support from the public and celebrities who expressed solidarity with his position. Critics contended that such behavior from mainstream media could establish a troubling precedent, normalizing personal attacks on the family members of prominent figures for the sake of entertainment or ratings.
In light of the growing backlash, the producers of The View released a brief and somewhat unclear statement the next day: “We recognize that our recent remarks regarding Elon Musk’s family have elicited strong reactions. The View has consistently championed open dialogue and satire. Although we may challenge boundaries, our intention is never to inflict harm. We proceed with love and humor.”

Notably, the statement lacked a direct apology to Musk’s son or any acknowledgment from the involved hosts. This ambiguous response only fueled public outrage, leading to increased criticism and the emergence of trending hashtags such as #BoycottTheView, #ApologizeToX, and #FireWhoopi across various social media platforms.

Elon Musk, dissatisfied with the show’s reply, promptly issued a pointed statement on X: “What a cowardly non-apology. Hiding behind ‘satire’ to mock a child? That’s the lowest of the low. This isn’t over.”

Sources close to Musk indicate that he is contemplating legal action or using his considerable influence to hold the media accountable for such incidents, potentially encouraging advertisers to withdraw their support from programs that engage in similar conduct.

This incident has reignited a broader national dialogue regarding media responsibility, the ethics of satire, and the safeguarding of children from becoming collateral damage in adult conflicts. Parents and advocacy groups have voiced concerns about normalizing attacks on minors, while others debate the limits of satire and freedom of expression.

As this controversy unfolds, the discussion surrounding media ethics and the boundaries of acceptable public commentary is expected to continue, potentially altering standards of broadcast conduct and public discourse in an increasingly divided environment.