Did music artist Kelly Clarkson and Tesla CEO Elon Musk promote weight-loss gummies in a 2023 televised interview? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Musk and Clarkson promoted such a product. Lead Stories has previously reported on fake websites that use celebrities' likenesses to scam viewers into buying weight-loss products.
The claim appeared in an article (archived here) titled, "Tesla's CEO Sparks a Weight Loss Revolution. Superstar Kelly Clarkson declared: 'This is My Best Decision, It Saved Me!'" published by peacele.com on December 29, 2023. It opened:
Kelly Clarkson, famous American singer, has struggled unsuccessfully with her overweight, trying countless ways to lose weight, but now she has finally found a way to achieve visible results.
Users on social media saw this title, description and thumbnail:
(Source: peacele.com Screenshot taken on Tue Jan 2 19:33:03 2024 UTC)
The article attributed this statement to Clarkson:
In a fortuitous encounter, I learned about the innovative weight loss project of the genius entrepreneur Elon Musk, and he personally shared with me the exclusive secret of Speedy Keto+ACV Gummies.
A linked advertisement encouraging viewers to buy "Speedy Keto+ACV" gummies appears several times throughout the article. A screenshot of the appearance of the advertisement is seen below.
(Source: peacele.com Screenshot taken on Fri Dec 29 18:11:03 2023 UTC)
A Google search (archived here) for an interview featuring Clarkson and Musk discussing a weight-loss project did not produce any results. A Google News search (archived here) for a quote attributed to Clarkson in the article about her individual weight loss journey did not turn up any results to verify that this was an actual interview that was published on a credible news website.
The purported interview was packaged in the post to look like a transcript of an interview on the "Today" show.
A search (archived here) of NBC's "Today" show website for a transcript that incorporates keywords found in the article did not produce any results to substantiate the claim in the article.
Musk is mentioned only one time throughout the article. Searches of the X platform (archived here and here), which Musk now owns, for evidence did not produce any results that corroborate the claim in the article.
The opening image in the article, which shows Clarkson and Musk sitting next to each other on a stage platform, was doctored, as a variation of different pictures was put together to make it seem as though it were a credible image taken by a professional photographer from a media organization. A Google Lens search (archived here) of the portion of the image that displays Musk allegedly facing Clarkson in the article with a mic in his hand revealed that the image was taken from a November 4, 2022, BusinessWire article titled, "Over 4000 Baron Funds' Shareholders Attend 29th Annual Baron Investment Conference Featuring Elon Musk, Kirsten Lynch, Ajei Gopal, Joel Marcus."
Musk is pictured sitting on a stage with a mic in his hand across from Baron Capital Group Chairman and CEO Ron Baron in an interview in front of a background that reads "Baron Capital" -- not "Keto+ACV."
A Google Lens search (archived here) of the portion of the image that displays Clarkson allegedly facing Musk in the article holding the weight loss gummy product bottle revealed that the image was taken from an October 18, 2023, U.S. Sun article titled, "'Amazing' Kelly Clarkson fans marvel at her drastic weight loss in figure-hugging dress and say she's 'aging backwards.'"
The article stated that the image of Clarkson was taken during an interview on "Late Night with Seth Meyers." In the October 17, 2023, interview found on YouTube, Clarkson is seen wearing the exact outfit in the article image with the exact hairstyle and her hands in her lap, sitting across from Seth Meyers, talking about "her fantasy football team based on pop culture" with the background depicting a window and brick wall -- not a set with typography on it that reads "Keto+ACV."
Lead Stories reached out to representatives of Clarkson and will update this fact check once a response is received.
Lead Stories first reported on fake websites using fake celebrity interviews to promote weight loss products on October 11, 2022.
Additional Lead Stories fact checks that mention "weight loss gummy" promotions can be found here.
