Buzz
Elon Musk remains one of the most divisive figures globally. The South African business magnate is revered by many as a self-made billionaire who boldly defies conventional norms. Supporters believe his visionary ideas are revolutionizing the world positively. Conversely, critics view him as an attention-seeking autocrat with an inflated ego.
Regardless of personal opinions, one undeniable fact is Elon Musk's eccentricity. As the head of Tesla and SpaceX, he has orchestrated numerous peculiar incidents over the years. His online behavior, in particular, is often seen as even more unconventional. As Musk continues his quest to become the world's wealthiest individual, here are ten of his most bizarre moments so far. Undoubtedly, more are on the horizon.
10. The Farting Unicorn Art Controversy
Despite leading two major corporations and ranking among the planet's richest individuals, Elon Musk somehow found time to engage in a dispute over a farting unicorn. In 2018, Lisa Prank accused Musk of using her father’s artwork without consent. She alleged that he appropriated a unicorn design from her father, Colorado-based potter Tom Edwards. One of Edwards’ mugs depicts a cartoon unicorn harnessing its flatulence to fuel an electric vehicle.
Elon Musk initially tweeted about the mug in 2017. Months later, he incorporated a similar design to showcase Tesla’s sketch pad software. By the end of that year, he reused the image for a Christmas card. Despite this, Tom Edwards never received any compensation.
9. The Time He Created A Motivational Dance Track
In January 2020, Elon Musk ventured into electronic music by releasing his first single, *Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe*, on SoundCloud. The track is an unusual mix of European trance beats and self-affirming lyrics. “Don’t doubt your vibe because it’s true,” Musk chants repeatedly over escalating synth melodies. “Don’t doubt your vibe because it’s you.”
The peculiarities don’t end there. If you let the track play beyond its conclusion, the SoundCloud algorithm transitions into a rap song addressing erectile dysfunction. For reasons unknown, Musk’s upbeat electronic piece is linked to a track by almndjoy, which humorously tackles performance issues.
*Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe* isn’t Musk’s first musical endeavor. In 2019, he released a trap song centered on the tragic shooting of Harambe, the gorilla. The incident occurred when zookeepers at Cincinnati Zoo euthanized the animal after a child entered its enclosure.
8. The Time He Declared War on Tequila
While alcohol often fuels conflicts, it’s rare for someone to pick a fight with the beverage itself. Yet, Elon Musk took to Twitter to announce, “We will fight Big Tequila!”
What prompted the South African billionaire to challenge an alcoholic drink? In 2018, Musk attempted to trademark his own tequila brand: Teslaquila. Initially conceived as an April Fool’s prank, the idea turned serious when the Tequila Regulatory Council intervened, demanding a name change. The term 'tequila' is legally protected, reserved exclusively for beverages crafted from blue agave in designated regions of Mexico.
Despite the setback, Musk successfully launched his drink under the name Tesla Tequila. The 40% ABV spirit is housed in a lightning bolt-shaped bottle and retails for $250.
7. The Time His Tweets Fueled Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories
Elon Musk’s tweets are sparking fresh coronavirus conspiracy theories, with anti-lockdown advocates hailing the CEO for “challenging the mainstream narrative.” In November 2020, Musk revealed on Twitter that he had taken four antigen tests in a single day. He reported that two results were positive, while the other two were negative. “Something is seriously off here,” he tweeted. He further likened COVID-19 to the flu and attributed the US’s high case numbers to false positives.
Critics of lockdown measures praised Musk for opposing what one called “an inhumane and unreasonable policy.” Earlier, Musk had labeled the lockdown “fascist” and insisted Tesla employees return to work during the pandemic’s peak. He also predicted that the virus would disappear by April 2020, a claim that proved entirely incorrect.
6. The Time He Labeled a Diver as a Pedophile
British diver Vernon Unsworth had just completed the rescue of thirteen individuals from a flooded cave when Elon Musk publicly called him a pedophile. In the summer of 2018, Unsworth played a key role in saving a youth soccer team and their coach from the Tham Luang caves in Thailand. The group had ventured into the caves but became stranded after torrential rains caused severe flooding.
Unsworth filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk, seeking $190 million in damages. However, in December 2019, a jury ruled in Musk’s favor, clearing him of the defamation charges.
5. The Time He Announced a Monkey Could Play Video Games Using Its Mind
A monkey playing video games with its mind sounds like a plot from a satirical sci-fi series. However, Elon Musk asserts that his company, Neuralink, has developed the technology to make this possible. He revealed that Neuralink implanted a tiny chip into a monkey’s brain, enabling it to control games mentally. Musk envisions primates playing Pong against each other using only their thoughts, describing the idea as “pretty cool.”
Neuralink focuses on brain-machine interface technology. Founded by Musk, the company aims to develop a computer chip for human brains. Musk believes this innovation will allow humans to integrate with artificial intelligence, potentially enabling telepathy or even the preservation of consciousness after death.
4. The Time He Chose an Unconventional Name for His Baby
Celebrities are no strangers to giving their children unusual names. Jay-Z and Beyonce named their daughter Blue Ivy, while Gwyneth Paltrow chose Apple for her eldest. Yet, Elon Musk and Grimes may have outdone them all by naming their child X Æ A-Xii.
The couple crafted the unique name by blending their shared interests in mystery, artificial intelligence, and 1960s CIA aircraft. Grimes, Musk’s partner, explained that the ‘X’ symbolizes the unknown variable, while ‘Æ’ represents the elven spelling of love and AI. The ‘A-Xii’ portion pays homage to the Lockheed A-12 OXCART, a CIA reconnaissance plane known for its speed and non-violent nature. Additionally, the ‘A’ is a nod to Burial’s bass-heavy track, Archangel.
3. The Time He Allegedly Committed Securities Fraud as a Joke
A joke crosses the line when it lands you in court with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In August 2018, Musk tweeted about potentially taking Tesla private, setting the share price at $420—a number widely associated with cannabis culture. This move caused Tesla’s stock prices to skyrocket.
The SEC, however, claimed they had no prior discussions with Musk about this decision and subsequently sued him for securities fraud.
Musk admitted he initially calculated the share price at $419 but rounded it up to $420 after learning about its cultural significance. He later acknowledged that this was “not a great reason to pick a price.”
2. The Time He Engaged in a Bizarre Feud with Azealia Banks
Celebrity conflicts are often strange, but things take a surreal turn when a musician stays at an entrepreneur’s home, insisting on recording a song with their partner.
In 2018, Elon Musk and Grimes found themselves in an odd rivalry with New York rapper Azealia Banks. The saga began when Banks traveled to Los Angeles to collaborate with Grimes on her second album, staying at the couple’s home to work on the project.
However, there was a major issue: Grimes never appeared.
Stranded at Musk’s home, Banks spent days posting increasingly bizarre social media updates. She accused Musk of inviting her for a threesome, tweeting while under the influence of LSD, and even claimed he was a “humanoid mutant caveman.” Musk denied ever meeting her, leading to speculation about whether Grimes had actually invited Banks or if she had arrived uninvited.
Their feud cooled off after that summer, though it occasionally resurfaces for the oddest reasons. Banks has her own share of controversies, including a January 2020 incident where she went viral on Instagram for exhuming her deceased cat and cooking its remains.
1. The Time He Announced the Creation of a Bionic Pig
Beyond the mind-controlled monkey, Neuralink has expanded its experiments. In August 2020, Musk introduced Gertrude, a pig allegedly equipped with a functional brain chip.
During an online presentation, Gertrude nudged straw with her snout, triggering a display of her brain activity. Musk described the Neuralink chip as akin to “a Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires,” transmitting neural signals to a computer.
Skeptics were quick to criticize. One journalist dismissed it as “neuroscience theatre,” while another labeled it an attention-seeking stunt, stating Musk “craves attention like others need oxygen.”
