The notion that Elon Musk bought Ohio State University is not true, and the story originates from The Sundial, Ohio State University’s humor magazine. Known for its satirical take on current events, The Sundial published the article as a work of fiction designed to entertain, not inform.
Given Elon Musk’s penchant for making audacious moves—like purchasing Twitter (now X)—and his unpredictable statements, the premise felt plausible enough to make people question its authenticity. Musk’s online behavior, such as tweeting polls to make major decisions, added to the illusion. The article fabricated outlandish claims, such as Musk rebranding the university and introducing bizarre policies, including:
- Grading exams via student-voted Twitter polls.
- Making The Joe Rogan Experience podcast mandatory for all students.
- Adding an $8 surcharge for student ID swipes.
- Proposing a Mars campus exclusively for women.
These absurdities, combined with Musk’s public image, made the satire resonate.
Satirical publications like The Sundial are common in colleges, offering a creative outlet for students to parody topical issues. Founded in 1911, The Sundial is among the oldest college humor magazines in the U.S. The story aligns with its mission to entertain with over-the-top fictional tales.
This isn’t the first time a similar parody has circulated. The Stanford Daily previously ran a humorous piece suggesting Musk had purchased Stanford University and rebranded it as “X, formerly known as Leland Stanford Junior University.”
The satirical premise lands so well because it plays on Musk’s real-life persona—one that thrives on disruption and unorthodox decisions. His controversial acquisition of Twitter, combined with his ambitious projects like Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink, has cemented him as someone who could, theoretically, pull off such a stunt.
While Musk has made some unpredictable and bold financial moves, buying Ohio State University isn’t one of them. The viral story is a humorous fabrication, illustrating just how blurred the lines can be between satire and reality when it comes to larger-than-life figures like Elon Musk.
