Fact Check: "Vance had sex with a couch"
What We Know
The claim that J.D. Vance, a Republican vice presidential nominee, had sex with a couch originated from a viral joke on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). This joke falsely asserted that Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, contained a passage about having sex with an "inside-out latex glove shoved between two couch cushions" (Joffe-Block, 2024). The post included fake citations that misled many users into believing it was a genuine excerpt from the book. However, there is no such mention in Vance's memoir, which has been confirmed by multiple sources including Rolling Stone and Snopes.
The rumor gained traction after an article by the Associated Press, initially titled "No, JD Vance Did Not Have Sex With a Couch," was published but later retracted due to not undergoing the standard editing process (Joffe-Block, 2024). Despite the retraction, the rumor continued to spread, fueled by memes and jokes across social media platforms (McCann Ramirez, 2024).
Analysis
The claim about Vance engaging in sexual acts with a couch is entirely fabricated and has no basis in reality. The original joke was a satirical take that quickly spiraled out of control, demonstrating how misinformation can spread rapidly in a politically charged environment (Joffe-Block, 2024). The lack of moderation on platforms like X has been noted as a contributing factor to the virality of such false claims (Roberts, 2024).
The sources reporting on this incident, including NPR and Rolling Stone, are reputable and provide a clear context for the emergence of the rumor. They emphasize that while the joke may have been intended for humor, it has serious implications for how misinformation can be perceived as truth, especially in the context of political discourse.
Moreover, the Associated Press's retraction of its article highlights the challenges faced by news organizations in managing the rapid dissemination of false information. The fact that the article was published without proper editorial oversight raises concerns about the reliability of information shared in fast-paced news cycles (Joffe-Block, 2024).
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that J.D. Vance had sex with a couch is a fabrication that originated from a satirical joke and has been debunked by multiple credible sources. There is no evidence to support this claim, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the ease with which misinformation can spread, particularly in the current social media landscape.
Sources
- What the JD Vance couch jokes say about social media ... (https://www.npr.org/2024/07/31/nx-s1-5055854/vance-harris-social-media-rumors-jokes)
- J.D. Vance's Couch Sex Rumor, Explained - Rolling Stone (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jd-vance-couch-sex-rumor-explained-1235068142/)
- No, JD Vance Did Not Say He Had Sex with Couch Cushions (https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/jd-vance-couch-cushions/)
- J.D. Vance and the Couch Sex Rumors, Explained - Vulture (https://www.vulture.com/article/jd-vance-couch-sex-rumors-explained.html)
- Democrats continue to joke about false JD Vance rumor ... (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/democrats-false-jd-vance-couch-trump-misinformation-rcna166155)
- No, JD Vance didn't fuck a couch. But saying he did is free ... (https://www.thefire.org/news/no-jd-vance-didnt-fuck-couch-saying-he-did-free-speech-heres-why)
- Stephen Colbert Reveals Twist In JD Vance Couch-Sex Story - HuffPost (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/stephen-colbert-jd-vance-couch_n_66a318abe4b0af62b4255d9e)
- AP Fact Checks Claim That JD Vance Had Sex with a Couch - Mediaite (https://www.mediaite.com/politics/ap-runs-fact-check-on-claim-that-jd-vance-had-sex-with-a-couch/)
