Los Angeles, CA – Buckle up, folks: Elon Musk, the billionaire maverick who’s launched rockets into space and Teslas into our garages, has just lobbed a $70 million defamation bombshell at Joy Behar, the acid-tongued co-host of ABC’s The View, and the show’s producers. Filed in a California court on March 20, 2025, this jaw-dropping lawsuit accuses Behar of spewing “false and venomous” lies that torched Musk’s reputation and sent shockwaves through his galaxy-spanning empire. It’s a clash of titans—tech visionary versus TV firebrand—that’s got the world buzzing about free speech, media smackdowns, and the wild stakes of public mudslinging.
The drama erupted after Behar, during a fiery The View rant, branded Musk “pro-apartheid” and an “enemy of the United States” while dissecting his cozy ties with President Donald Trump. Picture this: Behar, leaning into the mic, eyes blazing, declaring, “He was born under apartheid in South Africa, so he has that mentality going on—he was pro-apartheid, as I understand it.” Musk’s legal posse calls it a vicious smear, a Molotov cocktail of words lobbed at his character from the daytime TV stage. Sure, Behar later waffled, mumbling, “I don’t really know for sure if he was,” before tossing in a cheeky, “So don’t be suing me, okay, Elon?” Too late, Joy— Musk’s lawyers are charging in, guns blazing, claiming her words weren’t just reckless but a deliberate hit job.
That $70 million price tag? It’s no random number. Musk’s team says it’s the cost of the wreckage Behar left behind—his name dragged through the mud, his businesses (Tesla, SpaceX, X Corp) caught in the crossfire. “This wasn’t a flub; it was a calculated assault,” the lawsuit snarls. “Behar and The View turned their massive platform into a weapon, painting Musk as a racist relic and a national threat—all lies, served up hot to millions.” The filing’s got teeth, and Musk’s ready to bite.
Rewind to Musk’s roots: Born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa, under apartheid’s iron grip, he bolted at 17 for Canada, later planting his flag as a U.S. citizen. Apartheid was brutal—racial segregation on steroids—but Musk has never waved its flag. His mom, Maye, once tweeted that speaking out against it back then could’ve landed you in a cell, hinting the family kept their heads down, not their hands raised in support. Musk’s lawyers say Behar ignored all that, spinning a tall tale to juice up her segment. “Pro-apartheid? Enemy of the U.S.? That’s not critique—that’s fiction,” they argue.
Cue the chaos: X is ablaze with reactions. Musk’s diehards are roaring—“Joy’s a disgrace!” “Crush the media liars!”—while his haters fire back: “She’s just talking smack—$70 million for hurt feelings? Cry me a river.” Legal gurus are popping popcorn, betting the case could turn on whether Behar’s barbs were spicy opinions (fair game) or fake “facts” (lawsuit city). Either way, it’s a cage match over where the line gets drawn.
For Behar, 82, and The View, this is no ordinary storm. She’s a veteran of hot takes, but facing off with a guy who could buy her network with pocket change? That’s next-level. No word yet from her camp, but whispers say ABC’s lawyering up, banking on her half-baked retraction to dodge the bullet. Lose this, though, and it’s not just cash—they could gag the whole gabfest industry.
Musk? He’s all in. “They’re lying about me,” he’s quoted as fuming, a guy who’s scrapped with Twitter trolls and tabloids alike. That $70 million isn’t just damages—it’s a war cry. Win or lose, he’s out to redraw the rules of the game. Court dates are looming, and it’s shaping up as a gladiator showdown: tech’s wild genius versus talk TV’s loudmouth queen, duking it out over truth, ego, and the power of a single sentence. Grab your seats—this one’s going interstellar.