Elon Musk and the viral ‘barrel chest’ photo – The truth behind the manipulated image
Fake photo sparks health speculations about Musk, but the reality tells a different story.
Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, became the center of an unusual online discussion recently when a photo showing an enlarged stomach and chest went viral. However, the truth is far simpler – the image was fake.
On November 10, 2024, an altered image of Elon Musk began circulating on X (formerly Twitter). The photo appeared to show Musk with an unusually large chest and stomach, sparking wild speculations about his health and appearance.
The post, originally shared by the now-deleted account “evan loves morf,” claimed: “He always posts AI pictures of himself because he actually looks like this.” Accompanied by the manipulated image and another AI-generated photo, the tweet quickly went viral, garnering over 17.4 million views and hundreds of thousands of likes.
While many online users laughed it off, others jumped to conclusions, suggesting Musk might have a medical condition, such as “barrel chest.”
What is barrel chest?
Barrel chest is a physical condition where the chest appears puffed out or rounded, often resembling the shape of a barrel. It is not a disease itself but can indicate underlying health issues, particularly related to lung conditions like emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The condition occurs when the lungs overfill with air, pushing out the ribs and chest, leading to a more pronounced sternum, shorter neck, and rounded chest appearance.
However, in Musk’s case, the viral speculation was based on a doctored image — not a medical diagnosis.
The truth – Origins of the fake photo
The manipulated photo can be traced back to a YouTube video titled “First Look Inside SpaceX’s Starfactory with Elon Musk,” posted on June 22, 2024. Around the 2-minute mark of the video, Musk appears in a natural pose, but the image was later edited to exaggerate his stomach and chest.
Despite fact-checkers, including Snopes, confirming the photo’s inauthenticity, the damage was done. Online chatter about Musk’s health continued to trend, fueled by misleading posts and comments.
This isn’t the first time Elon Musk’s body has become a trending topic.
In 2022, photos of Musk vacationing shirtless aboard a luxury yacht in the Aegean Sea went viral. Instead of letting body-shaming comments affect him, Musk responded with humor, tweeting: “Haha damn, maybe I should take off my shirt more often … free the nip!!”
The billionaire, known for his busy schedule, later shared his weight-loss journey, revealing that he lost over 20 pounds after reaching what he described as an “unhealthy” weight. Musk credits his weight management to:
- Wegovy: An FDA-approved weight-loss medication.
- Intermittent fasting: Skipping meals and cycling between fasting and eating.
Despite his efforts, Musk has admitted to not having the healthiest diet. He famously tweeted: “I eat a donut every morning. Still alive.” His diet typically consists of steak, sushi, chocolate, coffee, and Diet Coke — with a well-documented aversion to vegetables.
View this post on Instagram
Why does this matter?
The online fascination with Elon Musk’s body highlights how public figures often face relentless scrutiny — even for things unrelated to their work.
Musk’s accomplishments in technology, space exploration, and electric vehicles are monumental, yet conversations about his body or eating habits frequently overshadow his achievements.
The viral “barrel chest” photo is a reminder of how quickly misinformation can spread and how harmful speculation can be, especially when based on altered images.
While Elon Musk’s body continues to spark discussions, the truth about the viral photo is simple: it was fake. As media outlets and fact-checkers have confirmed, the image was manipulated, and the speculations about his health were unfounded.
Whether it’s through his ventures with Tesla, SpaceX, or his unconventional lifestyle, Elon Musk remains a subject of endless fascination — for better or worse. While he continues to brush off criticism with humor, the incident raises questions about how much public scrutiny is too much.
At the end of the day, Musk’s message seems clear: He’s living his life, donuts and all.
