Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, co-hosts of The View, have found themselves at the center of controversy 

after making fun of Elon Musk’s four-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, during a recent episode of the talk show. 

The comments, which aired following the child’s widely-discussed visit to the White House, sparked immediate backlash from viewers who accused the hosts of being disrespectful.

Musk and His Son Make a Surprise White House Appearance

On Tuesday, Elon Musk and his young son X appeared at the White House alongside former President Donald Trump. 

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO attended an executive order signing, during which he spoke to reporters while carrying his son on his shoulders.

The unexpected appearance of the boy, whose full name is X Æ A-Xii (pronounced “Ex Ash A Twelve”), quickly became a trending topic online. Many were fascinated by the unusual sight of a high-profile tech mogul bringing his young child into such a formal setting, while others criticized the decision, including X’s mother, Canadian musician Grimes.

Following the event, The View panel took a moment to discuss Musk’s White House visit. However, the conversation soon shifted into mockery of the child’s name, leading to widespread criticism from viewers.

Goldberg and Behar Poke Fun at Musk’s Son on The View

During Wednesday morning’s episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg attempted to discuss Musk’s press conference but was quickly interrupted by Joy Behar, who fixated on the boy’s name.

“Yesterday, Elon Musk took his son X to a press conference,” Goldberg began before Behar interjected, questioning the child’s name: “X?”

Goldberg, seemingly frustrated, shook her head and responded, “I did not name the child, and I don’t want to hear any more mess about our names.” Her comment drew laughter from the panel and audience.

As she tried to continue the discussion, Behar interrupted again, this time jokingly referring to the child as “little Instagram.” This remark appeared to be a playful jab at Musk’s ownership of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). However, Behar was quickly corrected by the panel, as Musk does not own Instagram, which is part of Meta’s portfolio alongside Facebook.

Social Media Backlash: “They’ve Hit a New Low”

Following the episode, clips of the segment began circulating online, and many social media users were quick to express their outrage. Critics accused the View hosts of unnecessarily mocking a young child and showing a lack of professionalism.

“It seems they CAN sink lower. Such trash!” one person wrote.

Another fumed, “This is BULL!!!! They are the absolute worst.”

Many also pointed out the irony of Goldberg and Behar ridiculing an unusual name when both of them use stage names instead of their birth names. Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson, and Behar’s real first name is Josephine.

Grimes Speaks Out: “He Should Not Be in Public Like This”

The backlash over X’s White House appearance didn’t just come from television personalities—it also drew a response from his mother, Grimes.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Grimes reacted to her son’s unexpected public appearance, expressing her discontent.

“He should not be in public like this,” she wrote, responding to a fan who alerted her to the event. “I did not see this, thank you for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”

Grimes also took the opportunity to call for more decorum in public discourse, stating that politics should be about solutions rather than personal attacks.

“I think so much of what’s been happening over the last decade is simply that the art of diplomacy, oration, and generally competent leadership has been lost,” she wrote in a follow-up post.

While she refrained from directly criticizing Musk, she emphasized the need for maturity in politics.

A Growing Divide Between Musk and Grimes

Musk and Grimes, who dated from 2018 to 2022, share three children together—X Æ A-Xii, Techno Mechanicus, and Exa Dark Sideræl. However, their co-parenting relationship has been far from smooth.

Last year, Musk filed for custody of their children in Texas, where many of his businesses are headquartered. Grimes responded by filing a petition to establish a parental relationship in California, a legal move typically made by unmarried parents seeking custody rights.

She has publicly claimed that Musk has prevented her from seeing their children at times, even keeping them away from their terminally ill grandmother. The legal dispute has reportedly left her struggling financially, making it difficult for her to continue her music career.

Conclusion

The controversy surrounding Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar’s remarks on The View has ignited debates about media decorum and the ethics of mocking a child on national television. While some argue that Musk’s decision to bring X to the White House was bound to draw attention, others feel that the jokes made at the child’s expense crossed a line.

As social media continues to react to the incident, it remains to be seen whether The View hosts will address the backlash—or if this will simply become another moment in the ongoing culture war surrounding Musk and his high-profile personal life.

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