Viral Hoax: The Fabricated “Truth News” Saga of Kimmel, Colbert, and Cowell

In an era where misinformation spreads faster than a late-night monologue punchline, a particularly audacious hoax has captivated social media users across the globe. The tale? Late-night titans Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, long-time rivals in the cutthroat world of 11:30 p.m. comedy, have buried the hatchet to launch “Truth News”—an uncensored, unfiltered news channel poised to dismantle corporate media empires. And the cherry on top? None other than Simon Cowell, the acerbic British judge behind American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent, is allegedly bankrolling the whole operation with his fortune, stepping in as both architect and financier.

The story exploded online in late September 2025, amassing millions of shares, likes, and heated debates. But as fact-checkers from Snopes to MEAWW have swiftly confirmed, this “bombshell” is nothing more than a meticulously crafted fabrication, designed to exploit real-world tensions in the entertainment industry and erode trust in journalism. What began as a single post on a dubious Facebook page has since morphed into a viral phenomenon, underscoring the perils of clickbait in a post-truth landscape.

The hoax’s origin traces back to September 20, 2025, when the Facebook page “Echoes of the South”—a low-credibility outlet notorious for peddling sensationalism—dropped the bait. The post featured a garish collage: Cowell’s stern glare superimposed over a 2019 Emmys photo of Kimmel and Colbert sharing the stage. The caption? A breathless screed: “Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert just dropped a bombshell that no other network would dare touch—and Simon Cowell helped power it. That’s right, Simon Cowell—the TV mogul who revolutionized global talent shows—is now backing a new news project that’s shaking up Hollywood and Washington.” It promised “pure, honest reporting” free from ABC and CBS “censorship,” with Cowell as the “brutal honesty” engine. Links in the comments led to ad-riddled WordPress blogs, like news.azontree.com, recycling the same script.

Within hours, the narrative snowballed. X (formerly Twitter) lit up with shares, conspiracy theorists tying it to broader “deep state media” rants, and even some legitimate users pausing to ask, “Is this real?” Searches for “Kimmel Colbert Cowell Truth News” spiked, but no reputable outlet—Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN, or The New York Times—reported a whisper of it. Representatives for all three celebrities remained silent, a telltale sign of fiction in an age of rapid-response PR. On X, Snopes amplified the debunking, posting on September 27: “❌ No, Simon Cowell hasn’t teamed up with Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert to launch a ‘Truth News’ channel.” Echoes of the South, meanwhile, has a rap sheet of daily Cowell hoaxes, from fake death announcements to phantom feuds, all engineered for engagement metrics.

Why did this stick? Timing, as they say, is everything. The rumor rode the coattails of genuine turmoil in late-night TV, where Kimmel and Colbert have been lightning rods for controversy amid a polarized political climate. Just weeks earlier, on September 17, 2025, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live!—indefinitely, or so it seemed—following a fiery monologue. Kimmel had skewered the Trump administration’s handling of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. In a segment laced with sarcasm, Kimmel quipped about the “hypocrisy” of right-wing grief, drawing ire from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who threatened regulatory action against ABC affiliates on a conservative YouTube show. Conservatives flooded social media with boycott calls, and major station groups like Nexstar and Sinclair preempted episodes, blacking out 25% of U.S. households. Disney, ABC’s parent, caved under the pressure, halting production from September 17 to 22. Protests erupted outside the Burbank studios, with Writers Guild members decrying it as “fascism in real time.” Kimmel returned on September 23 with a defiant opener, pulling 6.2 million viewers—a late-night miracle sans NFL lead-in.

Colbert’s woes predated this by months. In July 2025, CBS axed The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ending a 33-year franchise in May 2026. Officially, it was “purely financial,” amid slumping ad revenues and cord-cutting in late night. But whispers of politics lingered: Colbert’s relentless Trump takedowns, including a post-election segment likening the president to a “reality TV villain,” coincided with Paramount’s $16 million settlement in a Trump defamation suit. Senator Adam Schiff, a frequent guest, tweeted post-announcement: “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know.” CBS insisted otherwise, praising Colbert as “irreplaceable,” but the timing fueled speculation of corporate retaliation.

Enter Cowell, the unlikely third wheel. The America’s Got Talent judge, fresh off a tense on-set spat with Mel B in September over a contestant’s backstage antics, embodies “brutal honesty.” His empire—Syco Entertainment—has minted billions from talent hunts, not newsrooms. No filings, leaks, or insider scoops link him to journalism; his 2025 focus remains animal welfare campaigns and a rumored Idol reboot. Yet, the hoax’s architects cast him as the anti-corporate crusader, funneling “Idol fortune” into “Truth News” to “expose Washington secrets and Hollywood lies.” It’s a narrative tailor-made for distrustful audiences, blending real grievances with fantasy.

The fallout? Beyond eroded media literacy, the hoax has real victims. Kimmel and Colbert, already battle-scarred from cancellations and suspensions, face amplified harassment. Disney investors demanded transparency on the Kimmel saga, while Paramount’s merger with Skydance looms under scrutiny. Broader implications ripple: In a Trump-era FCC wielding “jawboning” threats, hoaxes like this blur lines between satire and suppression, potentially chilling speech. As Ben Stiller tweeted post-Kimmel’s return, “Brilliant monologue—don’t let them win.”

Fact-checkers urge vigilance: Cross-reference with primaries, ignore ad-heavy blogs, and report fakes. Platforms like Facebook and X have throttled similar posts, but the damage lingers. In the end, “Truth News” isn’t a channel—it’s a cautionary tale. If Kimmel and Colbert ever do team up, it’ll be for laughs, not exposés. And Cowell? He’ll be judging it harshly from afar.