People are filming viral fake podcast clips to make whatever they’re saying or selling seem more credible

A new trend appears to be sweeping the internet, and it’s causing some people to wonder what’s real and what’s not.

It’s a practice known as the “Fake Podcast,” which involves filming and editing video clips to look as though they were taken from a real podcast. The intent, according to Know Your Meme, is usually to lend more credibility to the person or persons being “interviewed” since being invited to speak on a podcast generally brings with it a certain cachet.

Sometimes, the video clips are aimed at selling products, including health supplements and beauty products, which often appear in sponsored ads on Instagram. But while they may succeed in pushing products, they’re ultimately misleading consumers while spreading more misinformation at a time when deep fakes and AI tools are already blurring the lines between fact and fiction.

One of the more well-known cases of a fake podcast to go viral happened in December 2022, when fitness influencer Vince Sant — better known as V Shred — allegedly created a deep fake of himself being interviewed on the Joe Rogan Experience. The video clip was later pulled, but it came just four years after Sant was reportedly sued by the National Advertising Division for deceptive advertising practices.

The scam was later exposed by TikToker Jared Hammond (@jaredkhammond), who broke down how exactly they believe V Shred faked the podcast ad.

The practice has also been called out by other influencers, including YouTuber Justin Whang.

“It’s actually amazing how much more credible people seem to think you are when you’re just pretending to be on a podcast,” Whang says in the clip, adding that camera angles, the right backdrop and some basic editing skills are all you need to pull off a decent fake podcast.

More recently, there have been several comedic takes on the trend, including one from @carolinebaniewicz, who created a fake podcast that openly mocked other financial-focused podcasts.

So did the TikTok account @entrapranure.

Still, plenty of others have been made for pure self-promotion, like the recent viral “podcast” clip posted by adult star Vicky Banxx (@vickybanxxtv), which was allegedly created to boost her OnlyFans following.

But now that the internet is catching on to the trend, many of these fakes are being called out on Twitter.

Hasan Piker, the popular Twitch streamer and political commentator, tweeted about the new “phenomena” just last week.

But many others are chiming in on the strange trend, too.

As for whether this will put an end to the practice remains to be seen. But for now, it’s probably wise not to believe everything you see (or hear) from a podcast clip — unless it’s verified.

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