The J.D. Vance couch cushion story hoax began in July 2024 when a viral post on X falsely claimed that Vance’s memoir, 'Hillbilly Elegy,' contained a specific graphic passage involving a sofa. Despite the claim being entirely fabricated and debunked by numerous fact-checkers—including a briefly published and then retracted AP article—the internet embraced the absurdity of the premise. It quickly evolved into a massive wave of 'couch-posting,' with users photoshopping Vance into furniture advertisements or making jokes about his alleged affinity for sectionals. The meme serves as a prime example of how quickly misinformation can turn into a self-sustaining piece of cultural satire, persisting as a joke regardless of its factual basis.