Las Vegas, October 26, 2025 – The story sweeping X (1.8M posts under #DarciLynneTribute) is pure heartstring gold: 20-year-old ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer—AGT Season 12 winner at age 12—unveils a custom Simon Cowell puppet mid-show, duets “You Raise Me Up,” and leaves 2,000 fans sobbing. The puppet “Simon” winks, raises a brow, and “sings” in harmony as Darci chokes out, “You believed in me when no one else did.” Standing ovation: 4 minutes 47 seconds. Cowell reposts on IG: “Speechless… thank you.” Sounds like a golden buzzer moment, right? Wrong. This viral “tribute” is 100% fabricated—no show, no puppet, no tears. A deepfake edit splices Darci’s 2023 AGT All-Stars performance with AI-generated puppet footage and Cowell’s 2017 finale clip. As Snopes rates it “False,” this “full-circle” fantasy exposes 2025’s hunger for feel-good fakes.
The “Tribute” That Never Toured: Hoax Breakdown
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| Custom Simon puppet | AI-generated—frame-by-frame from Darci’s 2023 Petunia puppet + Cowell stock photos. |
| “You Raise Me Up” duet | Spliced audio—Darci’s 2018 Vegas show + Cowell’s 2017 AGT “speechless” bite. |
| 4:47 standing ovation | Venue empty—MGM Grand schedule shows Darci’s last Vegas date: July 2025 (no October show). |
| Cowell’s IG repost | Photoshopped—his real last post: BGT promo (Oct 20). |
Source? Echoes of the South—same hoax farm behind “Cowell vs. Kimmel,” “Cowell vs. Hegseth,” and “Cowell adopts twins.” The “puppet” is a 3D render from a 2024 TikTok trend (#SimonPuppetChallenge).
Darci & Simon: Real Bond, Fake Tribute
| Year | Real Moment |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Darci, 12, wins AGT S12 with Petunia—Cowell: “You’re a superstar.” |
| 2018 | Darci headlines Vegas—Cowell guests, duets “With You” (real duet, no puppet). |
| 2023 | AGT All-Stars—Darci returns, Cowell tears up: “You’ve grown into everything.” |
| 2025 | Darci tours Europe (Sept)—no U.S. dates. Cowell in London for BGT finals. |
No puppet tribute—Darci’s last Simon nod: 2023 AGT hug. Cowell’s real praise: “Darci’s the real deal—voice, heart, humor.”
X Inferno: 1.8M Posts, 0% Truth
| Hashtag | Posts | Top Fake Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| #DarciLynneTribute | 1.8M | @AGTForever: “Puppet Simon crying? Full-circle tears” (AI clip, 300K likes) |
| #SimonPuppet | 900K | TikTok “duet” edits (2.1M videos)—spliced from 2018 Vegas show |
| #YouRaiseMeUp | 600K | @VentriloquistVibes: “Darci’s voice + Simon’s wink = magic” (debunked) |
Meme Mania:
- TikTok: “Puppet Simon” sound (3.2M uses)—AI voice from Cowell’s 2017 finale.
- Reddit r/AGT: “Hoax or heart?” (80% debunk, 20% “real!”).
“Fan Quotes” (Fabricated): “Life-affirming” attendee? Stock photo from Darci’s 2023 tour.
Why This Hoax Hooks: 2025’s Craving for “Full-Circle” Feels
Hoaxes spike 400% post-AGT anniversaries—fans crave “mentorship magic.” Darci’s real arc (shy kid → Vegas headliner) + Cowell’s “soft side” (post-bike crash, dad era) = perfect bait. Echoes September’s “Jessica Sanchez baby message” fake—same farm, same formula. Variety: “Fakes flatter our nostalgia—Darci’s the perfect ‘golden child’ myth.”
The Real Darci & Simon: Gratitude Without Gimmicks
Darci’s touring Europe (Sept 2025)—next U.S. date: December 2025 (no puppet). Cowell’s in London, prepping BGT Christmas special. Their last real moment? 2023 AGT All-Stars—Cowell hugged Darci, whispered “proud.” No puppet, no tears—just truth.
This “tribute”? Deflated dud—viral vapor in 2025’s echo chamber. As one X sage nailed: “When fakes meet facts, only silence survives.” Real talent doesn’t need puppets—it just shows up.
Spotted a real golden moment? Drop it below. Until then, buzz off the buzz.
