Revisiting the legacy of Howard Hughes hoaxer Clifford Irving episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 10, 2026 · 3 MIN

Revisiting the legacy of Howard Hughes hoaxer Clifford Irving

from The Art of the Story · host WBGO Studios

Before “fake news” had a name, writer Clifford Irving pulled off one of the most audacious literary hoaxes in history: a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. In this Art of the Story, Leo Sidran revisits Irving’s remarkable tale—part scam, part self-mythology, and a strangely prophetic mirror of our media age.

Before “fake news” had a name, writer Clifford Irving pulled off one of the most audacious literary hoaxes in history: a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. In this Art of the Story, Leo Sidran revisits Irving’s remarkable tale—part scam, part self-mythology, and a strangely prophetic mirror of our media age.

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Revisiting the legacy of Howard Hughes hoaxer Clifford Irving

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This episode was published on March 10, 2026.

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Before “fake news” had a name, writer Clifford Irving pulled off one of the most audacious literary hoaxes in history: a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. In this Art of the Story, Leo Sidran revisits Irving’s remarkable tale—part scam, part...

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