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Oobah Butler Sets HBO Series ‘Scams for a Better Tomorrow’; Professional Hoax Artist Takes On Wellness Industry, Royal Families and More
Oobah Butler is fronting a new HBO series, “Scams for a Better Tomorrow”, in which he uses elaborate hoaxes to expose misleading claims across industries including wellness, wine and royalty. The show matters because it tests how online reviews, invented identities and marketing can persuade consumers, influencers and investors.
Produced by A24, the series features Butler launching fake companies and taking on bogus personas. Its trailer shows him pitching a mock skincare serum made from children’s tears. Butler previously gained attention for creating a fake London restaurant that became TripAdvisor’s top-rated, and has hosted Vice videos and “Catfish UK”; Daniel Lucchesi directs the new series.
In short
- Oobah Butler’s new HBO series uses hoaxes to scrutinise industries.
- A trailer shows a fake skincare serum made from children’s tears.
- A24 produces the series, directed by Daniel Lucchesi.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The series could expose how easily polished marketing, online reviews and fabricated credentials mislead consumers and investors, prompting greater scepticism and scrutiny. Using hoaxes may make those mechanisms vivid and entertaining in a way that conventional reporting struggles to achieve.
The case against
Deception can expose deceptive practices, but it may also mislead viewers or draw uninvolved people into a stunt without meaningful consent. The entertainment format could reward spectacle over careful evidence, leaving audiences with suspicion rather than a clear account of which claims are false and how consumers can assess them.