Fact Check: Did JD Vance appear on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ as a child preacher?

MIDDLETOWN, OHIO: In the lead-up to the 2024 US presidential election, JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate, found himself at the center of a peculiar and viral controversy. A video began circulating online, purportedly showing a young JD Vance on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show', fervently screaming and preaching religious verses.

The video sparked a wave of speculation, especially given the prominent position Vance is in. However, a closer examination reveals that the boy in the video is not JD Vance, but someone entirely different.

Investigating the claim

The video in question shows a young boy standing and screaming, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation [inaudible].”

Oprah Winfrey, appearing somewhat taken aback, asks the boy to clarify what he said and if he truly understands the meaning of his words.

The boy simply responds, "It means just what it says." The scene then shifts as a woman from the audience asks the boy to explain his preaching to her as if she does not understand the Bible. The boy, visibly struggling, attempts to provide an explanation but seems to grapple with the task.

The video, first posted on July 28, 2024, was captioned with the claim, "JD Vance footage when he was a teenager."

The video quickly went viral, and Snopes, a fact-checking website, received numerous inquiries from readers who wanted to know if the boy in the footage was indeed JD Vance.

Upon investigation, it became clear that the claim was entirely false. The boy in the video is not JD Vance but Duffey Strode, the son of a preacher, who appeared on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' in 1988.

Strode's family, hailing from Marion, North Carolina, had gained notoriety at the time for encouraging their children to preach religious verses, often in a manner that was intense and confrontational. Duffey, who began preaching at the tender age of five, was frequently seen delivering fiery sermons on school grounds, much to the alarm of his peers and teachers.

The video clip circulating in 2024 was actually a segment from a 1988 episode of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show', where Winfrey interviewed the Strode family. Duffey, who was around ten years old at the time, was featured for his passionate, albeit unsettling, style of preaching.

The full video can still be found on Oprah.com, where it is clearly noted that the boy in question is Duffey Strode, not JD Vance.

Strode family's controversial reputation

The Strode family’s story was widely covered in the media at the time, particularly because of the controversy surrounding their approach to religion and child-rearing.

According to a report by The Washington Post, Duffey’s father, David Strode, was an evangelical preacher with strong, and often polarizing, views. He believed that racial integration was sinful and referred to the Catholic Church as “the whore of Revelation".

The extreme religious fervor permeated the Strode household and profoundly influenced Duffey’s upbringing.

The New York Times also covered the family’s story in 1988, noting that Duffey’s mother claimed it was her children's choice to preach, despite the public outcry and multiple suspensions from school. One notable incident involved Duffey’s refusal to be paddled as punishment for a scuffle, leading to tensions between the family and school officials.

The assistant principal at Duffey's former school even recounted how the young boy had labeled faculty members as "fornicators" and "adulterers", reflecting the intense religious indoctrination he had received.

The Washington Post described Duffey’s behavior during his youth in vivid detail, noting his fascination with activities like skipping frisbees while simultaneously maintaining an almost obsessive focus on preaching.

Duffey often delivered scripture with such fervor that it left those around him bewildered and, at times, frightened. His younger brother, Matthew, also participated in these preaching sessions, often in a more hyperactive and attention-seeking manner.

After their appearance on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show', the Strode family continued to attract media attention. Duffey demonstrated his preaching skills on other talk shows, including those hosted by Larry King and Sally Jessy Raphael.

However, by 1998, according to The Lima News, the family had stepped away from public preaching, although they remained steadfast in their beliefs. Duffey experienced periods of estrangement from his family but eventually married and started a family of his own.