Overview

• Lea Michele addressed the persistent illiteracy rumor during an appearance on Jake Shane's Therapuss podcast, recounting her initial reaction when Glee creator Ryan Murphy informed her of its existence.
• Michele humorously demonstrated her reading skills by grabbing the host's notes and reading them aloud, directly challenging the baseless claim.
• The rumor originated in 2017 from a podcast jokingly interpreting Naya Rivera’s memoir, later evolving into a viral meme and conspiracy theory.
• Michele expressed frustration over the rumor, citing her family’s sacrifices for her education and her pride in being one of the few women in her family to attend college.
• Over the years, Michele has addressed the theory through interviews, social media, and humor, including a TikTok video joking about needing help to read comments.