Maye Musk said she finds it “so weird” that Elon Musk and Tesla ($TSLA) have received what she views as largely negative media coverage for roughly two decades, while people she meets personally often thank her for his companies. Her comments came in response to coverage of filmmaker Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk. The Hollywood Reporter cited a former associate who described Musk as “the most miserable man I’ve ever met.” Maye pushed back on that characterization, saying she has not seen her son that way. She later broadened the point, questioning whether the public’s personal reactions to Musk line up with how he is portrayed in the media. Her claim that coverage has been mainly negative is her own assessment, not a formal analysis of media sentiment. Tesla has faced extensive scrutiny over issues including vehicle safety, Autopilot, Full Self-Driving, recalls, production challenges and Musk’s leadership. Musk’s public statements and political activity have also generated controversy. At the same time, Tesla’s impact on the EV market and SpaceX ($SPCX)’s achievements in reusable rockets and satellite communications have produced significant positive coverage as well. Maye’s broader argument is that there is a disconnect between the tone of some headlines and the reactions she says she hears directly from people. She also pointed followers toward her upcoming book, “Timeless,” where she says she discusses the subject further. For investors, the episode highlights how much sentiment around Musk and Tesla can be shaped by personality, media coverage and public controversy in addition to business fundamentals.