81 - Alex Jones & QAnon: White Boys Gone Wild

There may have been a time when Alex Jones had intentions other than, as Texas Monthly aptly put it, “helping to create a world where facts don’t matter.” but that version of himself is long, long gone. The fantastic publication awarded Jones their 2019 Bum Steer of the Year award, saying “the radio host dragged our democracy into the same sewer he crawled out of so many years ago.” and we could not agree more. Unfortunately, he trolled his way right into the president's pocket, playing a key role in his rhetoric and decisions.
In an age of rampant disinformation, we discuss the role Jones has played in creating a false reality, and the others he's paved the way for, like QAnon. Is Alex Jones the most prolific conspiracy theorist of modern times? You know we'll creep it real, so let's talk about it.
Join the family!
Our sources for this episode incude:
PBS Frontline: United States of Conspiracy
https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/alex-jones-is-about-to-explode/
Alex Jones Is About To Explode
By Nate Blakeslee
Issue March 2010
https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/texas-monthly-bum-steer-awards-2019-alex-jones/
2019 Bum Steer Awards: Alex Jones, Who Helped Create a World Where Facts Don’t Matter
By Texas Monthly
Issue January 2019
https://www.texasmonthly.com/politics/texas-republicans-qanon/
Meet the Republican Candidates and Elected Officials in Texas Promoting QAnon
By Ciara O'rourke
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/technology/qanon-election-trump.html
Shocked by Trump’s Loss, QAnon Struggles to Keep the Faith
By Kevin Roose
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/8/what-is-qanon-the-conspiracy-theory-spreading-throughout-the-us
What is QAnon, the conspiracy theory spreading throughout the US
By Creede Newton
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/16/in-qanon-linked-us-candidates-populism-meets-conspiracy
In QAnon-linked US candidates, populism meets conspiracy
By Joseph Stepansky
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/politics/project-veritas-ilhan-omar.html
Project Veritas Video Was a ‘Coordinated Disinformation Campaign,’ Researchers Say
By Maggie Astor
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/technology/postal-worker-withdraws-claim-that-ballots-were-backdated-in-pennsylvania-officials-say.html
Postal worker withdraws claim that ballots were backdated in Pennsylvania, officials say.
By Luke Broadwater
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/jim-watkins-child-pornography-domains/
QAnon Is Supposed to Be All About Protecting Kids. Its Primary Enabler Appears to Have Hosted Child Porn Domains.
By ALI BRELAND & AJ VICENS

Support the show