Parody news outlet the Onion has revealed a new strategy to acquire the controversial Infowars website owned by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. This acquisition attempt dates back two years when Infowars was first put up for sale.
Ben Collins, CEO of the Onion’s parent company Global Tetrahedron, expressed the intention to transform what he described as a source of harm into something humorous and potentially more beneficial. The plan involves obtaining an exclusive temporary license to the intellectual property of Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, allowing the Onion to introduce its own content on the Infowars platform and social media channels.
Pending approval by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austin, the deal could be finalized by April 30. The Onion aims to convert Infowars into a “comedy network” that satirizes its original content, with profits directed to the Sandy Hook families.
Notably, the Onion has recruited individuals like Tim Heidecker, known for his work on Adult Swim shows and as part of the comedy duo Tim and Eric, to spearhead this initiative. Collins mentioned in a podcast that the Onion has assumed control over the InfoWars studio, website, and related assets due to the absence of other interested parties.
The plan has garnered support from the lawyer representing the Sandy Hook families who initiated legal action against Jones for his defamatory statements following the tragic incident. Jones had propagated false claims about the Sandy Hook shooting being a hoax, leading to significant distress for the victims’ families.
Despite legal challenges and Jones’s rebranding as “The Alex Jones Show,” the Onion’s acquisition bid signifies a significant development in the ongoing saga involving Infowars and its controversial figurehead. The deal, subject to court approval, represents a pivotal moment in the broader discourse surrounding misinformation and media responsibility.