In a twist of satirical revenge, The Onion is poised to turn the tables on Alex Jones and his controversial InfoWars platform. During an appearance on MSNBC's "MS NOW," Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion's parent company Global Tetrahedron, detailed the humorous and biting plans to transform InfoWars into a parody of itself, assuming a pending licensing deal gains judicial approval.
Background of the Legal Battle
The Onion initially attempted to purchase InfoWars in 2024 as part of Jones' bankruptcy proceedings, but the deal devolved into a protracted legal dispute. InfoWars, known for promoting baseless right-wing conspiracy theories, including Jones' infamous claim that the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax, has faced significant backlash. Jones was sued by families of the Sandy Hook victims for causing emotional distress and lost the case in 2022.
Parody Plans Unveiled
Collins shared with host Rachel Maddow that The Onion intends to replace InfoWars' real ads, which often peddle dubious supplements, with fake ones designed to mock Jones and his followers. "We will be selling supplement-adjacent stuff," Collins said, suggesting products like "water that cures everything" or "omega-3 fish oil [made from] exclusively conservative fish."
Mock Ads and Humorous Products
A preview website created by The Onion mimics InfoWars' style, featuring absurd ads aimed at ridiculing Jones' MAGA base. Examples include a kit promising to "turn your piss into gold" and another that reverses the process, a "Demon Guard" patch shaped like a cross claiming 24-hour protection against "all dark entities," and an ad promoting the ability to "learn to float" over a grassy meadow.
Legal Uncertainties and Future Steps
While Jones currently continues to operate InfoWars, the deal's approval by a judge is still pending, and he could potentially appeal. Collins noted that acquiring Jones' supplements was "still up in the air," but humorously added that The Onion had planned to "boil it all down into one big pill," a comment that left Maddow in stitches.
Broader Impact and Goals
Collins emphasized that the acquisition's most critical aspect is taking over Jones' name and attempting to counteract the damage caused by his conspiracy theories. "We look forward to infesting your social media feed with caricatures and grotesqueries of the very people who have ruined our media ecosystem over the last 10 years," he stated, highlighting The Onion's aim to use satire as a tool for media critique.
