The Onion buys Infowars

[Marvin the Martian]

The Onion bought Infowars in a bankruptcy auction. Their plans:

The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars in January as a parody of itself, he said, mocking “weird internet personalities” like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements.​

​

“We thought this would be a hilarious joke,” Mr. Collins said. “This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world where there are no gatekeepers and everything’s kind of insane.”​

​

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/business/media/alex-jones-infowars-the-onion.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGi5yZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHel-KJPVvtuET_geZGoj3VM1eLoa8IuEyhoPCg0C1or-zow5ZuK_Rf5qzg_aem_cLzOpfIe0jAb0QjuL-y0Sw

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

Whatever happened to National Lampoon?

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

The Onion bought Infowars in a bankruptcy auction. Their plans:

The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars in January as a parody of itself, he said, mocking “weird internet personalities” like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements.​

​

“We thought this would be a hilarious joke,” Mr. Collins said. “This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world where there are no gatekeepers and everything’s kind of insane.”​

​

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/business/media/alex-jones-infowars-the-onion.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGi5yZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHel-KJPVvtuET_geZGoj3VM1eLoa8IuEyhoPCg0C1or-zow5ZuK_Rf5qzg_aem_cLzOpfIe0jAb0QjuL-y0Sw

I don't understand the logic behind this -- at least in the sense of putting any cash into the acquisition. Aside from whatever tangible assets that come with it, what value there is in the enterprise comes from the kook's audience....and I'm sure the kook will just move his kooky harangues to some other platform and his kooky audience will just move there with him.

So it's not going to prevent him from continuing to do the harangues or prevent his cult from listening to the harangues. That'll just happen someplace else. So what The Onion ends up with is the name, the tangible assets, and the ability to satirize it by parody I guess?

It's just such a strange ordeal.

 

[PhyloeBedoe]

Just keep Alex Jones on and tell him to keep on doing his thing.

 

[larsIU]

I don't understand the logic behind this -- at least in the sense of putting any cash into the acquisition. Aside from whatever tangible assets that come with it, what value there is in the enterprise comes from the kook's audience....and I'm sure the kook will just move his kooky harangues to some other platform and his kooky audience will just move there with him.

So it's not going to prevent him from continuing to do the harangues or prevent his cult from listening to the harangues. That'll just happen someplace else. So what The Onion ends up with is the name, the tangible assets, and the ability to satirize it by parody I guess?

It's just such a strange ordeal.

Do the proceeds from the sale go to pay whatever he was hit with in the lawsuits/settlements? If so, a silver lining indeed.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

Do the proceeds from the sale go to pay whatever he was hit with in the lawsuits/settlements? If so, a silver lining indeed.

Yeah, the liquidation was ordered by the court. And the Sandy Hook families are getting equity as part of that.

I'm just kind of puzzled as to what the end game for it is. The Onion and the families now own the brand, its tangible assets, all of its social media and archives, etc. etc. Now what?

 

[larsIU]

Yeah, the liquidation was ordered by the court. And the Sandy Hook families are getting equity as part of that.

I'm just kind of puzzled as to what the end game for it is. The Onion and the families now own the brand, its tangible assets, all of its social media and archives, etc. etc. Now what?

Launch it into space. It's the only option really.

 

[Ohio Guy]

The Onion bought Infowars in a bankruptcy auction. Their plans:

The Onion plans to relaunch Infowars in January as a parody of itself, he said, mocking “weird internet personalities” like Mr. Jones who traffic in misinformation and health supplements.​

​

“We thought this would be a hilarious joke,” Mr. Collins said. “This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world where there are no gatekeepers and everything’s kind of insane.”​

​

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/business/media/alex-jones-infowars-the-onion.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGi5yZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHel-KJPVvtuET_geZGoj3VM1eLoa8IuEyhoPCg0C1or-zow5ZuK_Rf5qzg_aem_cLzOpfIe0jAb0QjuL-y0Sw

I couldn't read the NY Times article you linked, but apparently some of the Sandy Hook families were in on the purchase.

I hope they take what little credibility Alex Jones' legacy has and make a complete and total and worst possible mockery of it.

 

[Ohio Guy]

Yeah, the liquidation was ordered by the court. And the Sandy Hook families are getting equity as part of that.

I'm just kind of puzzled as to what the end game for it is. The Onion and the families now own the brand, its tangible assets, all of its social media and archives, etc. etc. Now what?

I'm not sure. I hope any type of parody they do with it is wildly successful, hilarious, deeply embarrassing and completely obliterating for whatever Jones' legacy/reputation is.

 

[76-1]

Whatever happened to National Lampoon?

The writers all became p u football coaches...

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

I'm not sure. I hope any type of parody they do with it is wildly successful, hilarious, deeply embarrassing and completely obliterating for whatever Jones' legacy/reputation is.

Jones' reputation with sane people is already what it ought to be. I don't think it requires any additional help -- although I certainly have nothing against more exposure for the fraud crisis actor that he is. But I'm thinking about it more as a gainful going concern. Can that be sustained as a business?

 

[Ohio Guy]

Here

Jones' reputation with sane people is already what it ought to be. I don't think it requires any additional help -- although I certainly have nothing against more exposure for the fraud crisis actor that he is. But I'm thinking about it more as a gainful going concern. Can that be sustained as a business?

i don’t know about the long term sustainability, but I’d love to see the point that he’s a deceitful, horrible human being while continuously grinding and shred of dignity and legacy he has left.

Hopefully they’ll be able to pull the curtain back on how absurd it was for anyone who ever took it seriously.

 

[BradStevens]

Maybe Musk will do the same to MSNBC?

 

[hookyIU1990]

Maybe Musk will do the same to MSNBC?

View embedded media

Poor little dude had the same reaction over the illegal immigrants children's shelters.

Must be tough.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

Maybe Musk will do the same to MSNBC?

View embedded media

That’s a fake video, right?

I know the Musk tweet is real (and real funny, too).

 

[hookyIU1990]

That’s a fake video, right?

I know the Musk tweet is real (and real funny, too).

Yeah, it's her reaction to the migrant kid shelters with the tweet about buying MSNBC inserted into it.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

Maybe Musk will do the same to MSNBC?

View embedded media

This kind of histrionics breaks me up. They cannot stop what is coming, they know it, and they are coming even more unhinged...
When the investigation into the unexplained death of 'Morning Joe's' Congressional Aide is reopened, there will be much gnashing of teeth and rending of cloth...
I just love this.
Cry more.

 

[UncleMark]

When the investigation into the unexplained death of 'Morning Joe's' Congressional Aide is reopened, there will be much gnashing of teeth and rending of cloth...

This shows how vile and depraved you really are.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

This shows how vile and depraved you really are.

Nawww..

I just like good comedy..

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

Here

i don’t know about the long term sustainability, but I’d love to see the point that he’s a deceitful, horrible human being while continuously grinding and shred of dignity and legacy he has left.

Hopefully they’ll be able to pull the curtain back on how absurd it was for anyone who ever took it seriously.

It's entertainment...

Your sanctity doesn't fit...

Get over yourself..

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

Yeah, the liquidation was ordered by the court. And the Sandy Hook families are getting equity as part of that.

I'm just kind of puzzled as to what the end game for it is. The Onion and the families now own the brand, its tangible assets, all of its social media and archives, etc. etc. Now what?

They all buy NBC ?? Just an idea.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

They all buy NBC ?? Just an idea.

Jones had backers who packaged the highest bid...then 24 hours prior to opening deadline, the court changed the conditions, allowing the court to award the bid to, in effect, whomever they chose....it's in more than one courtroom now.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

This shows how vile and depraved you really are.

What do you have against justice?

 

[Ohio Guy]

It's entertainment...

Your sanctity doesn't fit...

Get over yourself..

Alex Jones is entertainment? You do know why he got the pants sued off him and lost InfoWars in the first place, right?

If that’s your idea of entertainment, that’s pretty messed up.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

Alex Jones is entertainment? You do know why he got the pants sure off him and lost InfoWars in the first place, right?

If that’s your idea of entertainment, that’s pretty messed up.

Edit your post so that it is decipherable...

Rage posting again?

 

[Ohio Guy]

Edit your post so that it is decipherable...

Rage posting again?

I had a typo - replace 'sure' with 'sued.' You probably could have figured that out, but I'm happy to explain things to you whenever it's needed.

And it's not a rage post - it was more incredulous than anything. Jones made up lies about first grade kids who were shot to death in their classroom. If that's entertainment to you, that's beyond messed up.

 

[BradStevens]

That’s a fake video, right?

I know the Musk tweet is real (and real funny, too).

I don’t think it is.

 

[Ohio Guy]

I don’t think it is.

I just looked it up and supposedly it's edited from a report she did in 2018 on migrant children.

 

[Ohio Guy]

Maybe Musk will do the same to MSNBC?

View embedded media

Musk has bought twitter and the presidency. He's ensuring the legislators who will rubber stamp the agenda that will be favorable to his businesses and ideology are in office. Whether he actually buys MSNBC or not, he's most definitely going to try.

Elon Musk is an oligarch.

 

[BradStevens]

I just looked it up and supposedly it's edited from a report she did in 2018 on migrant children.

I stand corrected. Thanks for that and sorry for any confusion. Here's the real clip:

Did Rachel Maddow Break Down Over 'Elon Musk Buying MSNBC' Memes? Truth Behind Viral Video

This came after the tech billionaire joked about buying the news channel in a meme shared on his X platform. "And lead us not into temptation....," Musk wrote in the post accompanied by a meme showing what appears to be a priest struggling to not lose his purity next to a woman exposing herself...

www.timesnownews.com

 

[BradStevens]

Musk has bought twitter and the presidency. He's ensuring the legislators who will rubber stamp the agenda that will be favorable to his businesses and ideology are in office. Whether he actually buys MSNBC or not, he's most definitely going to try.

Elon Musk is an oligarch.

We have many:

https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2024-11-05/the-biggest-political-donors-of-the-2024-election

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

I had a typo - replace 'sure' with 'sued.' You probably could have figured that out, but I'm happy to explain things to you whenever it's needed.

And it's not a rage post - it was more incredulous than anything. Jones made up lies about first grade kids who were shot to death in their classroom. If that's entertainment to you, that's beyond messed up.

Neither Jones nor I shot any kids...but your pearl clutching is entertaining.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

Musk has bought twitter and the presidency. He's ensuring the legislators who will rubber stamp the agenda that will be favorable to his businesses and ideology are in office. Whether he actually buys MSNBC or not, he's most definitely going to try.

Elon Musk is an oligarch.

'Musk has bought the Presidency'
Harris-Walz spent 2-1/2 times the funds and is in debt all over the place...and failed to buy the office..
Maybe, just maybe it wasn't the money....
Another example of why 'progressives ' should never be allowed near other peoples' money.
But thanks for the entertainment.

 

[Ohio Guy]

Neither Jones nor I shot any kids...but your pearl clutching is entertaining.

Do you know why Jones is financially ruined and why InfoWars was forcibly sold? I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming your defense of him is out of ignorance.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

Do you know why Jones is financially ruined and why InfoWars was forcibly sold? I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming your defense of him is out of ignorance.

I don't follow Jones, nor do I care for any of your benefits

 

[Ohio Guy]

'Musk has bought the Presidency'
Harris-Walz spent 2-1/2 times the funds and is in debt all over the place...and failed to buy the office..
Maybe, just maybe it wasn't the money....
Another example of why 'progressives ' should never be allowed near other peoples' money.
But thanks for the entertainment.

There is an argument here about getting money out of politics that I think we’d both agree with, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

Musk isn’t the first person to throw gobs of money at a politician to help get them elected and curry favor, but with his advisory role and DOGE thing, it’s starting to look like he’ll have unprecedented ability to directly influence and impact policy, regulation and governing.

 

[Ohio Guy]

I don't follow Jones, nor do I care for any of your benefits

Sigh. Thanks for confirming my hunch about giving you the benefit of the doubt.

This type of ignorance is on the level of going into Subway and asking why Jared isn’t their spokesperson or why NBC hasn’t done a Cosby Show reunion.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

There is an argument here about getting money out of politics that I think we’d both agree with, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

Musk isn’t the first person to throw gobs of money at a politician to help get them elected and curry favor, but with his advisory role and DOGE thing, it’s starting to look like he’ll have unprecedented ability to directly influence and impact policy, regulation and governing.

To play devil’s advocate, isn’t this a better way for that influence to manifest than the usual way it does?

It’s being done out in the wide open. And if there’s anything Musk recommends that involves one of his companies getting some kind of subsidy, etc, it will be seen by all and (obviously) scrutinized.

Also, we always assume that the removal or lack of a regulation is what interested parties want out of government influence. Sometimes it’s the addition of a regulation.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

There is an argument here about getting money out of politics that I think we’d both agree with,

I’ve said this 1000 times, but it always bears repeating…

The only way to get big money out of politics is to get politics out of big money.

This is a very predictable consequence of having a government that is deeply entwined with commerce…not only in terms of the public sector’s direct share of our GDP, but also in the way of other kinds of influence like trade restriction, regulation, etc.

We’ve created a government where there’s a whole lot of money on the line. As such, it should surprise nobody that people with a lot of money on the line spend it in ways to affect what it does and doesn’t do.

We chose this.

 

[Ohio Guy]

To play devil’s advocate, isn’t this a better way for that influence to manifest than the usual way it does?

It’s being done out in the wide open. And if there’s anything Musk recommends that involves one of his companies getting some kind of subsidy, etc, it will be seen by all and (obviously) scrutinized.

Also, we always assume that the removal or lack of a regulation is what interested parties want out of government influence. Sometimes it’s the addition of a regulation.

I think that's fair. Ultimately we don't know how it'll play out, but I do think things will be put to the test.

Government regulations (or lack thereof) can have too big of an impact on Musk's businesses for there not to be some eventual conflicts of interests in his DOGE role - I guess we'll see how it goes.