I am of course aware of Alex Jones and the loony and even vicious ideas he promotes, such as that the Sandy Hook massacre of elementary school children and their teachers was an elaborate hoax. What is more incredible than what he says is that so many people seem to believe him. But I do not watch or listen to his show because life’s too short. So I was grateful to John Oliver for providing an in-depth look at the Jones phenomenon, perhaps telling us more about him that we may have wanted to know. Make sure you wait for the ‘infomercial’ that begins at around the 19:30 mark.
I had no idea that Jones is on the air for four straight hours. How can any one person fill that kind of time day in and day out? And who the hell has that kind of time to listen to one person ranting away about all manner of conspiracies? Maybe people just drop in and out, knowing that a short dose will last them the whole day like some kind of vaccination, though they likely think that vaccinations are a Commie plot to contaminate their precious bodily fluids.
Since Trump and Jones seem to get on so well, maybe Jones might become the next communication director to replace the Mooch.
If I had as much money as Donald Trump says he has, I would so buy one of Oliver’s million-dollar taint wipes. And I’d use it, too.
Mano,
I first pondered that question in the late ’80s with the rise of Rush Limbaugh. The answer came to me when I met a regular listener. The people with that kind of time are the unemployed and the retired. People with real lives don’t have the time, they’re too busy having a life.
Jeff
I recall hearing long-distance truck drivers are frequent listeners to the various wacko radio shows. That is not to say most or all of them believe much of what they hear, albeit some presumably do. And regardless of who is listening or why they listen, I assume frequent / continual listening will cause some of what of is bellowed to “rub off” and be either believed or to influence (perhaps unintentionally) behaviour.
I wish HBO would let those of us in the UK watch John Oliver. We get to watch the other late nighters, but not John, except a short version if you subscribe to Comedy.
@Jeff
Actually a lot of Rush (and Alex Jones) listeners are fully employed people with desk jobs. At around noon Eastern time they put on their headphones and listen to someone confirming what they believe to be true.