S04.E19: Alex Jones and InfoWars

[Athena]

Oh, look, it's the return of British Millhouse.

Quote

Other segments: Anthony Scaramucci, defeat of "skinny" Obamacare repeal
Guests: Jack McBrayer and Gilbert Gottfried

 

[Victor the Crab]

And not a moment too soon. :D

[Lantern7]

Heads up: Thanks to HBO's original programming, the new episode starts at 11:08 and runs for 31 minutes. This is especially aimed for fans of Rick and Morty, who are waiting for a new episode at 11:30.

[peeayebee]

I think tonight John will have to speak like that old Fed Ex commercial guy to fit in all the news.

Fed Ex commercial

[Robert Lynch]

Alex Jones...what a joke of a man. He and Trump deserve each other.

[Lantern7]

I hope the proceeds from the million dollar wipes go to Stephen Colbert. The highlights seem lifted from the Prescott Pharmaceuticals bits from The Colbert Report. "I'll see you in health!!!"

[Delwyn]

I would say Alex Jones should know better than to come for someone with that sweet, sweet dragon money, but lunacy has no logic. And apparently a filthy perineum that could use more chocolate chicken bones in its life. 

[paigow]

Jones is playing a televangelist variation of "donate or God will strike me down"..."buy these overpriced products or this show will die"....

[trow125]

Looks like the money from the wipes will be donated to Doctors Without Borders (in the exceedingly unlikely event that anyone buys them). But you know what? If you sign up for the HBO Shop newsletter, you can save 10% on your order!

[TVcritic]

Teehee ... Trumpus Dumpus Reince Priebus - his name fits right in stylistically ... ;-)

EDIT: Hmmm ... what's the difference between a Televangelist and Alex Jones? Is there any? And what's the FCC doing these days? Can anybody roam the airwaves and internets with stupid crap and get away with it?

Edited July 31, 2017 by TVcritic

[Victor the Crab]

See Megyn Kelly and Piers Morgan. This is how you successfully go after a fraudster lunatic like Alex Jones. Now just wait for Jones to explode and spew all kinds of batshit threats towards Ollie for revealing him to be a con man peddling garbage to gullible true believers. And watch as Ollie plays them back on next week's show for shits and (mostly) giggles.

[paigow]

They could have a recurring bit like Kadyrov's Cat... Alex Jones, is this your perineal area? 

[peeayebee]

I love Jack McBrayer. He was the perfect guy to play the "doctor" or "scientist" or long-haired dude who fell off a surfboard. Loved how he gestured, caressingly, around the perineal area on the drawing.

And I always love seeing Bob Scheiffer laughing. I can't remember where it was -- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart? Colbert? -- but he giggled up a storm.

When Alex Jones was pouring his chocolate chicken bone drink, it looked like a thick milkshake. What was in John's glass looked like ... well, like chocolate chicken broth.

[ganesh]

7 hours ago, paigow said:

Jones is playing a televangelist variation of "donate or God will strike me down"..."buy these overpriced products or this show will die"....

I can't stand a hacky con artist. It's too bad all his followers will just think JO was just being mean or making fun of Jones and won't actually see any of this. I know he sold products on the show, but I didn't think it was rigged up like that. But it is like the evangelists who say they need to fly in first class or have to have that rolex. 

It's too bad they didn't get into Jones' divorce and custody issues. Again, his own words, and not taken out of context, in court he said he was "playing a character."

I do like when the show fact checks something that takes all of five minutes, like the MIT thing. I wonder how that's not fraud and why he hasn't been sued. 

[revbfc]

So far the counterattack has blamed Middle Eastern dictatorships and the Clintons.  Though that's what I expected, I really wish they'd put more effort into it.

[attica]

29 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

When Alex Jones was pouring his chocolate chicken bone drink, it looked like a thick milkshake. What was in John's glass looked like ... well, like chocolate chicken broth.

I know! Which is why I was flummoxed when Jones grimaced so. I mean, if you're bilking your audience, and teevee/radio don't have tastebud transmission properties, why not pour yourself a lovely milkshake to quaff on air? Who's gonna bust you?

I applaud John for dragging the 'before' and 'after' photos. I don't know how many shows/commericals I've seen where some fix-all cosmetic displays identical shots of wrinkled skin and oohs over the supposed dramatic transformation. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by attica

[ganesh]

He even said it was better than Ovaltine. He could have just made the Ovaltine!

[purist]

Ye gods, that was a great episode. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard or so consistently at LWT. Ollie's absolute glee at the ridiculousness of everything from Drumpf's dysfunctional White House to the fake doctor who looked 'like Tom Petty if he was machine-washed instead of dry-cleaned' was delightful to behold.

[Slovenly Muse]

Gilbert Gottfried doing Jared Kushner's voice is my EVERYTHING. So glad they revisited that gag!

Heh. If John feels empowered to do a piece like this about Alex Jones, I imagine that lawsuit against the coal CEO is going VERY well ;) Can't wait to hear how Jones and his ilk respond to this.

[teddysmom]

Quote

Ye gods, that was a great episode. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard or so consistently at LWT. Ollie's absolute glee at the ridiculousness of everything from Drumpf's dysfunctional White House to the fake doctor who looked 'like Tom Petty if he was machine-washed instead of dry-clea

Just coming to say the same thing. I was dying. A couple times I had to rewind because I thought for sure I misunderstood what John said. The comet stuff and one other time.  I was yelling What?? What?? Oh that IS what he said. 

I just looked on the site. They have some all natural sleep aid that's basically melatonin. On his site it's $19.95. You can buy melatonin anywhere for like $5. 

I thought the doctor was a "third rate Brad Pitt impersonator".

Please for the love of God, do not eat while watching this episode. Those posters for the body wipes do not mix with breakfast. 

And the stuff about Steve Bannon. Gayle King & Norah making Bob Schieffer laugh "Is that even humanly possible"?"  Really?! 

Come on ladies. It's a metaphor.  If you don't know that, I wonder if you should be hosting a news show. 

HBO is just throwing money at Oliver. Five wax statues of Presidents? How much do you need? $500 worth of crap from Infowarsstore.com? Yeah we'll okay that. 

At least my $20/month is going for something worthwhile. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by teddysmom

[paigow]

When HBO wins the various lawsuits and recovers "Costs", the receipt for Wax POTUS will end up as "photocopying / fax" charge....

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

He even said it was better than Ovaltine. He could have just made the Ovaltine!

I'd imagine even poop water is better than Ovaltine.

[ganesh]

1 hour ago, Slovenly Muse said:

Can't wait to hear how Jones and his ilk respond to this.

They'll blather on about the "liberal media," then make fun of his hair or accent, probably call him a stupid name. Like all cowardly bullies, because they have nothing of substance to rebut any of his claims. They already whined about being taken out of context, and the show provided him with all the context needed. 

 

1 hour ago, teddysmom said:

Come on ladies. It's a metaphor.  If you don't know that, I wonder if you should be hosting a news show. 

A metaphor for what though? Was he implying that Bannon was full of himself, or arrogant or what? I've never heard the phrase used in that context, or at all, as an insult for that matter. The Mooch was unhinged and just spouting gibberish. And this is the communications director?

[iMonrey]

Gilbert Gottfried providing the voice for Jared Kushner was the best part for me.

The whole piece on Alex Jones was great, but unfortunately it will do absolutely nothing to deter the six million listeners he has from continuing to worship at his trough. Ee-gad. I think it would have been more constructive to delve into why, exactly, people hang on his every word and why so many people listen to him. That's the real heart of the problem. Exposing him as a flim-flam artist is just preaching to the choir. Obviously sensible people already recognize that he's a lunatic. That's not the problem - it's the six million listeners who are the problem. Let's talk about them.

[ganesh]

That's why I was hoping the show would have brought up the court case. There's no taking out of context there. His words are a matter of public record. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'll be the lone dissenter here and say I was hoping John would have talked about other stuff that happened last week.

Other than that, the show was pure GOLD, and it's great to have John back!!

[Jersey Guy 87]

There was so much for JO to cover, so much has happened since his last show.  I think he made a good decision - I'm sure they worked on the Alex Jones piece for a while, it wasn't going to be changed by anything happening in the Trump administration so it was good to air.  The topical stuff is covered before the main story, and the "And Now This' on newscasters trying to not say suck his own cock was awesome.

[cpcathy]

I'm just happy that after all the bleeping what Mooch said that HBO is allowed to come out and say, "suck his own cock." Thanks, HBO!

[Slovenly Muse]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

3 hours ago, Slovenly Muse said:

Can't wait to hear how Jones and his ilk respond to this.

They'll blather on about the "liberal media," then make fun of his hair or accent, probably call him a stupid name. Like all cowardly bullies, because they have nothing of substance to rebut any of his claims. They already whined about being taken out of context, and the show provided him with all the context needed. 

Yep! Or the next product Jones shills on his show could be a tactical wipe to repel Brits from the perineal region, or a tinfoil hat to protect against the transmission of liberal brainwaves. ;)

Most likely, he'll claim that being "under attack" from the "liberal media" proves that he's "right" and needs people to buy more chocolate chicken sludge to keep the "liberal elite" from "winning." Guys like him, with followers like his, can make fortunes inventing wars to fight.

[teddysmom]

Take the skin of two chickens, half a container of Nestle's Quik, and three ounces of aloe vera juice.  Put them in a blender for 3-5 minutes. Enjoy! 

[Danny Franks]

This was an interesting episode, and I think it serves us all to know the poison and lies being spread by right wing radio and talk show hosts. It's good to see Jones in all his craziness and seeing that a lot of it is an act to make money, either through people watching and listening, or through them buying the bullshit products he's hawking (which apparently strengthen bones and borders. Amazing). And I really liked John's take of practically ignoring most of the reactionary, right wing hate that Jones spews, so he could focus on the fact the guy is a literal snake oil salesman.

The trouble is, the people who are being taken in by frauds like him aren't going to be watching this. And even if they did, they'd immediately dismiss it all as lies and 'fake news'. Jones takes advantage of their stupidity and their complete devotion to the nonsense of the extreme right. I didn't even realise he was selling stuff like this, I thought he was just a 'rant for an hour so people can listen while Fox News talks about the economy' or something. A four hour show, complete with infomercial segments and hard sales tactics from Jones and his fraudulent 'expert'? Good grief. I am actually kind of scared of the sort of people who could listen to that without either going insane or breaking down in hysterics.

The Jared Kushner bit was brilliant. Took me completely by surprise, but then was immediately obvious as a John Oliver callback gag. But god, Kushner seems like such a callow, empty suit of a spoiled rich kid, doesn't he?

As usual, the squeamishness of American news presenters when confronted with a quote that has naughty words or sexual references is just pathetic. I mean, some of them even used 'expletive' instead of 'suck'. And as usual, Trump is a disastrous pile of shit, but that clip of him immediately and smugly proclaiming he was right to suggest starving the ACA of funding so that thousands lose coverage and die should be everyone's abiding image of him. Forget everything else, just remember he's an evil man who would happily see people die just so he can be proved right.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Danny Franks

[purist]

1 hour ago, cpcathy said:

I'm just happy that after all the bleeping what Mooch said that HBO is allowed to come out and say, "suck his own cock." Thanks, HBO!

Yes! I literally cheered and applauded when Ollie just came out and said it, with glee. I love his gleefulness so much.

Edited July 31, 2017 by purist

[ganesh]

1 hour ago, Slovenly Muse said:

Most likely, he'll claim that being "under attack" from the "liberal media" proves that he's "right" and needs people to buy more chocolate chicken sludge to keep the "liberal elite" from "winning." Guys like him, with followers like his, can make fortunes inventing wars to fight.

Also something about enemies. 

Kusher's real voice is like a 15 y/o whose dad owns a dealership.

[trow125]

If you want to know more about the crap Infowars sells, I highly recommend this fascinating article:

All the “wellness” products Americans love to buy are sold on both Infowars and Goop

I read this when it was published last month, and it was the first I'd heard of Infowars selling supplements. Of course, as a middle aged white lady, I was already well aware of GOOP.

[Xantar]

At the risk of bringing real life politics into the discussion, I just want to say that I was watching this episode on my iPad and then right when it ended, I got news that Scaramucci had been fired. What a shame for comedy.

[Delwyn]

22 minutes ago, trow125 said:

If you want to know more about the crap Infowars sells, I highly recommend this fascinating article:

All the “wellness” products Americans love to buy are sold on both Infowars and Goop

I read this when it was published last month, and it was the first I'd heard of Infowars selling supplements. Of course, as a middle aged white lady, I was already well aware of GOOP.

Spectacular. 

[paigow]

Mooch will be the first segment next week...

[Hanahope]

Trumpus dumpus moochus.

loved hearing JO able to say that entire phrase about Bannon.

Alex Jones is just another con man like trump.  That's why they like and support each other.

[attica]

Quote

 Kushner's real voice is like a 15 y/o whose dad owns a dealership.

  He reminds me a.lot. of SNL's Vanessa Buyer's Jacob the Bar Mitzvah  Boy character.  

[mojoween]

Whatever John is paying the staffer who has to watch all four hours of AJ is not enough.

I hope John donated an equal amount of money to some worthwhile cause to contrast the money he spent on all that crap.  I also hope the show cleared their cookies when they got done searching through that filth.

I'm middle class and I sure as fuck don't have a Rolex.

[Robert Lynch]

Kushner is one of those spoiled rich kids that says my daddy has money. Being pretty only gets him so far. Remember Wil Wheaton in Flubber as a rich spoiled brat? That's who Jared is. I bet he saw a mirror of himself and says that's me. When Wil Wheaton was young, he kind of resembled Jared. Tall, lanky, deer in the highlights, no experience in politics, and a complete pretty boy. That's who Jared sees all the time. He is one of those that cares only himself. That's why Trump keeps him. 

[peeayebee]

11 hours ago, Slovenly Muse said:

Gilbert Gottfried doing Jared Kushner's voice is my EVERYTHING. So glad they revisited that gag!

Yes! I forgot about that. Just thinking about Gottfried's voice with Kushner cracks me up.

 

10 hours ago, ganesh said:

A metaphor for what though? Was he implying that Bannon was full of himself, or arrogant or what? I've never heard the phrase used in that context, or at all, as an insult for that matter. The Mooch was unhinged and just spouting gibberish. And this is the communications director?

I too was wondering what the Mooch was saying. From the original article, the reporter says, "Scaramucci also told me that, unlike other senior officials, he had no interest in media attention. 'I’m not Steve Bannon, I’m not trying to suck my own cock.'" I don't see how "suck my own cock" is a metaphor for wanting media attention. What, like a circus geek? Also, it's never been my impression that Bannon has wanted media attention, at least not while in the WH. He always seemed to be a behind-the-scenes guy. 

[wknt3]

15 hours ago, trow125 said:

Of course, as a middle aged white lady, I was already well aware of GOOP.

I would guess most of us here are well aware of GOOP regardless of age and gender thanks to Stephen Colbert.

[b2H]

The squeamishness of the network newscasters is foisted on them by the FCC indecency rules that HBO doesn't have to adhere to.

I also pointed out to my husband, who watched this with me in hysterics, that Alex Jones lost access to his children (that is, solo visitation) because his ex-wife used the tapes of his rants as evidence in the hearing that he was not fit, unhinged.  Yes, she won.

[ganesh]

50 minutes ago, b2H said:

I also pointed out to my husband, who watched this with me in hysterics, that Alex Jones lost access to his children (that is, solo visitation) because his ex-wife used the tapes of his rants as evidence in the hearing that he was not fit, unhinged.  Yes, she won.

That's what I was saying before. Jones' counterargument was that he was playing a character. This is the most damning evidence that he's just a con. 

[Rlb8031]

On 7/31/2017 at 11:51 PM, peeayebee said:

On 7/31/2017 at 1:22 PM, ganesh said:

A metaphor for what though? Was he implying that Bannon was full of himself, or arrogant or what? I've never heard the phrase used in that context, or at all, as an insult for that matter. The Mooch was unhinged and just spouting gibberish. And this is the communications director?

I too was wondering what the Mooch was saying. From the original article, the reporter says, "Scaramucci also told me that, unlike other senior officials, he had no interest in media attention. 'I’m not Steve Bannon, I’m not trying to suck my own cock.'" I don't see how "suck my own cock" is a metaphor for wanting media attention. What, like a circus geek? Also, it's never been my impression that Bannon has wanted media attention, at least not while in the WH. He always seemed to be a behind-the-scenes guy. 

My take was that he was saying he didn't need to use the media attention as a way to self-sooth or pleasure himself. Its supposed to indicate that it's Bannon's way of getting his rocks off. (I grew up in NY so I'm fairly fluent in douchy Long Island-ese)

[ganesh]

That's a long walk for that metaphor. 

[stillshimpy]

On 7/31/2017 at 7:22 AM, attica said:

I know! Which is why I was flummoxed when Jones grimaced so. I mean, if you're bilking your audience, and teevee/radio don't have tastebud transmission properties, why not pour yourself a lovely milkshake to quaff on air? Who's gonna bust you?

 

The FCC is supposed to be able to do that, I think.  It's  a form of consumer protection so that infomercial can't show things like people shoveling down a trough of whipped cream and claim it's actually whipped skim milk.   In theory, the FCC would bust him, 

Mostly I'm surprised his intracranial pressure hasn't busted him long e'er this as it can not possibly be even close to healthy to be worked daily into such a livid stew.  And not to be unkind, but the man doesn't radiate good health in other capacities, so if he cares about those kids he tried to keep around?  Maybe stop being the Evil Kienvil of Apoplexy attempts?  Just a thought.  Yikes. 

But I wasn't honestly aware that AJ needed any additional exposure at a snake oil salesman and babadook of the lesser impulses of man.   

I had other things to say, I really did.  Then there was...more news...and who can remember?  

I think it must be a mild case of how John's writing staff must feel.  As they attempt to prepare for the week, they have to know: "What are the chances we will be, by necessity, rewriting this thing on the fly with 47 minutes to air?"  and then it feels like they used the last "other than the daily news because who the fuck are we kidding at this stage?" prepared piece in that Alex Jones material.   Yes, isn't that horrible?  Truly.  Has been for a while.  Is this leftover for maybe four months ago?  We just have bigger frauds to fry at present...?"    

I didn't get around to watching this until Tuesday but half of this episode seemed like material from before the break in terms of its current "We really need to pay attention to that!"  Alex Jones is still the charlatan he's always been, attempting to sell utterly revolting products as befits the rest of his vibe.  This has actually been known for a while, right?  

[ganesh]

I don't think the selling products is well-known. I knew he had the web site to buy things, but I didn't realize how insidious it is. The point about the bad water and then hawking the filtration system is straight up olde tymey snake oil. 

[SuburbanHangSuite]

I avoid all things news these days so imagine my surprise (and terror!) at hearing our Generals were nervous about the 2nd TG tweet and thought Agent Orange may have declared war on N. Korea.  Seriously? This is our new normal??

Alex Jones 's Rolex and sport jacket enable him to blend in with the Satanists and report back.  I. Can't. Even.