Politics

It Turns Out Alex Jones Is Just Pretending

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Infowars’ Alex Jones is just pretending when hosting his show, where he frequently espouses conspiracy theories and recently challenged actor Alec Baldwin to a fistfight.

That’s what his lawyer, Randall Wilhite argued at a recent pretrial hearing, the Austin-American Statesman first reported. Jones is currently battling his ex-wife in court over custody of their children. His case will depend on convincing jurors that Alex Jones the Infowars host is different from Alex Jones the person.

“He’s playing a character,” Wilhite said, according to the Statesman. “He is a performance artist.”

Jones’ wife argued that her husband — who once pushed a theory that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a false flag event — actually believes what he says.

“He’s not a stable person,” Kelly Jones said. “He says he wants to break Alec Baldwin’s neck. He wants J-Lo to get raped.”

“He broadcasts from home. The children are there, watching him broadcast,” she added.

The Jones’ 14-year-old son and two daughters, ages 9 and 12, have lived with their father since his 2015 divorce, according to the Statesman.

Jones went on a rant last month against Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff after Schiff accused him of colluding with the Russians. “You get in my face with that, I’ll beat your goddamn ass, you son of a bitch. You piece of shit,” Jones said.

Jones later said his comments were “clearly tongue-in-cheek and basically art performance, as I do in my rants, which I admit I do, as a form of art.”

That clip, however, will not be allowed as evidence in court, state District Judge Orlinda Naranjo ruled.

One clip that Naranjo did allow, according to the Statesman, is of Jones showcasing videos his then-12-year-old son had put together with Infowars employees.

“He is undoubtedly cut out for this, and I intend for him to eclipse what I’ve done. He’s a way greater person than I was at 12,” Jones said in the clip, before addressing his son: “I love you so much, and I didn’t mean to get you up here, sweetheart, and tell people how much I love you, but you’re so handsome, and you’re a good little knight who’s going to grow up, I know, to be a great fighter against the enemy.”

Jones apologized last month for his role in promoting the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory, which held that Clinton operative John Podesta was leading a child sex trafficking ring out of a Washington, D.C. pizzeria. (RELATED: Alex Jones Apologizes For Pizzagate Lunacy)

This article has been updated with additional information.

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