The Onion has begun its takeover of Infowars, replacing Alex Jones with comedian Tim Heidecker. The move follows years of litigation and comes in collaboration with Sandy Hook families. Heidecker's first broadcast aired late Friday night.
After Infowars filed for bankruptcy in 2022 due to a $1.3 billion court judgment owed to Sandy Hook families, The Onion bid for the site in 2024. The families, targeted by Jones' false claims that the 2012 school shooting was staged, worked with The Onion and gun safety groups on the acquisition. Jones had accused the families of being paid actors since Infowars launched in 1999. This April, The Onion announced a new licensing deal, though a Texas appeals court recently added an obstruction at Jones' request, leaving some legal issues pending. Despite this, Jones closed Infowars' office this week, the site went offline, and The Onion started broadcasting under the Infowars name. Tim Heidecker, known for mocking Jones over nearly a decade in podcasts and sketches like his 2016 Republican National Convention impersonation, debuted as the new host late Friday. In his first stream, Heidecker impersonated Jones, saying, “I am wearing his (Alex Jones) skin... It’s leathery.” He fielded calls from comedians posing as figures like President Donald Trump. Heidecker aims to transform the platform into a hub for trans comedy, contrasting Jones' conspiracy focus, with promises of health hacks and Hollywood trivia.
