PBS Frontline dropped a new episode tonight called The United States of Conspiracy, which documents the rise and fall of Alex Jones, America’s foremost conspiracy entrepreneur. You know, the fat guy who yells a lot about demons and false flags while slipping in segments about the latest pill he wants to sell you.
I feel like I’m pretty inured to this kind of crap by now, but even I found myself a bit horrified during my viewing, especially when they started matching up footage of candidate Trump parroting Info Wars talking points line by line. Fucking Trump voters just ate that shit up, didn’t they? Also the Sandy Hook stuff is just vile. I recommend watching it with a stiff drink.
The timing of the episode’s airing couldn’t have been more perfect, what with the tumult on the steps of the Supreme Court earlier today. There, a group of, as our president later called them, “respected doctors” gathered to champion the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19 (it’s not). The standout was one Dr. Stella Immanuel, a pediatrician slash minister who not only pimped the malaria med, but also shared her theory that masks are totally unnecessary in order to stop the spread of the virus. Cool, cool.
As it happens, Dr. Immanuel apparently practices religious quackery when not engaged in the medical sort. The Daily Beast later reported on sermons she’s given where she claims that gynecological issues are caused by sex with demons in dreams. You know, the old demon sperm disease. She also says doctors use alien DNA in medical treatments and that lizard people have infiltrated the U.S. government.
I suppose for some these assertions might raise warning flags, but for others they only enhance her bonafides. That, and the smart looking white coats all the doctors wore. Very official.
Donald Trump Jr. called her COVID-19 pitch “must watch.” Trump retweeted it. Hell, even Damion Lillard shared it on IG (he later deleted it). Eventually all the major platforms scrubbed the video, but not before millions soaked it in.
“For some reason the internet wanted to take them down and took them off,” Trump said. “I guess Twitter took them off and I think Facebook took them off. I don’t know why I think they’re very respected doctors.”
Frankly, I can’t think of a better day for the Frontline episode to a drop, what with wafts of untruth steaming off another freshly laid conspiracy turd. Come to think of it, the timing does seem a bit suspicious, doesn’t it? And there are a few details that are a little too pat.
For instance, the group gathering in Washington called themselves the “Frontline Doctors.” Hmmmm… Frontline Doctors… PBS Frontline… United States of Conspiracy. All on the same day?
Someone should probably tell Alex Jones.
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