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Tim Heidecker and Ben Collins Are Preparing to Take Over Infowars: "The Last Breaths of a Stranded Whale"
After a bankruptcy auction, a rejected sale, and a year of legal battles, Tim Heidecker and Ben Collins find themselves just days away from a court hearing. Their goal is to secure approval for The Onion to control Infowars on a licensing basis, keeping the operation afloat with approximately $80,000 a month, ensuring a cash flow for the Sandy Hook families, and building a long-term comedy platform based on Alex Jones' legacy.
Heidecker, the creator of Tim and Eric and On Cinema, has been appointed as the creative overseer, known for undermining Jones over the past decade. Former NBC News reporter and current head of The Onion, Ben Collins, serves as the public face of the deal. Heidecker explained to The Hollywood Reporter how this initiative came together and what Infowars will look like in its early days.
Heidecker noted that this process has been a wild journey and mentioned that he reached out immediately when news broke about a year ago. He has been following Jones and QAnon topics for a long time and offered to help, but initially found himself at a standstill. When a new energy and effort emerged last fall, he was contacted again.
Heidecker's initial thought was that if they succeeded, it would be entertaining for a while, but questions remained about where they would go from there. What he is considering is how they can continue to critique Jones in different ways rather than directly or satirically. According to Heidecker, the world currently needs a center for creators who have aired on Adult Swim and Comedy Central but are now scattered across social media with no funding.
With this perspective, Infowars could ultimately become a new platform in the style of Adult Swim or Cartoon Network. Heidecker emphasized that it would serve as a hub for individual and experimental comedy from a leftist political viewpoint. The aim is not to host simple stand-up specials or conspiracy theory podcasts that last for hours from performers at the Comedy Store. In Heidecker's words, "good things" will be brought here.
Heidecker, the creator of Tim and Eric and On Cinema, has been appointed as the creative overseer, known for undermining Jones over the past decade. Former NBC News reporter and current head of The Onion, Ben Collins, serves as the public face of the deal. Heidecker explained to The Hollywood Reporter how this initiative came together and what Infowars will look like in its early days.
Heidecker noted that this process has been a wild journey and mentioned that he reached out immediately when news broke about a year ago. He has been following Jones and QAnon topics for a long time and offered to help, but initially found himself at a standstill. When a new energy and effort emerged last fall, he was contacted again.
Heidecker's initial thought was that if they succeeded, it would be entertaining for a while, but questions remained about where they would go from there. What he is considering is how they can continue to critique Jones in different ways rather than directly or satirically. According to Heidecker, the world currently needs a center for creators who have aired on Adult Swim and Comedy Central but are now scattered across social media with no funding.
With this perspective, Infowars could ultimately become a new platform in the style of Adult Swim or Cartoon Network. Heidecker emphasized that it would serve as a hub for individual and experimental comedy from a leftist political viewpoint. The aim is not to host simple stand-up specials or conspiracy theory podcasts that last for hours from performers at the Comedy Store. In Heidecker's words, "good things" will be brought here.
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