WATCH: The rise of Alex Jones, from Austin crank to the belle of the Trump ball

Before Alex Jones' conspiracy theories enthralled the GOP mainstream, he was a cable access host and local in-joke

By Amanda Marcotte

Senior Writer

Published November 3, 2016 10:55PM (EDT)

 (Reuters/Lucas Jackson)
(Reuters/Lucas Jackson)

Alex Jones, with his conspiracy theory media empire Infowars, used to be a fringe character, until Donald Trump’s paranoia-driven campaign launched him into the national spotlight.

Watch his rise from local cable access host to influential Republican Party player.

Listen to an interview about Jones with Mark Fenster, author of "Conspiracy Theories: Secrecy and Power in American Culture."

Read Salon’s full story, “The dangerous rise of Alex Jones.”


By Amanda Marcotte

Amanda Marcotte is a senior politics writer at Salon and the author of "Troll Nation: How The Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters Set On Rat-F*cking Liberals, America, and Truth Itself." Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMarcotte and sign up for her biweekly politics newsletter, Standing Room Only.

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