The good news, from the point of view of NBC, is that the Megyn Kelly interview with radio Talk Show Host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is garnering super tankers filled with publicity. The bad news is that the publicity is the sort that causes heartburn among network executives. The latest wrinkle is that Jones, on his radio show, released some audio recording that he apparently made in secret of Kelly reassuring him that the interview would not be a hit piece. Then, Jones claimed that the interview would likely be a hit piece, according to Politico.
Megyn Kelly reassures Alex Jones
The audio recording shows Kelly suggesting that she wanted her audience to see “the dad in” Jones as well as airing some of his more controversial views, such as the mass shooting at Sandy Hook being faked. “I'm not looking to portray you as some boogeyman or just any sort of gotcha moment. I just want to talk about you," Kelly told Jones.
Alex Jones backs away from the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory
After playing the recording, Jones seemed to back away from the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory, admitting now that it “probably happened.” The remarkable concession suggests that Jones realizes that he went too far with casting the slaughter of the innocents by a deranged shooter as a secret government conspiracy to justify gun control.
Certainly, the parents of the dead children think so, since they have been questioning the morality of giving a man like Jones a major network platform to express his controversial views. Jones has suggested that 9/11 was an “inside job” and that the Apollo moon landings were faked. He is now also claiming that Kelly was less than truthful to him and did conduct a hit interview.
Jones threatens to air the raw interview recording
Jones also suggested that he has a recording of the raw interview, lasting some hours. Generally, a television interview of the type Kelly conducted is edited down to about 15 minutes from hours of material. Sometimes the people being interviewed claim that the editing was done to cast them in a bad light.
For example, a group of gun rights advocates claims that they were ill-used in such a way by Katie Couric for a television documentary.
Jones turns the tables on Kelly
If Megyn Kelly’s purpose was to goose ratings by exposing Alex Jones to a wide audience, she probably would succeed. But Jones has an audience as well and is using his reach on the airwaves to play the victim. Both people look to get what they want in the end.
