The harm of QAnon goes beyond the extremist violence it has inspired. It’s also socially corrosive in ways that are normally invisible. Relationships between siblings, spouses, friends, and parents and children are frequently strained when someone falls too deep down the rabbit hole. The nature of and consequences of this harm is powerfully illustrated in the new book The Quiet Damage: QAnon And The Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook. We spoke to Jesselyn about what...

Biden out, Harris in. Conspiracy theories metastasize as the democratic candidate (and current President) calls it quits and coronates his Vice President. The right spreads conspiracy theories about Joe Biden being dead and replaced by a body double or some form of AI. BlueAnon chimes in with some new theories now that "their guy" is out. And we explore what's next for election season with analyst & politics writer Josh (Ettingermentum). Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium...

This week we’re heading to a Brazilian hospital — more specifically, the bedside of former President Jair Bolsonaro — to bring you an exploration of the disgraced, grotesque and criminal Bolsonaro family. We’ll be learning how the melted Brazilian right wing emerged from a post-80s yearning for military dictatorship. How the police, criminal right-wing militias and politicians formed an unholy alliance. And how, unfortunately, this corrupt and violent blob led to the brutal murder of a...

Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to erase negative thoughts, win every argument, and close every sale? Travis and Brad take you through the sordid tale of a self-help movement that’s equal parts psychotherapy, entrepreneurial success tool, and mind-control technique. A movement that inspired the likes of Tony Robbins, NXIVM, the Landmark corporate cult, and even pick-up artistry. A modality used by IBM and McDonald’s, the U.S. Army and the CIA. A quasi-religion that was poised to be...

It’s only July, and our already terrifying election season has somehow gotten far worse than even the QAA hosts could imagine. Join Jake, Travis, Liv, and Julian for an emergency recording following the attempted assassination of the former President and the murder of one of his supporters at a Trump rally in Butler, PA. Naturally, conspiracy theories are spreading like wildfires in the wake of such unsettling events, and the hosts must turn to their beloved Travis to separate reality from...

An in-depth look into the life, lore, and legal troubles of James Casbolt – a British man who claimed to have been indoctrinated into an NSA Super Soldier program at the age of five. We’ll cover some of James’ writing and radio appearances, as well as his 2008 book titled “Agent Buried Alive.” Jake, Brad, and Travis will learn about secret government programs they’ve never heard about – including one that aimed to transform boys into wolves. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra...

We explore how disaffected young men anonymously posting memes online led to real-life violence including multiple mass murders, the forming of what came to be known as the alt-right movement, a seismic shift in the Republican party, and the January 6th, 2021 storming of the capitol. Joining us for this very special episode is Elle Reeve, correspondent for CNN and author of the new book Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society and Capture...

In the wake of a disastrous debate, the presidential elections enter terra incognita. We attempt to contextualize the situation with journalist and repeat guest Dave Weigel, who has a deep knowledge of both presidential campaigns and voters across the country. We also explore how the debate has led some liberals online to spin up conspiracy theories of their own. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast mini-series like Manclan, Trickle Down,...

Self-exiled French conspiracy theorists attempt to set up a sovereign utopia in a desolate Bulgarian village called Mamarchevo. This turns into death threats, people getting scammed out of tens of thousands of euros, a plot to abduct a child, the flying of a Nazi flag, and lots and lots of alcohol. Our guest is journalist Anthony Mansuy, who you may remember from our exploration of French sovereign citizens and our two part investigation into the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The episode is...

In 2012, rumors began to circulate through the Hollywood elite that a new screenplay surrounding the events of 9/11 was in the works. A committee of truthers entrenched in the entertainment industry were eager for the “real” story to be told, in the hopes that President Obama might see the film and open a new investigation into the tragic attacks. The script had been lost to the ages until Liv traveled into the far reaches of the internet and retrieved a copy. We’re going to dive into how...

Conspiracy theories about weather control and the California Drought don't hold a candle to the grim reality: a cabal of wealthy farmers controlling California's water and committing ecocide. We speak to Yasha Levine and Rowan Wernham about their upcoming documentary, Pistachio Wars, a damning exposé of The Wonderful Company and the billionaire couple behind it: Lynda & Stewart Resnick. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast mini-series...

We watched General Michael Flynn's "documentary" featuring family members, Tucker Carlson and early QAnon influencer Tracy "Beanz" Diaz. We find out that Flynn is a beautiful surfer, an anti-war angel, and a victim of deepstate machinations. Also his grandson is named Travis. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast mini-series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: www.patreon.com/QAA Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by...

Do you look back on the early 90s with a sense of fondness? In this episode, we hope to ruin that for you just a little bit. What if we told you that this time period was crucial in the development of American right wing populism and therefore crucial for the eventual election of Donald Trump and the rise of QAnon? Bet you’re a little less nostalgic for those slap bracelets now. We speak with John Ganz, author of the new book When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America...

We read from poems by a "Truth Seeker & Spiritual Freedom Fighter” with Charles, Branson and Andrew from the E1 Podcast. Then we gather some of the best poets on earth — Thomas Kinkade Jr., Joseph Rogan No Relation, Jerome Durepois, Julien Feeld — and are joined by Hotdog Taylor, the poet turned famous rapper. He performs "Dumb Lib (I'm Sorry)", a hit single off his latest record "I Told You So". Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast...

Folks, they finally got him. A jury of Donald Trump’s peers determined that he violated New York Penal Law 175-10 in the first degree. We chat about how the conspiracist right is reacting to the news with a combination of vows for revenge, lamenting the fall of the nation, and insisting that this is good for Trump, actually. Plus we touch on the film 2000 Mules getting pulled by its distributor in response to a lawsuit and the DOJ alleging that Epoch Times is funded through a giant money...

In the late 19th century a Frenchman pulled off one of the greatest hoaxes of all time and inspired countless conspiracy theories about Freemasonry that still circulate today. The man, who went by the pseudonym Leo Taxil, started his career by publishing several texts smearing the Pope and the Catholic Church. But then he switched sides. He claimed he converted to Catholicism and to prove his devotion he started publishing anti-Masonic texts.These new works included wild stories about a...

A paranoid, red scare conspiracy theory about a Japanese ultra-nationalist gang aiming to unite the African American population and overthrow the U.S. government. A flourishing proleterian literature scene driven to madness by the FBI. This strange story is brought to us by journalist and writer Devin Thomas O'Shea and set in Saint Louis, Missouri in the 1930's. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast mini-series like Manclan, Trickle Down,...

In the late 19th century a Frenchman pulled off one of the greatest hoaxes of all time and inspired countless conspiracy theories about Freemasonry that still circulate today. The man, who went by the pseudonym Leo Taxil, started his career by publishing several texts smearing the Pope and the Catholic Church. But then he switched sides and claimed he converted to Catholicism. To prove his devotion he started publishing anti-Masonic texts. These new works included wild stories about a secret...

This week, Jake and Liv break down the rap beef that took the world by storm this past month. And of course, because it’s 2024 and the universe has decided to spare none of the QAA hosts, the lyrics contained within the multiple diss tracks became the source of endless amounts of conspiracy theories and baking - with one particular poster claiming to be a “secret insider” set to expose the crimes of the elite. Sound familiar? Of course it does! We will never be free of this, and our souls...

Mike Wendling is the National Digital Reporter for the BBC. He is the co-founder of the BBC's disinformation unit and was editor and presenter of BBC Trending. While topics related to disinformation and extremism became popular starting in 2016, he’s been covering this subject matter for decades. He is the author of the book Alt Right: From 4chan To White House as well as the brand new book Day of Reckoning: How the Far Right Declared War on Democracy. Jake and Travis chat with Mike about...

A discussion of the corporatization of media, his departure from The Intercept, how stories get "killed" and how conspiracy theorists and MAGA supporters' claims about the media get their oxygen — with Ken Klippenstein, investigative journalist. Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to podcast mini-series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: https://www.patreon.com/QAA Ken Klippenstein: https://www.kenklippenstein.com/ Editing...

We dive into an online community hellbent on improving their physical appearance through bizarre techniques like pressing their tongue to the roof of their mouth, hitting themselves in the face, and taking experimental growth hormones. Originating in Pick Up Artist (PUA) and incel forums, "looksmaxxing" has since become a proper tiktok trend. Thanks for being a patreon subscriber! Subscribe for $5 a month to get the full episode. You'll also get an extra episode of QAA every week + access...

Relatives of Michael Flynn tried and failed to sue CNN because they didn’t like being associated with QAnon (despite saying “Where we go one we go all” on camera.) The QAnon community reacts to Donald Trump’s ongoing legal woes. And Jesse Watters continues to prove that he’s the most Q pilled of all the Fox News hosts. REFERENCES CNN: Watch CNN Go Inside A Gathering of QAnon...

Well, here we are. The Julian loyalists are facing off against the Western Rockatansky forces as veteran journalist Mike Prysner (Eyes Left Podcast, Empire Files) remains a neutral and unwavering eye. The result? Total destruction of all three of our brains as we struggle our way through a showing of A24’s “Civil War.” We’ll look at everything from interviews with the film’s director to its reception by various audiences alike in an attempt to understand how and why this film was made. ...

So-called “Constitutional Sheriffs” fancy themselves as the real life version of Judge Dredd: the ultimate arbiters of the law according to their interpretation of the Constitution. Recently the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) held a conference in Las Vegas. Among the speakers were regular features of the podcast disgraced former General Michael Flynn, convicted former County Clerk Tina Peters, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Our guest WIRED reporter David...