Former Infowars Producer Exposes 'Constant Chaos' of Working for Alex Jones
In a revealing new account, former Infowars video editor and field producer Josh Owens details the punishing reality of working for far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Owens, who worked for Jones from 2013 to 2017, describes an environment of extreme pressure and constant turmoil in his new book The Madness of Believing.
The Unrelenting Work Environment
"It was constant chaos," Owens told the Guardian in a recent interview. "I didn't enjoy the anxiety-inducing trips, regardless of whether there was anything to find or not. It was just gut-wrenching." Owens traveled across America on bizarre assignments, from investigating radiation levels after Fukushima to covering Black Lives Matter protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and even fabricating videos of Islamic State operatives entering the United States.
Jones's operation pushed staff to unusual and dark places, according to Owens. The Infowars founder drove a Dodge Charger Hellcat at dangerous speeds, imitated Glenn Danzig's lyrics about keeping children from hearing his words, behaved erratically like Tinker Bell from Peter Pan, and consumed copious amounts of vodka while demanding relentless work from his team.
The Human Cost of Conspiracy Theories
Owens expresses particular regret about amplifying Jones's most harmful conspiracy theories, especially the false claim that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax. That lie, which claimed 20 children and six educators didn't actually die, has resulted in a $1.5 billion defamation judgment against Jones.
"I might be able to say it was a little more fun if people weren't harmed by the rhetoric," Owens acknowledges. The former producer describes how working for Jones "affected me immensely" and transformed him into "a person I now don't recognize at all."
Jones's Enduring Influence
Despite legal troubles and bankruptcy proceedings that threatened to shut down Infowars, Jones continues broadcasting. The satirical news site The Onion attempted to purchase Infowars out of bankruptcy in 2024, but the deal fell through, leaving the platform in limbo. Yet Jones persists with backup studios and servers ready to continue his operation regardless of court rulings.
Owens notes that Jones's conspiracy theories have moved from the fringe to relative mainstream acceptance in recent years. "You've got Trump, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens ... the craziest ideas are no longer on the fringe," he observes. Jones claimed to reach 5 million daily listeners at his peak in 2016, with video streams exceeding 80 million monthly.
A Complex Portrait of a Provocateur
The book paints a nuanced picture of Jones as both a self-centered provocateur and occasionally introspective figure. Owens describes Jones as "a pure expression of self-centered freedom" who was "seemingly unconcerned with how his actions affected others." Yet Jones also showed moments of generosity, once giving an employee his Rolex while asking, "Am I that terrible of a person?"
Jones proved highly responsive to his audience, according to Owens. The Infowars host didn't discuss the Pizzagate conspiracy theory until callers accused him of covering it up. "In a lot of ways he's following the culture, or at least the culture he sees as viable," Owens explains, noting Jones's savvy in targeting public figures rather than private citizens.
Deradicalization and Moving Forward
The Madness of Believing joins other insider accounts from the MAGA universe that serve as "spirit-cleansing exercises" for former participants. Owens hopes his story provides "some sense of hope that some people can turn around."
"I was a firm believer in a lot of the things and contributed to it in my own way," Owens admits. "But I was deradicalized with the help of other people." His book aims to document both the extreme world of conspiracy media and what it takes to escape its influence.
Despite Jones's legal and financial troubles, Owens emphasizes that the Infowars founder remains active and influential. "He hasn't gone – he's still broadcasting his show, he's still selling products, he's still making money," Owens notes. "He may not be unscathed but he hasn't gone."
