The Onion’s Tim Heidecker Takes Over Infowas as Alex Jones’ Legal Maneuvers Fail to Stop Takeover

Key facts

• The Onion’s affiliate War Is Over LLC seeks exclusive license to Infowars IP for $81,000 per month over six months.
• Alex Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments to Sandy Hook families for calling the 2012 shooting a hoax.
• Texas Third Court of Appeals on Wednesday approved an emergency motion by Jones temporarily blocking asset transfer.
• Sandy Hook families asked the Texas Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court ruling; no decision as of Thursday.
• Tim Heidecker debuted as Infowars host and creative director on Friday via a surprise livestream, mocking Jones.
• Infowars website as of early Friday displayed only 'Off Air'; its Austin headquarters shuttered.
• The Onion CEO Ben Collins said the court pause created an 'unprecedented situation' leading to Infowars shutdown.

A Surprise Livestream Seizes the Airwaves

Tim Heidecker, the comedian and actor, made his debut as the new host and creative director of Infowars on Friday, delivering a surprise livestream that mocked Alex Jones and his conspiracy-laden empire. 'Lot of turmoil the past couple days on our road to total victory. We have just won a major battle, folks,' Heidecker said in a pitch-perfect imitation of Jones, adding that 'Alex and his gang of liars and scoundrels have been cast out into the street.' The takeover came despite a Texas appeals court order that temporarily blocked the transfer of Infowars assets, throwing the satirical outlet’s plan into legal limbo. The livestream featured Heidecker-as-Jones announcing a pending alliance 'between Satan and God himself' and celebrating by drinking 'human blood curated from the forsaken.' A caller impersonating President Donald Trump congratulated Heidecker, referencing movies like 'Love Story' and 'Legal Eagles.' The performance underscored The Onion’s intent to transform Infowars into a parody platform, ridiculing the very conspiracy theories Jones propagated.

Legal Battle Intensifies as Court Pauses Asset Transfer

The Onion’s plan to take over Infowars had been in limbo since Wednesday, when the Texas Third Court of Appeals approved an emergency motion by Jones’ lawyers that temporarily froze any transfer of Infowars’ trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property. The order also paused a larger appeal of the defamation judgments against Jones. A state judge in Austin had scheduled a hearing on Thursday to consider the licensing deal, but the proceeding devolved into a status conference after the appellate ruling. Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families immediately asked the Texas Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court decision, but the high court had not ruled by the time of Thursday’s hearing. The families have accused Jones of a 'flurry of serial filings' designed to mislead courts and prevent them from collecting 'a single penny' of the nearly $1.3 billion in judgments. The receiver, Gregory S. Milligan of HMP Advisory Holdings LLC, had filed papers seeking approval of the deal more than three years after Jones filed for bankruptcy.

Infowars Goes Dark as Headquarters Shutters

Alex Jones announced on Friday that Infowars had stopped broadcasting and shuttered its Austin headquarters, blaming a court-appointed receiver who allegedly ordered him and his crew to vacate by midnight Thursday. In a video posted on X, Jones said, 'It’s locked up and that’s it, and so we’re gone.' The Infowars website displayed only the words 'Off Air' as of early Friday. It remained unclear whether the shutdown was initiated by Jones or the receiver. Jones had declared victory earlier after the appellate court ruling, calling The Onion’s plan illegal and citing pending appeals and his personal bankruptcy case. 'I said days ago there’s no way the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas doesn’t overturn this — you know they’re all Democrats — because it’s so outrageous what you’ve done,' Jones said in a video. He indicated he would broadcast from a new website, though no details were provided.

The Onion’s Bid: A $81,000 Monthly License and Parody Ambitions

The Onion’s affiliate, War Is Over LLC, sought an exclusive license to use Infowars’ intellectual property for $81,000 per month over six months. The revenue is intended to cover operational costs and preserve the value of Free Speech Systems LLC’s assets while a broader legal stay prevents a final sale. The Onion has already begun selling Infowars merchandise on its own website, including T-shirts and tote bags featuring a modified logo that replaces the 'o' with its trademark onion image. CEO Ben Collins stated that the company plans to relaunch Infowars as a satirical property, spoofing Jones, conspiracy theories, and right-wing talking points, with revenue going to the Sandy Hook victims’ relatives. 'Goodbye, get lost, and we’ll see you soon,' Collins said on his Bluesky account. The Onion previously attempted to take over Infowars in 2024, but that effort was blocked by a Houston bankruptcy judge.

Sandy Hook Families Seek Justice Amid Legal 'Stalling'

The Sandy Hook families, who won nearly $1.3 billion in defamation judgments against Jones, have been fighting for years to collect. The families’ motion to the Texas Supreme Court remains under review, and they have accused Jones of using 'serial filings' to delay payment. In a federal district court filing on Thursday, they argued that Jones’ tactics are meant to prevent them from receiving 'a single penny' of the judgments. Mark Bankston, an attorney for the families, has been a central figure in the legal battle. The families’ lawyers had asked the Texas Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court ruling that paused the asset transfer, but the court had not issued a decision by Thursday. 'This newly insane, unprecedented legal stalling does nothing but delay our deal with the receiver to take control of InfoWars,' Collins said, expressing frustration with the legal system’s willingness to entertain Jones’ motions.

What Comes Next: Legal Appeals and a Satirical Relaunch

The Texas Supreme Court has yet to rule on the Sandy Hook families’ motion to overturn the appeals court’s pause order. A new hearing has been scheduled for May 28 in Travis County District Court. Meanwhile, The Onion has signaled that it will continue its efforts to take control of Infowars, with Collins stating that 'we now expect new traps in Alex Jones’ amoral war to deny paying the Sandy Hook families.' Heidecker, in his livestream, vowed to press forward: 'Over the next couple days or weeks, you will see much more coming out of this.' The satirical outlet aims to turn Infowars into a comedy platform that mocks Jones and his ideology, while generating revenue for the victims’ families. The legal and operational future of Infowars remains uncertain, caught between Jones’ appeals and The Onion’s determined takeover bid.

The bottom line

• Tim Heidecker debuted as Infowars host via a surprise livestream, mocking Alex Jones and his conspiracy theories.
• A Texas appeals court temporarily blocked the transfer of Infowars assets, but The Onion proceeded with the takeover anyway.
• Infowars’ Austin headquarters shuttered and its website went dark, with Jones blaming the court-appointed receiver.
• The Sandy Hook families continue to pursue nearly $1.3 billion in judgments against Jones, accusing him of legal stalling.
• The Onion’s affiliate seeks a six-month license for $81,000 per month to use Infowars IP, with plans to relaunch as a parody site.
• The Texas Supreme Court has yet to rule on the families’ motion to overturn the appeals court pause.