Sophia Michaels
Late-night show hosts celebrated the monumental verdict against far-right radio host Alex Jones Wednesday as both Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel learned of the Connecticut jury’s decision before taping.
“It was a rough day for the despicable and ridiculous Alex Jones today,” Kimmel told his audience. “Alex Jones was ordered by a jury in Connecticut to pay $965 million in damages to eight families of victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, which he repeatedly called a hoax. He tormented these families, he accused them of faking their children’s deaths.”
“In August, a jury in Texas ordered him to pay around $50 million to the parents of another victim at Sandy Hook; between the two cases, he now owes the parents over $1 billion in damages. I guess the good guys just won the InfoWars, is what happened there,” Kimmel continued.
“Alex, of course, said he won’t pay a cent, he declared bankruptcy to try to protect himself and had a full-on hissy fit as the verdict was read.” Jimmy Kimmel Live then showed a video of Jones’ whiny verdict livestream and his pleas to viewers to donate money.
Kimmel added of Jones’ desperation fundraising efforts, “Now go get that money for those parents, you disgusting pig garbage person.”
Over on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert delivered his monologue with “a spring in my step” as he opened with the Jones verdict. “You know how, as humans, we have to accept the fact that sometimes bad things happen to good people?” Colbert said. “Well, by the grace of God, sometimes, bad things happen to Alex Jones, and that’s a good thing.”
Colbert’s monologue was taped in the moments after the jury handed down their $1 billion verdict, and the host joyfully shared the news with his audience. “You heard that right: Billion with a capital B, for ‘Bye!’”
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre, in which 20 children and 6 administrators were killed, Jones claimed the shooting was a “hoax” and that the murdered children and their families were “crisis actors.” In both trials against Jones, family members and law enforcement officials testified to the barrage of harassment they experienced at the hands of InfoWars viewers.
Following the verdict yesterday, Jones said he plans to appeal, but it will likely be difficult to maneuver his way out of paying the massive sum he now owes.
