I know some folks like to think that most of these people are just actors playing roles and to a large extent that's true. They have tropes they knowingly employ and lies are calculated.

But I think there exist more true believers than anyone would care to realize. Alex Jones isn't just crazy. He's crazy for sure but he really does believe a lot of what he peddles. Rush Limbaugh is both charlatan and demagogue but he's not always pulling everyone's leg. Hannity is off-record with crazy shit you'd think he would only say on-air for money and honestly I think Tucker Carlson is almost entirely defective these days.

I'm convinced John Stewart broke some part of Carlson's psyche back in 2004 and despite his success he's been slowly falling apart ever since.