David Icke Makes Angry Appearance on Australia's "Today" Show, Doesn't Take Well to Being Challenged7/15/2016 Yesterday morning Australian time, conspiracy theorist David Icke appeared on the Nine Network’s Today show to discuss his upcoming tour of Australia, and things did not go according to plan. Icke seemed agitated and combative, and his nearly obsessive insistence on repeating a few fixed talking points without seeming to be able to go off script eventually left the normally genial presenters, Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson, dumbfounded and exasperated. In other words, it was a great seven minutes of television. The results of Icke’s appearance were especially surprising since Stefanovic is, to put it bluntly, a bit of a space cadet himself and has repeatedly expressed interest in UFOs, the paranormal, and other unusual phenomena. “I love these theories, but I’m not slugging people a hundred bucks to listen to my rubbish,” Stefanovic said, taking issue with the steep charge for tickets to Icke’s speaking engagements, which run up to $100 Australian ($76 US) for a twelve-hour lecture. (Maybe that is high in Australia, but that is right in range for a 90 minute rock concert here.) Icke reminded the hosts that the ticket price funds “a whole team of people” who travel with him around the world to produce his stage show. Of course, this doesn’t quite make the case that “they” don’t want you to know what Icke has to say, but… details!
Icke then told the hosts that they likely earn much more money than he does. From the get-go Icke was in a bad mood, starting his appearance by informing the hosts that his audience have self-respect and plan to do their own research without the news media telling them what to believe. He was already angry, a sure-fire method for winning new fans. It was particularly interesting to see that Icke is leaning more into the ancient astronaut hypothesis thanks to the success of Ancient Aliens, and he repeatedly referenced claims from ancient astronaut hypotheses. Since he was in Australia, he discussed what he believes to be Aboriginal Australian contact with extraterrestrial beings. Ancient Aliens just did an hour on the same subject, though as a Brit Icke probably hasn’t seen that episode yet. What was quite clear, though, is that Icke has a series of memorized speeches that he uses, and he is not very good with extemporaneous discussion. In response to questions, he launches into prepared lectures that are so familiar that even I—who has barely listened to Icke at any length—have already heard more than once, particularly his noxious line about how what he wrote about in his books in the 1990s is now “being read” on the news today, a line I’ve heard in at least three different recent Icke appearances, each time repeated virtually verbatim. Wilkinson asked Icke to discuss his belief that the moon is a hollow space station, and this is where the problems really started. Icke began as he always does with his usual speech about the way the hypothesis was first proposed by Soviet scientists in a “detailed” scientific account. Just for those keeping track at home, the hypothesis was proposed by Soviet scientists, but not as an area of academic inquiry. Mikhail Vasin and Alexander Shcherbakov published speculation about a hollow moon in 1967 in the propaganda journal Sputnik, aimed at a Western audience. Their claim was intended, along with other Soviet ancient astronaut articles of the time, to undermine Western religious values, but by 1968 the Soviet Academy of Sciences changed their official line and closed down ancient astronaut speculation, having done their job of seeding Western publications with ancient astronaut theories, a propaganda coup for Soviet atheism. Wilkinson noted that the scientists were Soviets, with the (correct) implication that their work cannot necessarily be trusted. Icke countered that the was “a book written some years ago, again by serious people, called Who Built the Moon?, which was breaking down all the extraordinary anomalies that relate to the moon” Does that sound familiar? It should. That book isn’t a scientific work at all but a poorly researched pile of speculation by Alan Butler and Christopher Knight, who speculated about how the moon might have been the work of time traveling Freemasons. Yes, Alan Butler is now David Icke’s “serious” source for his major claim that the moon is artificial. Wilkinson asked Icke to explain how the lunar space station was parked in orbit around the Earth, and Icke nearly lost it because he wasn’t prepared to be asked a factual question. “It was moved,” he said, nonsensically. Thrown off his game, Icke started to spout random rhetorical questions to cover his ignorance of his own claims: “How does a spacecraft move?” he demanded. “You’re the one with the theory, not me!” Wilkinson said in response. “You don’t even know what my theories are,” Icke replied, while refusing to actually explain his ideas in any practical way. Stefanovic stepped in to save Icke by asking him about aliens, but even he had to note that Icke gets “very defensive” about his claims. “No, I get exasperated,” Icke responded. He went on to attack the mainstream media and announced that he felt the interview was a joke. On social media, fans of Icke criticized the Today interview as disrespectful and an example of the mainstream media attempting to suppress the truth by intentionally making Icke look ridiculous.
25 Comments
Terry
7/15/2016 10:30:52 am
He hasn't aged well. He looks more reptilian than any of his targets.
Reply
Only Me
7/15/2016 10:37:29 am
That last paragraph...pretty much the default position of the fringe and its fanbase. It's *never* the "messenger's" fault. Too bad Icke's fans can't acknowledge his bank account grows fatter off their gullibility.
Reply
Time Machine
7/15/2016 11:53:43 am
>>>paranormal, and other unusual phenomena<<<
Reply
Time Machine
7/15/2016 11:55:09 am
Homo Sapiens of the species cannot exist without believing in the irrational and the supernatural. The existence of religion is paramount.
Reply
Rose McDonald
7/16/2016 11:35:43 am
Time Machine: Speak for yourself. Most rational people don't feel a need for a fairy godfather or godmother in the sky. The existence of religion is, at best, extraneous, a scheme devised by those too lazy to produce anything practical or useful for their society.
Rick
7/17/2016 08:34:55 am
That's interesting about being to lazy. I always thought that those who categorically eliminate one or the other, science or religion, which both have thousands if not hundreds of thousands of documents and critical research to read based on one line of reasoning as cognitive laziness. While one person smugly refutes one or the other then condescendingly puts down the other side, I find myself wading into both working at a national laboratory in science (plasma physics everyday)yet finding time to study religion while dealing with the inevitable conflicts which arise. I have always thought that it's truly a work in expanding ones mind to study that which they believe and that which they know, and finding middle ground. To simply say either I'm a man of science or I'm a man of religion without serious academic study of the both I consider cognitive laziness. Much like I am starting to study the Koran and it's history, because to simply regurgitate what others are saying without coming to either that or my own conclusion is in my mind cognitive laziness.
Kathleen
7/17/2016 10:01:07 am
"methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God." (CCC 159)
terry the censor
7/18/2016 02:12:25 pm
Allen Spraggett was a psychologist? When?
Reply
flip
7/15/2016 01:34:13 pm
$60 AUD is the high-end of regular tickets for performances here with $120 usually for especially big-name shows (ie superstar singers at stadium events and the best seats at theatres). So about equal to your American rock shows. I actually found a site that was selling tickets for $120-150 AUD which sounds far more expensive than most people might spend. The venues look to be pretty expensive to hire too so that's probably where the bulk of the money is going, along with travel and accommodation, rather than his entourage. (He needs a crew for a lecture? I can understand maybe having an assistant, but what's he doing that he needs a crew?) $100 sounds reasonable for a 12 hour lecture I suppose, depending of course, on the quality. It's a bit much but I guess if you think of it in terms of doing a one-day crash course in something it might be worth it. On the other hand, if it's just one long rambling speech and a bunch of merchandise and food on sale at exorbitant prices in the breaks, it could just be a great way to get bored expensively.
Reply
TheBigMike
7/15/2016 02:29:18 pm
Here's the issue I have with the cost of this thing: it's not what he wants it to be.
Reply
flip
7/19/2016 10:01:09 pm
The university is likely subsidising the true cost of organising such an event to make tickets more affordable. Ask anyone in the arts, they'll tell you that without major sponsorship, an event can't make a profit all that easily. That's why big concerts cost so much: venue hire alone could break the bank.
DaveR
7/15/2016 01:47:18 pm
So according to fans of Icke, his being asked specific questions pertinent to his theories that he cannot answer reflects a deliberate attempt by the media to suppress the truth.
Reply
Ph
7/15/2016 03:03:01 pm
That was actually fun to watch
Reply
Bob Jase
7/15/2016 03:10:22 pm
"Icke has a series of memorized speeches that he uses, and he is not very good with extemporaneous discussion."
Reply
Shane Sullivan
7/15/2016 06:05:15 pm
That's the Turing test in a nutshell.
Reply
crainey
7/15/2016 03:37:55 pm
I found myself paying more attention to the hyperactive graphics in the background than the actual conversation. And why was Obama standing next to an alien? It's like he was looking over Icke's shoulder the whole time!
Reply
Kathleen
7/15/2016 03:59:32 pm
Yeah, that was distracting and creepy. I am not sure if Obama was looking at me or at Icke, but his expression was like he was saying "You're an idiot, change the channel!" And who provided those graphics, the station or Icke? The connection escapes me.
Reply
7/15/2016 04:28:14 pm
Icke is a conspiracy theorist. The Nine graphics were meant to illustrate various conspiracies--the Illuminati, the U.S. government, space aliens, etc.
Kathleen
7/16/2016 12:28:43 pm
I watched the video again, and other than the flying saucer on a string driving me crazy, I wondered why he used American conspiracies as examples. As a Brit being interviewed on Australian TV, I would think he would use something more ethnocentric such as the queen being a reptilian or the Australian government finding Atlantis while searching for the lost Malaysian air flight. Why the focus on the American government?
hauntedserenity
7/15/2016 10:41:50 pm
With all the recent bad news in the world, this bit was needed.
Reply
Rose McDonald
7/16/2016 11:44:01 am
Sounds to me as though the former footballer and Son of the Godhead, played a bit too much football without a helmet. I've noticed over the years that the people who become the most hostile and defensive about their hypotheses are invariably the least sure of their foundation material. if they have any.
Reply
Rotty Scoberts
7/16/2016 03:01:33 pm
Jesse Ventura (another conspiracy nut) nailed Icke from the start. As I recall, Icke got quite nasty then too.
Reply
Killbuck
7/17/2016 11:46:44 pm
I watched the video, and say huzza to the hosts for asking the simple questions like where's your evidence?
Reply
Anon
7/24/2016 05:33:17 pm
Christopher Monckton In Extraordinary Attack On David Icke On The Richie Allen Show!
Reply
justanotherskeptic
10/9/2016 01:57:11 pm
Icke sounds a lot like Trump.
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am an author and researcher focusing on pop culture, science, and history. Bylines: New Republic, Esquire, Slate, etc. There's more about me in the About Jason tab. Newsletters
Enter your email below to subscribe to my newsletter for updates on my latest projects, blog posts, and activities, and subscribe to Culture & Curiosities, my Substack newsletter.
Categories
All
Terms & ConditionsPlease read all applicable terms and conditions before posting a comment on this blog. Posting a comment constitutes your agreement to abide by the terms and conditions linked herein.
Archives
November 2024
|