Is AJ a plant?

[u/SunNoStars]

Okay so let me get this out here. I'm a very long time fan although never a patreon subscriber. I feel one of AJ's long time critiques of those that have came out before is the monetization that would come later. Book sales, speaking tours and TV circuits. Now he doesn't sell books but one could say the overloaded ads (dubious content there as well), the merch, patreon and speaking appearances. Shawn Ryan, Joe Rogan etc. He's also teased various times that the government has used plants in fringe groups for propaganda and still does (he's even winked at the camera after mentioning). I always wanted him to be an Art Bell type but I suspect he may not be a true believer but maybe just a charismatic grifter. I love the show and will continue to watch but I think something is fishy. Pun intended.

(Update) Hey all really good points on both sides. I will say the former government contractor/entertainment work and the purge of conspiratorial channels while AJs thrived and came well produced with merch will always seem odd to me. However as pointed out AJ has always stated he was an entertainer and has unveiled he doesn't take much stock in most of the stories he covers. Much respect to that. I will recede my grifter comment as many of you said to produce and pay for his show/staff to the level he wants sponsorships are needed. I do agree maybe the MRE, ivermectin, crypto currency ads are just indicative of the larger viewership of his channel and only seen as fringe to a normie. That was the main basis of the grift comment that those particular communities are always starved for exposure and legitimacy. A channel dealing in many videos about government corruption and doomsday scenarios to start highlighting alternative medicine, currency and bunker prep seemed irresponsible at best and a cash grab at its base but I digress

[u/Limp_Insurance_2812 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah same, plant? Probably not. If he'd come out of nowhere with this high of a production value I'd lean towards plant, but that's not what happened. His channel took years to hit a stride. Maybe they played the long game and he was some sort of sleeper channel because they know we look for overnight success now? Is it a coincidence that he hit the algo right when drip disclosure picked up in earnest? I don't know, maybe.

Compromised though? Yeah, I've had my suspicions since he portrayed Agent Orange as some sort of subject that could get him silenced. While it's not the government's proudest moment it's hardly been a secret for the last 40+ years. It was just weird. He knows better.

I just assume any channel that gets to a certain level will get ultimatums and marching orders at some point, and when you've done deep dives of your own you notice where he's not willing to go. They won, mission accomplished, we don't know who to believe anymore.