Conspiracy theorists can’t decide whether to support Jim Gaffigan after the comedian joked about pedophiles in Hollywood during the 2024 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.
While presenting the award for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television, Gaffigan quipped about having little in common with his famous peers.
“This is so exciting for me. The Golden Globes—I can’t even believe I’m in the entertainment industry,” he said. “I can’t. You know, it’s so unlikely. I’m from a small town in Indiana. I’m not a pedophile. I don’t know if that’s a new category here, but…”
Gaffigan’s remarks were made just days after court documents related to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein became public. The documents, which did offer up some new revelations, including some names of those in Hollywood, largely saw conspiracy theorists spreading misinformation online.
Initially, Gaffigan’s joke was met with praise by conspiracy theorists and right-wing figures.
“Gigachad Jim Gaffigan roasts the entertainment industry for being the pedophiles that they are,” one user wrote. “It’s becoming more and more publicly acceptable to talk about widespread pedophilia among the ruling class. I’d like to see the other camera angles to see who didn’t like the joke…”
But, as is often the case among conspiracy theorists, in-fighting soon took over as others began accusing Gaffigan of belonging to the very same elite that he had joked about.
Many pointed to an appearance Gaffigan made on Joe Rogan’s podcast last year in which he came off as “woke and pro vaccine.”
“Surprising since he made fun of ‘anti-vaccine’ people like us who didn’t want to get the shots. And didn’t,” one commenter said.
Others argued that Gaffigan’s joke was secretly part of a sinister Hollywood plot to normalize the abuse of children.
“The fact that everyone is laughing here indicates that they are attempting to normalize pedophilia,” another said. “That’s what they are doing.”
The debate showcases the struggle conspiracy theorists have with viewing politics in a nuanced and rational manner. A celebrity in support of vaccination, in the minds of conspiracy theorists, must also be part of an elite pedophile ring.
