Secretly taped audio of Jones’ pre-interview with Kelly was released Thursday ahead of the official interview airing Sunday.
NBC News is sticking by its plan to air the controversial interview between Alex Jones and Megyn Kelly.
« Despite Alex Jones’ efforts to distract from and ultimately prevent the airing of our report, we remain committed to giving viewers context and insight into a controversial and polarizing figure, how he relates to the president of the United States and influences others, and to getting this serious story right, » said an NBC News spokesperson on Friday. Adding, « Tune in Sunday. »
The decision comes amid swirling backlash from the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who took issue with the anchor’s sitdown with the Infowars host, On Tuesday, an anti-gun violence organization founded by parents of children killed in the 2012 shooting dropped Kelly as host of an event in Washington. CNN chief Jeff Zucker added his name to the chorus of critics, saying the marketing for the televised sitdown has been » unfortunate. »
On Thursday night, Jones leaked audio of what he says was his private, pre-interview conversation with Kelly online to clarify what he referred to as « misrepresenting » him in the official interview.
« I’ve never done this in 22 years, I’ve never recorded another journalist, » Jones said in a video posted to Twitter, teasing the two-minute leak posted to his site. « I’ve never done this, but I knew that it was a fraud, that it was a lie. »
In the audio, Kelly is heard saying, « This is not going to be a contentious, sort of ‘gotcha’ exchange. » In a preview of the televised footage, Jones is seen talking with Kelly about the 2012 Newtown, Conn., shooting, with Jones calling Kelly « an anti-gunner. »
The host also called out the « mainstream media, » including The Hollywood Reporter, for its recent coverage. Jones claimed that his words were taken out of context and heavily edited in promo clips for the interview. « I got it all on tape, sweetheart, » he said during Thursday’s Infowars show. « I did it to protect myself so I can show what she really did. »
« What are they going to do, when I’ve got the tapes of what really happened? » Jones added, saying that Kelly acted like she was « obsessed with him. » « It was worse than in college in a topless bar when women try to get you to pay for a dance. »
About the interview, Kelly had said, « Our goal in sitting down with him was to shine a light, as journalists are supposed to do, on this influential figure and, yes, to discuss the considerable falsehoods he has promoted with near impunity. »
The interview airs Sunday on NBC.
