The Grill Room The Onion’s Full Bloom
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Apr 21, 2026 
Ben Collins, former investigative reporter turned CEO of The Onion, explains the bold Infowars licensing move and the $500,000 six-month plan to keep harmful content offline. He reflects on leaving reporting to reclaim The Onion from private equity. They talk about satire’s role in fighting misinformation and The Onion’s shift to a user-supported, print-inclusive model.
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How Ben Collins Acquired The Onion Quickly
- Ben Collins bought The Onion rapidly after quitting journalism and soliciting wealthy friends to prevent ownership by hostile buyers.
- He and partners closed the deal within about six weeks after posting about the sale and recruiting supporters from the Chicago media community.
Bankruptcy Delays Forced A Creative Infowars Workaround
- The Infowars purchase became a long bankruptcy fight, shifting from a federal auction win to state court delays and a receiver managing the estate.
- The estate ran out of operational funds, prompting a short-term licensing plan to keep the site alive while preserving IP for creditors.
Pay Operating Costs To Secure Leverage In Receiverships
- Do offer to fund an estate's immediate operating costs to gain leverage and preserve creditor value during bankruptcy proceedings.
- Collins negotiated to pay to keep Infowars' studio lights on in exchange for IP control and to shut down live broadcasts.