MS NOW Host Gets Cheeky About Trump Conspiracy Theory: 'I'm Starting To Become Convinced'
huffpost.com
When a mainstream news host jokes about a Trump conspiracy theory, he's flirting with a dangerous cognitive trap — and this story shows exactly how belief contagion spreads through irony.
Illusory Truth EffectAgenda-Setting TheoryBelief ContagionCognitive Dissonance
Theory Briefing
- Chris Hayes jokingly claimed he was 'starting to become convinced' by a Trump conspiracy theory, blurring satire and sincerity.
- Humor is a known gateway to belief adoption — ironic repetition can gradually normalize fringe ideas in mainstream audiences.
- Media hosts wield outsized agenda-setting power, meaning even a cheeky aside can amplify a conspiracy theory's reach and credibility.