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At this year's Conservative Politcal Action Conference (CPAC), MyPillow CEO and ardent Trump supporter Mike Lindell appeared for an interview with the Right Side Broadcasting Network.
During the interview, Lindell waded into dangerous territory, sharing multiple false conspiracy theories regarding the pandemic.
At one point, Lindell's claims became so divorced from reality, the RSBN was forced to mute his microphone to avoid losing their platform on YouTube.
The moment, which is edited out of the above video, features Lindell going on a wild rant against the vaccine, saying:
"I'm telling you with the vaccine… if you get a vaccine, which is only 95% effective, they say, then they want you to do another one in six months, six months. Well, I'm telling you when you get that, what do you care what someone else does, if that person wants to come to a mall and they don't want to get a vaccine. This is our bodies, this is 'mark of the beast' stuff."
Lindell then begins to lash out against double-masking when his audio suddenly drops out, only reappearing a minute later when the host explains they have to be careful about spreading conspiracy theories.
The conservative pro-Trump YouTube channel Right Side Broadcasting Network cut off MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell during… https://t.co/9nAeer80sX— Kyle Griffin (@Kyle Griffin)1614601800.0
Mike Lindell is saying that the vaccine is the mark of the beast. They just muted him too! 😂😂😂😂😂— LuluPeke (@LuluPeke)1614530325.0
Haha the pillow guy said the Covid vaccine is the mark of the beast and was immediately muted by a rightwing YouTub… https://t.co/nVIzqat2zH— Brosephine B. Vaccinated (@Brosephine B. Vaccinated)1614558115.0
Lindell was mocked online for his continued support of conspiracy theories.
And completing the QOP weekend shanigans... https://t.co/SWfEgjSMLD— Bucky Barnes, the White Wolf Resists (@Bucky Barnes, the White Wolf Resists)1614554103.0
How does someone get too crazy for CPAC? https://t.co/qc3uob6PIM— Canucklehead (@Canucklehead)1614643560.0
So Mr Pillow was too crazy even for C-Pac? 😂 https://t.co/0ofK0ACYgB— penelope (@penelope)1614670404.0
Many conservatives online lashed out at the incident, describing it as "censorship" or "cancel culture."
However the organization that briefly muted Lindell is a conservative one whose main concern was simply staying on YouTube.
WTH? I thought the Repubs said it was the Dems that promoted Cancel Culture MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has mic mute… https://t.co/V5xlBF9NAx— Jillybean614 (@Jillybean614)1614603332.0
OMG wHat abOut FREEEEEE SpeEcH???! Cancel culture has invaded CPAC! https://t.co/kUtdJs6Esv— 3.1415926535 (@3.1415926535)1614671803.0
@DailyMail Imagine having a platform to go on TV multiple times a day to tell people you've been "muted".— V Daniels (@V Daniels)1614544724.0
Lindell's unwavering support for Donald Trump and willingness to parrot any pro-Trump conspiracy theory has made him a staple in the Republican party.
@kylegriffin1 “A lot of people look up to you, you can see that right here” Motions to 25 people 🥴 https://t.co/7k2qf0DHeV— UH60 (@UH60)1614622954.0
@kylegriffin1 I don’t understand why they keep giving this man air time. I also don’t understand why having his bus… https://t.co/LQotyQIpdi— Thera parks (@Thera parks)1614602263.0
Many online suspected the pillow CEO was a bit unstable.
It seems conservative news outlets are beginning to understand the consequences of spreading misinformation and lies—lawsuits—and are eager to avoid them, even if it means silencing the words of one of their own.