All’s fair in conspiracy land as Alan Jones jumps on air with Pete Evans

And yet it turns out – judging by the small portion PS has seen – the pair have much in common, discussing everything from their shared scepticism about the deadly pandemic to their mutual admiration for the – gulp – intellect of US President Donald Trump.

PS asked Jones why he went on Evans’ show, given Evans himself says he has become a pariah of mainstream media (the same media which ironically made him a star but which he no longer has any time for).

“Simple. He asked me. I said yes,” Jones explained. “He is entitled to his views. At least I hope he is. As I am entitled to mine. I didn’t think there was anything controversial in the content. You should listen!!!!”

And yet Jones was clearly playing down what his appearance alongside Evans meant when it comes to the all-important “optics”.

Surely, by gracing Evans with his name and influence, Jones also gives him a level of credibility, a sort of imprimatur to Evans as an oracle – not to mention providing more oxygen for his largely ridiculed views?

These views have been labelled dangerous by health officials as well as generating hefty fines from authorities.

“When I speak to someone it is farcical to imagine that such engagement represents an endorsement of the other person’s views,” Jones shot back, tantalisingly adding: “But it does represent an endorsement of his right to those views! He asked me questions. I answered them. Pretty simple.”

But when pushed on whether Jones believed Evans had been treated poorly by the “establishment”, Jones curtly ended our exchange: “I am flat out putting a show together. I think I have explained myself clearly!”

Love him or loathe him, Evans, the former Sydney party boy whose piercing blue eyes and good looks secured him a much greater career than he would have ever managed rattling pans, remains unrepentant despite widespread criticism.

He posted on Twitter about his fawning interview with Jones, gushing to his followers: “Mr Alan Jones jumped onto our podcast today for an hour chat and we went deep on vaccines, the govt, freedom of speech, trump, solutions moving forward and a whole lot more. Thanks Alan for your tenacity and determination to inform the Australian public about what is really playing out here.”

Evans signed off with a series of emojis, including a rainbow and love heart.

Sadly Jones does not appear to have asked Evans a few pertinent questions during the exchange, such as why he is enthusiastically promoting a new hippy commune in northern NSW with a former director of a company that pitched a similar project on the same site that left creditors – including would-be residents – owed $2.5 million.

Nor did he ask him about the recent “fat shaming” social media episode involving Magda Szubanski, who was widely trolled by many of Evans’ supporters for having the temerity to appear in a public service announcement to encourage Victorians to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions.

Why didn’t Jones ask Evans about his Instagram posts carrying “code words” he told his followers to “look out for” in the media, which would apparently reveal that high-profile figures were being executed, under the guise of having COVID-19?

And why was there no mention of that silly “lava lamp” contraption he was flogging for $15,000?

Evans called it the “Biocharger” and he ended up being fined more than $25,000 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) after claiming on Facebook it could treat “the Wuhan coronavirus”.

It’s enough to deactivate one’s almonds.