(TRUE STORY) In the weeks before the 2020 election, ex-Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne was desperately trying to get to me through an intermediary to share info about the coming election he claimed was critical.

I ignored his overtures.

Donald Trump invited him to the Oval Office.

I had messages from Byrne's rep on every social media platform I'm reachable on. I decided that his public instability was such that I wanted nothing to do with him. Incredible to think that the President of the United States—the most powerful man alive—made a different decision.
MORE/ https://t.co/cHPoqa2D0d
NOTE/ What's telling about this—and what U.S. media might wonder about, now—is whether Byrne was contacting me to tell the same tale he told the president in the Oval. Seems unlikely, right? Seems like maybe Byrne is just peddling nonsense wherever he thinks he can get attention?
NOTE2/ Here's what I can tell everyone (and media): Byrne represented—via his rep—he'd been in touch with Roger Stone, and wanted to talk to journalists pre-election about the FBI/Comey. I'm sure I'm not the only one he contacted. After all, we know he contacted the White House.

More from Seth Abramson

I... OMG. I am speechless. This is the *Oscars*. And this just happened. And I do not think it was a bit.

This feels to me like another sign that the world is off its hinges, so I sure hope we are going to find out that—despite there being no evidence of it—this was staged.


(PS) Either that was the most straight-faced comic bit in major-television history—in fact *so* straight-faced it was a total failure—or mega-Hollywood star Will Smith just straight-up *assaulted* a famous comic during one of the most widely watched annual telecasts in the world.

(PS2) I’m agreeing with those of you saying it wasn’t a bit, I just wanted to leave room because... well, because I just can’t believe what happened. I do know that Jada’s hair is a sensitive subject for her, but between that and a violent assault is a hell of a lot of territory.

(VIDEO) Here is the uncensored version.

Not a bit—an assault.

(PS3) This affected me. I just said to my wife, “If Will Smith can’t keep it together at the *Oscars*, how the hell can any of *us* be expected to keep it together anymore?” I’m not saying that response makes sense, only that it reflected how I was feeling.

These are dark times.

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