InfoWars' Alex Jones is a 'performance artist playing a character', according to his lawyer

Notorious US broadcaster Alex Jones is a “performance artist” and his on air persona is an act, according to his lawyer.

Mr Jones runs the controversial Infowars website, which is known for propagating conspiracy theories and its support of Donald Trump.

But Mr Jones is now embroiled in a custody battle with his estranged wife, Kelly Jones, with whom he has three children. She said some of Mr Jones’s on-air rants – for which he is renowned – are evidence of him being “not a stable” father.

Fake news conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton led a man to open fire in a pizza parlour

However, Randall Wilhite, Mr Jones’s attorney, said the behaviour was merely an act.

“He’s playing a character. He is a performance artist.” Mr Wilhite said, according to the Austin-American Statesman.

Mr Wilhite said that using Mr Jones’ on-air persona to judge him as a father would be like judging Jack Nicholson in a custody dispute based on his performance as the Joker in Batman.

The claim is likely to cause some confusion among Mr Jones’s fans, who have closely followed his musings. These included unfounded assertions that the Sandy Hook massacre and Boston bombings were hoaxes, Hillary Clinton should be jailed and that Barack Obama founded Isis.

But Mr Jones is not just any shock jock – his listeners are believed to include President Trump, who appeared on his show in December 2015, several months after he announced his candidacy. With millions of listeners a month, Infowars is credited with galvanising a large amount of support for Mr Trump during last year’s election.

Yet Mr Jones’s former wife claimed he was unhinged.

According to the Statesman, Ms Jones told a pre-trial hearing: “He’s not a stable person. He says he wants to break Alec Baldwin’s neck. He wants J-Lo to get raped.”

She also referred to comments Mr Jones made about California Democrat Adam Schiff, a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee who has also defended LGBT rights.

“I’m concerned that he is engaged in felonious behaviour, threatening a member of Congress. He broadcasts from home. The children are there, watching him broadcast,” Ms Jones said.

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump

32 show all In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump

1/32 London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty

2/32 Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA

3/32 Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images

4/32 London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

5/32 Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

6/32 Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

7/32 Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

8/32 Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

9/32 London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

10/32 Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

11/32 Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

12/32 Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images

13/32 Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP

14/32 Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP

15/32 London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

16/32 London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

17/32 Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP

18/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

19/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

20/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

21/32 Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images

22/32 Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images

23/32 Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex

24/32 Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images

25/32 Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images

26/32 Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP

27/32 Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

28/32 Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

29/32 Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

30/32 Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty

31/32 London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty

32/32 London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

Mr Jones had called Mr Schiff a “fairy” and said he would “beat [his] goddamn ass”.

The presiding judge said he didn’t want Infowars to be a factor in the case but several pieces of footage from the website have already been submitted as evidence.