A man who appeared on Fox News during a Donald Trump rally and referred to the president's supporters as a "cult" has explained his actions, stating that the rally organizers' unsolicited contact with him prompted his on-air trolling. Tom Hoyle told The Handbasket that after rally organizers contacted his printing business, MadPark Designs, he decided to attend the event with the intention of "doing something goofy."
Hoyle's appearance gained viral attention when, during an interview with Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson at a GOP midterms campaign rally in South Carolina, he said he was attending because "in the late ’70s, I was a little too young to get involved and go to South America for the Jonestown Massacre, but this is as close as I’ll ever get." When Tomlinson questioned the Jonestown reference, Hoyle responded, "That’s right. Nothing like seeing a cult right up front, man."
Tomlinson then ended the interview, stating, "Maybe this is not a Trump supporter."
Hoyle, who has previously protested the Trump administration's immigration policies, said he was once a registered Republican but re-registered as an independent about 18 months ago. He described his motivation for the Jonestown comment as "off the cuff" and a seized opportunity when the Fox News interview arose. He had originally planned to verbally heckle Trump with a "super vulgar" comment.
He also suggested that his appearance might have convinced the interviewer he was a Trump supporter, comparing himself to a "daywalker" who "looks like you, but I’m not like you."
Hoyle indicated that the Secret Service escorted him out of the venue after the interview.
He attributed the timing of his viral remark to comedian Billy Crystal, stating, "I learned timing from Billy Crystal."