For years, journalists and commentators have tried to identify the precise emotional wound, formative misstep, or dinner-table argument that might explain the rise of Nick Fuentes, an internet provocateur, self-styled moral crusader, and full-time antagonist to feminism, pluralism, and historical consensus.
For this interview, The Jerusalem Roast chose to bypass the experts, the panels, and the armchair psychoanalysis and speak instead to the one person many quietly hope might finally make sense of it all: his mother, Lauren Chicco Fuentes.
Lauren, thank you for speaking with us. I want to start off with your son’s repeated rejection of modern feminism.
Yes. It is an interesting phenomenon because a woman taught him how to talk, read, and eat with a fork. But somehow, women are also responsible for ruining civilization, go figure.
He has said that women having political power is what destroyed society.
Look, Nicky is an odd duck; he can’t even handle asking a girl out for dinner. If he’s so intimidated by an average woman, imagine how terrifying a woman with authority would be to him.
He also argues that modern women are overly influenced by culture and media.
This, from a man whose entire personality depends on Wi-Fi. People take him way too seriously.
He has publicly mocked women who speak about discrimination.
This, from the kid that once cried because his sister got to wear dresses and he didn’t. Thinking back, that may be where this all started… Maybe I should have let him wear that dress.
What do you think is really behind his fixation on feminism?
Feminism is useful to him. It explains why his life didn’t turn out the way the internet promised.
What do you think of your son describing himself publicly as an incel?
I don’t know what that means. But I do know that if you spend 12 hours a day yelling into a microphone about women, it probably doesn’t help.
He often says modern society is collapsing because men have become weak.
He once called me from the basement because there was a spider in the shower, so he might have a point there.
Some psychologists link incel culture to social humiliation. Do you recognize that in your son?
I recognize ambition. I also recognize that livestreaming from your parents’ basement counts as social humiliation if no one donates.
Your son now leads an online movement of young men who follow him very closely.
The little frog people?
The… groypers.
Yes. He couldn’t organize his own parties when he was 14, but apparently, now he can organize thousands of angry boys on the internet. Go figure.
He has encouraged his supporters to confront politicians in public.
I encouraged him to confront the pile of laundry in his room. We all have different leadership styles.
He has said that his movement represents the future of America. Do you agree?
He also said cryptocurrency was the future. So I’m pacing myself emotionally.
He frequently talks about restoring traditional family values.
And yet the only time he manages to pick up the phone to call his mother is when he’s too lazy to cook his own food or do his own laundry.
Your son is frequently accused of promoting conspiracy theories and antisemitic ideas. Do you think his antisemitism is personal?
No. I feel like it all sort of got out of hand. He made a stupid comment as a kid and got lots of attention for it and decided to turn it into his personality. But to answer your question, no, he has never met a bagel he didn’t like. It is purely strategic, part of the brand.
Do you think he actually believes the antisemitic ideas he promotes?
I think he believes in the attention they bring. Belief and branding are not always the same thing. All I can say is that he was raised better than that.
He is often described as a white nationalist who traffics in conspiracy theories about Jewish people.
Yes. Which is impressive, considering he can barely traffic himself out of the basement.
Finally, if you could say one thing to the young men who follow your son because of his message about women, what would it be?
I hope they eventually stop learning how to talk about women from my son and start learning how to talk to one.