#PIZZAGATE: 7 Bizarre Factoids Even the Most Skeptical Should Know

Pizzagate, for the uninitiated, refers to a growing body of knowledge around an alleged pedophilia club centered in Washington, DC. It began in earnest with a crowdsourced investigation into the release of Clinton aide John Podesta's personal emails by Wikileaks.

The assertions that have been flying around the Internet have the whiff of high conspiracy theory. But it's worth noting that Bill Clinton himself has been linked to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Clinton is said to have flown on Epstein's private "Lolita Express" jet multiple times, ditching his Secret Service detail to do so.

7. Why Pizza?

According to Paula Todd, author of Extreme Mean: Trolls, Bullies and Predators Online, the term "cheese pizza" is used to refer to child porn among adult predators.

With that as backdrop, please note the following question posed to Podesta that set off the firestorm on Reddit and 4chan: "The realtor found a handkerchief (I think it has a map that seems pizza-related. Is it yorus?"

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A map? On a handkerchief? That's pizza-related? What the...?

6. Podesta and Pizza Parties
The next step along the way, according to some Podesta researchers, is the apparent close relationship between a man named James Alefantis and John Podesta. Alefantis owns several boutique pizza restaurants in Washington and Podesta apparently made an appearance at one of them -- a place called Comet Ping Pong -- for a fundraiser.

The decor of Comet Ping Pong -- supposedly a venue for all ages -- is decidedly adult, bizarre and sexually tinged:

On the left is a sign said to have been taken in the restaurant. On the right is a door, one of several "hidden" entryways, to a bathroom. The artwork is reportedly extremely bizarre (or cutting edge, depending on your viewpoint). No big deal, though, right?

4. The very weird Instagram account of James Alefantis
The Instagram account of Comet Ping Pong's owner, James Alefantis, was quickly tracked down by the crowdsourcers. Put simply: there were many disturbing images discovered, a few of which are shown below.

I think we can all agree that something doesn't appear quite right with Alefantis and his Instagram pals. And I've even omitted the photos of extremely large refrigeration rooms with concrete floors, child-sized coffins, and digging underneath (I think) Comet Ping Pong.

Update: I was curious about the trip to London, with all of the cash, for "ping pong". It turns out that Stanley Kubrick's film adapation of Nabakov's Lolita features, yes, a noteworthy game of... wait for it... ping pong.

3. Comet Ping Pong and Heavy Breathing
Comet Ping Pong (also known as Comet Pizza) is a unique venue that features alternative rock and punk bands at night.

One such act -- a band called "Heavy Breathing" -- is even listed as the #1 friend of Comet Ping Pong.

No problem, right? Seems innocent enough.

Well, take a gander at this short video of a Heavy Breathing performance at, yes, Comet Ping Pong.

There are direct references to pedophilia from the crowd to which the lead singer states "We all have our preferences."

Heavy Breathing is a wildly bizarre "band" and its videos have numerous references to, well, you guessed it.

2. Besta Pizza and the Logo Switch
Alefantis also owns Besta Pizza, a couple of doors down from Comet Ping Pong. Why he owns two pizza places basically next door to each other is anyone's guess.

With that said, please consider the following three illustrations: Besta Pizza's logo before #PizzaGate, an FBI reference illustration warning of pedophilic symbology, and Besta Pizza's brand new logo, changed almost instantly once #PizzaGate broke.

I wonder why they were so concerned about the logo that they changed all of their marketing material virtually overnight?

1. Besta Pizza: Why the Two-Way Glass and Cameras Facing Backward?
After #PizzaGate broke, a couple of enterprising young scalawags visited both Comet Ping Pong and Besta. They recorded their experience on Periscope, but their visit to Besta was especially interesting.

Namely: cameras facing the large, rear section of the building -- not the storefront -- and two-way glass near the pizza oven.

Two-way glass near an operating pizza oven makes absolutely no sense, as the video explains. And what's in the rear 7/8th of the Besta building?

Summary
Conspiracy theory? Something far more malevolent?

I have no idea how bad #PizzaGate is, whether it's a few crackpots making jokes in bad taste or if it really is the door into an incredibly evil and depraved network in Washington.

I reached out to James Alefantis and he, while willing to exchange messages, was not open to answering my questions.

But I thought I'd break it down for my readers so they could get a sense of the thing and perhaps render their own opinions. There's an overview here if you care to do some research yourself. And some interesting data here as well, focusing on Alefantis.

Hat tip: BadBlue Real-Time News.