Me Stuff from Bodhisattvas Betty
The Holocaust Revisionist Who Crashed the Republican Party
David Cole Stein
https://open.substack.com/pub/mestuff/p/the-holocaust-revisionist-who-crashed
ME STUFF 2025.05.02 Fri
https://substack.com/@mestuff
Few people have lived as many ideological lives as David Cole aka David Stein. Born Jewish, became infamous as a Holocaust revisionist and denier, disappeared under death threats, and then rebranded as a Hollywood Republican with a reinvented identity. His story reads like a rejected Coen Brothers script—except it actually happened. Is it reasonable to question the established account of the Holocaust, and who might benefit from controlling that narrative? Does raising such questions automatically imply antisemitism?
It's strange that questioning certain parts of history—like the Holocaust narrative—is often treated as off-limits, even when the questions come from within the Jewish community. In an era when so much of history is being reexamined, it raises concerns about why open discussion on this topic is so heavily restricted and controlled. If anyone does question….it’s just conspiracy theory. Sus much?
Regardless of what truly occurred—something we may never fully uncover or comprehend—the reality in any form seems to be deeply tragic. Still, there are subtle clues that point toward a deeper truth. But this has been fact checked and debunked. So it’s all good. Don’t question anything and if you do you’re a bad person. 😂😂😂
The Revisionist Infamy
In the early 1990s, a young, nerdy-looking David Cole became a controversial figure in historical revisionism, questioning details of the Holocaust narrative. He made appearances on mainstream TV, debating experts and generally making himself persona non grata in Jewish circles. His investigations, particularly about Auschwitz, landed him in deep trouble with the Jewish Defense League (JDL), which is not known for sending polite complaint letters.
Cole's primary argument was that while the Holocaust undoubtedly happened, the number of deaths and the manner of execution at Auschwitz may have been misrepresented. He questioned the gas chamber narrative and instead suggested that Auschwitz primarily functioned as some kind of labor camp. His work gained traction among revisionists but made him a pariah in mainstream historical discussions.
Despite this, the media couldn't resist the spectacle. He took his arguments to major television platforms, finding himself face-to-face with some of the most combative hosts in the industry. On The Montel Williams Show, he squared off against Auschwitz survivor Ernest Hollander. The segment took an unexpected turn when, after it aired, Hollander discovered that his long-lost brother—whom he believed had died in the Holocaust—was actually alive. The show ultimately hosted their emotional reunion, an ironic footnote to Cole’s television stint.
Then came The Phil Donahue Show, where Cole clashed with a room full of people ready to rip him apart. He was featured on 60 Minutes and 48 Hours, where investigative segments dissected his claims, sometimes giving him more airtime than anyone expected. And on The Morton Downey Jr. Show, a program infamous for its loud and often ridiculous confrontations, Cole became part of the chaos, engaging in heated exchanges with critics in front of an audience that thrived on controversy.
By the mid-90s, the pressure was too much. Death threats and a $25,000 bounty on his head (courtesy of the JDL) forced Cole to recant under duress. He issued a statement retracting his views, but the story was far from over.
I was more right than I could have imagined, because now CNN is resorting to the exactmethods of the JDL. Twenty years ago, JDL strongman Irv Rubin put a $25,000 bounty on my head and threatened to release my address and other personal information unless I withdrew my Holocaust revisionist videos, apologized, and pledged to never again speak publicly on the topic. That’s how JDL members dealt with content they disliked; they’d use threats and coercion to get it removed. Being in my 20s and not keen on the idea of dying (or being hunted for the rest of my life), I agreed to Rubin’s terms, and his triumphant post on the JDL website after receiving my “recantation” is so similar to CNN’s boasts about defeating GIF Guy, it’s frightening. Rubin stated that because I removed my revisionist materials, apologized, and promised to never create such content again, I”d be safe from the doxxing. Congrats, CNN; you”re now the JDL.
The Hollywood Disguise
Rather than slinking into obscurity, Cole re-emerged under the name David Stein, reinventing himself as a Hollywood conservative insider. For years, he partied with the Republican elite, throwing events where Breitbart writers mingled with industry types.
Image from https://bbsradio.com/guestson/guest-david-cole-stein
The irony? Many of the people who enjoyed his company had no idea they were sipping cocktails with a former Holocaust revisionist. That is, until 2013, when an angry ex-girlfriend blew his cover. The Hollywood conservative scene suddenly found itself in a PR nightmare: the man behind their lavish parties was that David Cole.
Aftermath and the Cole of Today
Once outed, Cole did what Cole does—he wrote about it. His book Republican Party Animalchronicles his bizarre double life, weaving together history, politics, and a fair bit of personal chaos. In the book, he explains that he never truly recanted his beliefs but rather was forced into silence. While he acknowledges that the Holocaust occurred, he continues to argue that aspects of the historical narrative have been exaggerated or misrepresented.
Image from https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/republican-party-animal/9200000028165655/
These days, he writes for Taki’s Magazine, where he continues to poke at sacred cows and annoy all the right people. Despite being blacklisted in many circles, he maintains his position as a provocateur, challenging historical narratives and political orthodoxy.
Image from https://www.takimag.com/contributor/David%20Cole/328/
Love him or hate him, David Cole has lived more lives than most. From a historical pariah to a Hollywood insider to an exiled provocateur, his story is nothing if not interesting.
Best Served Cole
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