Perhaps it's because I grew up in Texas, but it doesn't surprise me at all. If anything I'm surprised there haven't been more imitators. The US is full of dumbasses who want to believe the dumbest ****, Alex gives the ones who want to believe conspiracies about alien demons an outlet and hawks the brain pills while he's at it. When you get down to it the grift ain't that much different from more normal media personalities or reality TV stars, they're building a brand based of an image and cashing in.
Which is to say we're all ****ed and should just watch anime instead of caring. Like Berserk, the best 90s seinen anime.