UFC Commentator and "The Joe Rogan Experience," podcast host Joe Rogan rarely holds back his opinion.
In early August, Rogan was questioned by other media hosts for pushing the conspiracy theory that the January 6 insurrection was a “false flag,” questioning whether it was the pro-Trump rioter Ray Epps who started the attack.
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Rogan routinely pushes the envelope with both guests and ideas. The host, who inked a $200 million deal with Spotify (SPOT) -) to exclusively carry his podcast in 2020, ran into trouble after discussing alternative causes and therapies to covid with his guests.
In January 2022, a panel of 270 doctors and scientists wrote an open letter to Spotify, demanding Spotify issue misinformation warnings or punishments for publishing alternative narratives on the platform. Popular musicians like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young pulled their music from the library.
The push worked, and Spotify began adding covid discussion warnings to its platform. Soon, many others followed suit with their own warnings, including Twitter and Facebook.
Rogan Wades Into Deep Waters
Rogan has rarely shied away from controversial topics, though the podcast host has historically shied away from at least one guest: former President Trump.
"I have had the opportunity to have him on my show, more than once, and I have said no every time," Rogan told podcast host Lex Friedman in June. "I don't want to help him, I'm not interested in helping him."
For years this has been Rogan's stance. He's firmly held that he has no intention of bringing Trump on the platform, despite hosting other controversial figures, including Kanye West and RFK Jr.
However Rogan seems to have changed his tune, telling entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David that the possibility is very much on the table.
"When are you having Trump on?" Bet-David asked.
"I don't know," Rogan answered coyly. "I don't know. Maybe."
He added that it probably was something that needed to happen given the weight of his podcast.
"At a certain point in time. It would be interesting to hear his perspective on a lot of things. I would like to know what is it actually like when you get into office...What is it like versus perception? What is it actually like when you get in that building?"
“When are you having Trump on?”
— Jonathan Kogan (@Kogz) August 3, 2023
“I don’t know…”@joerogan @patrickbetdavid @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/dkciZP4u5d
Having Trump on could boost numbers and visibility, not that Rogan really needs it.
While the details of his Spotify contract remain relatively fuzzy, Rogan is believed to make around $100,000 per podcast episode. His $200 million deal with the streamer is good for over three years, and he still offers paid advertisements on the show, which brings in more money. He's believed to receive between $20-$40 million per year from sponsorships for every 1000 downloads.
Given that Rogan averages 11 million views per episode (and his infamous Elon Musk episode got over six times that), a Trump podcast would almost certainly garner over the average -- and send shockwaves and soundbites for weeks to come.
