There’s something idiosyncratically American about Joe Rogan. Maybe it’s his frat-boyish persona. His passions for hunting and extreme sports. Perhaps, most of all, Joe Rogan embodies some whimsical notion of the American dream: a college dropout turned stand-up comedian, who worked his way up to become one of the world’s media titans. His podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, was licensed to Spotify in 2020, in a deal reportedly worth $100m. Last year, it was Spotify’s most-streamed podcast globally, in the US and the UK. Rogan is, anyone would have to admit, quite the big deal.
And yet, he is a polarising figure. A staunch libertarian, Rogan has faced accusations of sexism and transphobia over remarks made on the podcast. His diverse list of guests includes everyone from A-listers to online eccentrics. Robert Downey Jr, Kanye West, Edward Snowden and Elon Musk are among those to have graced his show. Rogan has also become known for hosting controversial guests on his programme, allowing the airing of offensive opinions and misinformation – something that’s become increasingly scrutinised during the pandemic. Last month, a group of 270 medical experts petitioned Spotify to curb Covid-related misinformation they claim is being shared on Rogan’s podcast, branding Rogan a “menace to public health”. Artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell have removed their music from Spotify in protest. Spotify stood by their man, who issued an apology, but agreed to add disclaimers before podcast episodes that discuss Covid. It’s right to condemn Rogan’s handling of Covid, of course. He has invited numerous vaccine sceptics onto the Experience over the past few years; when Rogan himself contracted Covid last year, he became a proponent of the controversial – and medically dubious – drug ivermectin, often used for deworming livestock. (The FDA clearly states: “While there are approved uses for ivermectin in people and animals, it is not approved for the prevention or treatment of Covid-19.”) His critics brand him an idiot. If so, he’s an idiot with the platform of a statesman.
