Joe Rogan is currently embroiled in two controversies surrounding his massively popular podcast. While critics of Rogan have engaged in a campaign to try to force Spotify to cancel "The Joe Rogan Experience," former guests of the show rallied around the beleaguered podcaster to fight back.
Spotify deleted roughly 70 episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience" last week without providing an explanation for the purge.
A few days earlier, a compilation video went viral of Rogan saying the N-word in past podcasts. Rogan used the racial slur 24 times from episodes recorded years ago, well before his deal with Spotify.
On Saturday, Rogan issued an apology for using the racial slur, calling it "the most regretful and shameful thing I’ve ever had to talk about publicly." Rogan said the clips were taken "out of context" from "12 years of conversations."
This comes on the heels of a firestorm targeting Rogan and accusing him of spreading pandemic misinformation. The situation escalated when musicians threatened to remove their music libraries from Spotify, including Neil Young, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Joni Mitchell, India Arie, and Nils Lofgren.
Numerous former guests of "The Joe Rogan Experience" voiced their support for the embattled podcaster. One of Rogan's supporters even vowed to remove their content from Spotify if the streaming giant bends the knee to the outrage mob and cancels "The Joe Rogan Experience."
MIT research scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman: "I stand with Joe Rogan. It is not a coincidence that the attacks calling him racist come as pressure on Spotify to censor builds. Politicians and the media profit on division & outrage. They fuel the extremes that make us believe we're divided. We're not. We're in this together."
Former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard: "I get the feeling some people are using @joerogan's COVID interview as a pretext to silence his voice because he's not woke. Zealots of wokeism try to censor voices who don't agree with theirs, because they fear the absurdity and weakness of their positions will be exposed."
Rapper Zuby Music: "Joe Rogan has helped millions of people, all around the world, in a myriad of ways he can't possibly fathom. He has contributed more good to humanity than ALL of his haters and detractors combined. Bunch of salty losers. Joe is a genuine, honest, kind human being. That's why he is such a threat to people who are none of the above. I will vouch for him and defend him."
Former Evergreen State College professor and author Bret Weinstein: "Joe Rogan is taking flak because he’s over the target. I support him for the same reason every other person who understands the relationship between a free exchange of ideas and liberty supports him."
Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro: "Nobody targeting Joe Rogan right now gives two damns about anything he's said in the past. This is all just an opportunity for activists to destroy a guy who doesn't carry water for those with institutional power, and whose audience dwarfs their own. It is that simple."
Comedian Russell Peters: "This is my friend and brother @joerogan he’s a great human being and I will stand by him because I know WHO he is and not who they want you to think he is!"
Conservative cultural commentator Matt Walsh: "Nobody is offended by anything @joerogan said. Nobody is hurt. Nobody is a victim. They went digging for the 'offensive' comments. They’re happy to have found them. That’s why these damned vultures deserve a middle finger, not an apology. Rogan owes them nothing but contempt. Rogan is successful and a freethinker. That’s his crime. That’s why they’re coming for him. Not for anything he said about covid. Not for any jokes he made five years ago or whatever. That’s all a pretense. His real sin is that he couldn’t be controlled."
Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw: "I’m with @joerogan."
Journalist Glenn Greenwald: "That Rogan represents a threat to corporate media - because he questions, disputes and dissents from their herd propaganda - is only one reason they're united against him. Another is petty professional jealousy: millions watch and trust him while almost nobody watches/trusts CNN."
"Breaking Points" host Saagar Enjeti: "The effort to smear Joe Rogan as a racist is one of the most despicable efforts I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. They don’t actually care, they’re just trying to destroy him. We either live in a society where context matters or we don’t."
Neuroscientist Debra Soh: "Keep going @joerogan Every sane person sees this witch-hunt for what it is."
Comedian Whitney Cummings: "Don’t look to why so many people trust joe Rogan, look to why so few people trust the mainstream media."
Comic and libertarian podcaster Dave Smith: "A great person who has launched so many careers. He’s built an incredible show and heroically told the truth in the face of enormous pressure. I could give a s**t what no-no words he’s said in the past."
Journalist Andy Ngo: "After I was beaten by Antifa & hospitalized for a brain bleed in 2019, @joerogan offered to give me a voice even though I was unknown. The pile on against him now is because he’s willing to speak with those overlooked by the establishment. Thank you, Joe."
Comedic actor Rob Schneider: "'Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.' - Benjamin Franklin. Free Speech was made the 1st of our Freedoms because it is upon Free Speech that all of our other Freedoms. #ThanksJoeRogan."
Journalist Bari Weiss: "Grateful for @joerogan."
Comedian Andrew Schulz: "Rogan hit job started with misinformation. That didn’t stick so now it’s racism. Next it will be misogyny. After that transphobia. They are trying to make him radioactive bc they fear his influence. This isn’t about hate. It’s about silencing a powerful man THEY can’t control."
Political commentator Siraj Hashmi: "Joe Rogan isn’t some sort of menacing figure trying to take over the world. the dude literally just has an inquiring mind. even if he comes to the wrong conclusion sometimes, he keeps it moving and asks questions trying to get to the truth. isn’t that a virtue we should all want?"
Comedian Shane Gillis: "Rogan is the man. If they cancel him just end your Spotify subscription."
NFL player Nicholas Williams: "Naw we still rockin’ with @joerogan you heard it here 1st."
Comedian Tim Dillon: "It’s a political hatchet job. It’s obvious to anyone with eyes. The debate about the vaccine has been over. UK just opened no restrictions. They don’t want him on the air for the next election cycle. Press Sec asked Spotify to 'do more.' It’s not a conspiracy it’s out in the open."
North Korean human rights activist Yeonmi Park: "All I can say is we love and grateful to have you in this life journey!"
Podcast host Anthony Cumia: "Complete bulls**t what is going on. Joe has done so much for so many. Standing by my friend @joerogan."
Congressional candidate Chris Palombi: "Those coming after Joe Rogan claiming he is racist must not have listened to his podcast with Daryl Davis, which laid the blueprint for how you defeat racist ideologies - through the free exchange of ideas and liberty, not censorship."
Former MMA fighter turned podcaster Brendan Schaub: "If they cancel @joerogan every comic Rogan has ever helped should pull their podcast off Spotify. I’m down."
Comedian Donnell Rawlings: "I doubt very seriously if this picture would be possible if Joe Rogan was the person that 'they' trying to make him to be."
Last week, Jon Stewart defended Rogan by saying it is a "mistake" to censor a "person that you can engage with."
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