Photo Credit: RumbleJoe Rogan has rejected Rumble’s offer of $100 million to join the video hosting platform.
The video hosting platform offered Rogan was Spotify reportedly paid to snag exclusivity of the Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan responded to a question from a member of a stand-up audience while performing in Austin, Texas. The person asked Rogan whether he would consider moving his podcast from Spotify.
“No, Spotify has hung in with me, inexplicably; let’s see what happens,” Rogan told the audience, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Joe Rogan has faced considerable criticism over the last few months, starting in January with a letter from 270 medical professionals. The open letter asked Spotify to implement some kind of misinformation policy on podcasts like Joe Rogan’s. The letter specifically addresses the #1757 episode featuring Dr. Robert Malone.
Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young decided to remove his music from Spotify as a statement. Young references the open letter from medical professionals, urging Spotify to listen to them. Joni Mitchell and his former bandmates Crosby, Stills, and Nash joined in having their music removed from Spotify.
Both Spotify and Joe Rogan have addressed the controversy. CEO Daniel Ek has committed to implementing advisories on any podcasts that discuss COVID-19, but an internal letter to staffers says he believes ‘silencing Joe is a slippery slope.’
India Arie announced on Instagram that she would be pulling her music from Spotify over Joe Rogan’s comments about race. Over the weekend, a super-cut video of Rogan saying the n-word on his podcast began circulating on social media. On the most recent episode of JRE, Rogan addresses it.
“That video had always been out there. It’s like, this is a political hit job,” Rogan says. “And so they’re taking all this stuff I’ve ever said that’s wrong and smushing it all together.” Rogan also called the release of the video a relief because “it makes me address some sh*t that I really wish wasn’t out there,” he continues.
