The host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” made the trip back to the stand-up stage this past week out in Texas where he did a set to mock left-wing efforts to cancel him.
Along with the jabs at left-wing cancellers, he mocked the controversy about his past use of a racial slur, which blew up online several days ago in the wake of one left-wing group highlighting the instances where he made use of the word, which were said to be taken out of context entirely by Rogan.
“I haven’t used that word in years,” Rogan said. “But it’s kind of weird people will get really mad if you use that word and tweet about it on a phone that’s made by slaves.”
Groups on the political left, which includes the Biden administration, have made insanely hard pushes over the past few weeks to force Spotify to take action and punish Rogan for what they claim was spreading dangerous misinformation in regards to the pandemic.
The entire controversy then shifted from the failing alleged misinformation route to a gambit that attacked his past use of a racial slur, which led to him giving out an apology.
As stated in a release this past week from former President Donald Trump, Rogan should stop apologizing to the political left due to it making him look “weak and frightened.”
“Joe Rogan is an interesting and popular guy, but he’s got to stop apologizing to the Fake News and Radical Left maniacs and lunatics,” Trump stated. “How many ways can you say you’re sorry? Joe, just go about what you do so well and don’t let them make you look weak and frightened. That’s not you and it never will be!”
Ron DeSantis, the Florida Republican Governor, also chimed in on the issues, stating that Rogan should not have issued his apology.
“The mob will come after people, and they’re targeting Rogan because he’s threatening to upset the apple cart on some of the things that they’re holding dear,” DeSantis stated. “And with COVID, he’s just bringing opposing views. He’s letting people decide. They say he’s against [the COVID vaccine]. I do not listen to his show, but then I read he specifically advocated for people with co-morbidities and elderly to get vaccinated.”
“I think a lot of the legacy outlets and I think the left fear the fact that he can reach so many people, and so they’re out to destroy him,” continued the Governor. “But what I would say is don’t give an inch. Do not apologize. Do not kow to the mob. Stand up and tell them to pound sand; if you do that, there’s really nothing that they’re able to do to you. The only way they have power is if you let them get your goat.”
Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify, also put out a comment this past Sunday that announced that the company would continue to stand with Rogan in the wake of an “n-word” controversy.
“While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more. And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer,” claimed Ek. “We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.”
Ek stated in the note sent out to staff that it was entirely Rogan’s choice to take down a few dozen episodes of “The Joe Rogan Experience” from the platform.