Joe Rogan may be the single most powerful voice in modern broadcasting.
Don’t brush him off as just another “bro.”
This should genuinely concern us. Rogan’s show surpasses every other talk show across all news networks—by a wide margin. With 14 million regular listeners, his reach is staggering. For context, back in the 1960s, when only three TV networks existed, Walter Cronkite had 30 million viewers. In today’s crowded media landscape, Rogan pulling in half those numbers is astounding.
What’s even more alarming is his audience’s demographic. Unlike FOX, CNN, or MSNBC, which mostly cater to viewers over 60, Rogan’s listeners skew much younger. This means he’s shaping the opinions of a younger, highly impressionable, and valuable demographic. The long-term impact on American political culture is profound.
Rogan often claims he used to support Bernie Sanders, painting himself as a former leftist. Whether that’s true or a convenient narrative to obscure his current right-wing leanings is debatable. With a $250 million Spotify contract (up from $100 million in 2020) and backing from figures like Elon Musk—whom some might describe as a “Mussolini fascist” a.k.a. Dark MAGA crowd—Rogan’s shift towards the right is unmistakable. Even before hosting Trump on his show, Rogan was subtly aiding the anti-woke and Trumpist movements. On the day of the election he came out in support of Trump. Marc Maron nailed it in a recent article here:
"The anti-woke flank of the new fascism is being driven almost exclusively by comics, my peers. Whether or not they are self-serving or true believers in the new fascism is unimportant." ~Marc Maron
It’s increasingly evident that a wave of comedians is fueling the right-wing/anti-woke movement. Rogan’s ties to Alpha Brain supplements, is a major advertiser for rising right-wing podcasters like Andrew Schulz, Tim Dillon, and Whitney Cummings.
Make no mistake: Joe Rogan isn’t just some random dude to write off. He builds how own computers. His skill in steering hours-long conversations toward anti-woke rhetoric and subtly swaying even the least political listeners towards right-wing ideology is nothing short of masterful. His propaganda tactics are equal to that of Goebbels, targeting young men in America and beyond. Think about this: no one else can get Trump to sit for a multi-hour interview. Not a single talk show has managed that with a former president campaigning for re-election. And Elon Musk, who reportedly makes $1.6 million an hour, willingly forfeits nearly $5 million to appear on Rogan’s show. That doesn’t happen without knowing the environment is favorable.
Don’t dismiss Rogan as some harmless bro. This is a man who built his own platform from the ground up, turning a quirky game show career into a $350 million empire of long-form conversations with ideological right-wing allies. He hand-picks his guests, controls his narrative, and dominates the comedy scene, particularly in Austin, Texas, which he’s effectively turned into a comedy mecca. He’s pulled numerous celebrities and comedians—like Duncan Trussell—into his orbit, many of whom now act as his yes-men. Trussell is like that little dog agreeing with everything Spike says.
Over thousands of episodes, Rogan’s drift to the right has become more pronounced. Given enough time, he could make FOX News look moderate by comparison. He relentlessly attacks CNN and MSNBC as “fake news” but conspicuously spares FOX, despite its abysmal accuracy rating of 17%. He praises Tucker Carlson as a “good journalist” and amplifies his message.
Yes, these are absurd times. But never underestimate your opponent.
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