Intense pressure on Spotify to cancel “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast is making the online entertainment company begin to bend. But that pressure is also building a groundswell of support for Rogan.
After the company didn’t bend to pressure, researchers began digging for “gotcha” material and they recently unearthed two dozen instances where he reportedly used the “N-word” to describe a Black person. Rogan apologized Saturday about the clips he claim are taken out of context from 12 years of conversations.
Spotify’s initial stance was to allow different views to be expressed in a respectful manner but the United States culture is increasingly “vaxx or axe”. Since the podcast host, Joe Rogan, has allowed discussion about COVID-19 that runs counter to mainstream views, many calls have come for banning Rogan.
YouTube has banned his video with controversial Dr. Robert Malone, who claims he patented mRNA vaccination back in the ’80s but objects to the way governments are using his invention.
After YouTube yanked the video, a letter signed by 270 people claiming to be health care workers urged Spotify to ban the inflammatory podcast host, which Spotify declined to do.
More powerful people and groups spoke against Rogan, prompting the company to add advisory labels on podcasts like Rogan’s. They added the advisory would include links to more mainstream voices about how to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It was like peeling off a few ones from a fat bankroll to give a homeless person money for a meal. Suddenly, everyone wants more.
Woke celebrities began adding their weight in the struggle. It began with Neil Young telling Spotify to yank all his music off their platform because they could not have both Joe Rogan and his music. Since Spotify has an exclusive contract with Rogan and listeners can hear Young’s music anywhere, they granted his request and immediately began removing his music. Surprise!
Rogan reportedly pulls in around 12 million viewers a month and about 60 percent are younger than 35, whereas Young’s audience size is half of Rogan’s and almost 60 percent are over 35. Younger audiences may not know who Young is and older ones may not be sure he’s still alive. The oldest may not even know about apps like Spotify. “Removing songs from streaming services is not the same as removing CDs from stores,” is the way a Financial Times report put it, adding consumers still spend the same amount for their monthly subscription but the money simply goes to other artists.
To counter the rising tide of anti-Rogan pressure, supporters of the podcast host are lining up to defend him.
MIT Research Scientist Lex Fridman said, “I stand with Joe Rogan.”
A former Democrat candidate for President, Tulsi Gabbard, spoke up on behalf of Rogan. “When we lose the right to speak freely without fear of punishment or threats to our livelihood, this isn’t democracy,” Gabbard proclaimed. “This must end or our democracy will.”
“Nobody is offended by anything @JoeRogan said,” opined Matt Walsh. “Nobody is hurt; nobody is a victim. They went digging for the ‘offensive’ comments. They’re happy to have found them.”
Neuroscientist Dr. Debra Soh said, “Every sane person sees this witch hunt for what it is.”
Rob Schneider, the comedian, noted Free Speech was made the 1st Amendment in the Bill of Rights because it is the right that all of our other Freedoms depend on. He added the hashtag #ThanksJoeRogan to his Twitter message of support for the podcast host.
And, last week, Jon Stewart added his voice in support of Rogan, saying it was stupid to censor someone you could engage with.
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