Podcast host made new allegations on Wednesday that several critics, including former U.S. presidents, “spent a lot of money” attempting to remove his hit show from Spotify after he was accused of spreading misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
On “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan sat down with behavior expert and author Chase Hughes to discuss social media and the importance of influence on various platforms while dealing with critics.
During the interview, Rogan revealed that his show lost a significant number of sponsors during the pandemic â despite having such â over various statements he made about vaccines and lockdowns.Â
“Well, the position that I was in during the COVID thing was very unique,” Rogan said.
“I had already â Id gotten such a head start. I was so far ahead of them,” he added. “They didnt realize my ability to say, Wait, this is â this doesnt make any sense. Like, none of this makes any sense.”Â
Rogan was previously accused of spreading misinformation during the pandemic after he told listeners he would not receive the shot if he was young and in good , while also criticizing COVID-19-era lockdowns.Â
At the time, Rogan claimed to have successfully used a cocktail of â including ivermectin â after he was diagnosed with the virus.
The podcast hosts remarks set off a media firestorm in the midst of the pandemic, with Rogan revealing this week that a slew of PACs and several other groups pressed Spotify and his sponsors to remove his show from the Sweden-based companys platform.Â
“Thank God I was on Spotify, and thank God Spotify is ,” Rogan said. “And also, it helped that I was number one in, like, 90 countries and not number 90 in one country, you know? That helped. That helped a lot.”Â
Rogan went on to claim during Wednesdays episode that even former presidents were involved in the alleged takedown.
“I cant even talk about it, but there [were] presidents involved â and former presidents involved â that were contacting Spotify,” Rogan said. “[They were] trying to get me . And it turned out to be right. All of it. Not a single [person] apologized.”Â
“I lost a lot, a lot during those days,” he added.Â
Rogan did not reveal which public officials or PACs were involved in the alleged attempt to derail his show.
He added “there was a lot of coordination” behind the efforts to remove his show, but said, “I dont talk about it too much because its â its pretty â its pretty deep.”
“It was nuts, but it didnt work, right?” Rogan continued. “But they tried. They spent a lot of money. A lot of money. It wasn’t a small amount of money, it wasn’t a small amount of people. It was a lot of people, and a lot of money. That part was spooky.”
Following the 2022 backlash surrounding Rogans portrayal of the pandemic and vaccines, Spotify announced it would “add a content advisory to any that includes a discussion about COVID-19.”
reached out to Spotify for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
