Podcast host Joe Rogan said “nobody listens to” CNN hosts Brian Stelter and Don Lemon as “the voice of reason” on “The Joe Rogan Experience” Thursday.
Rogan, joined by standup comedian Dave Smith, criticized CNN’s coverage of the host using “horse dewormer” to combat COVID-19 in September, even though he took ivermectin as his treatment method. He said the outlet should have investigated his speedy recovery and criticized their lack of coverage on the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody treatments in fighting the Delta variant.
“If you’re a business, and your business is the news and you want more people to pay attention, you should be honest,” Rogan said. “And my thoughts for CNN, my advice to them—I don’t hate CNN, I used to go to them everyday for the news before they started f*cking hating on me.”
“If you want to do better, just f*cking change your model. Change the way you do it. Stop this editorial perspective with guys like Brian Stelter and Don Lemon that nobody listens to. Nobody is chiming in saying ‘oh yeah, finally we get the voice of reason.’ Nobody thinks that.”
Rogan said he will support the outlet when they change their business model and solely report “objective news.” (RELATED: Joe Rogan Confronts CNN’s Sanjay Gupta Over The Network Lying About His Ivermectin Usage)
“Have people give out effective news, objective news, rather, and I’ll support you. I will turn around 100% and I’ll be one of the people that tells people ‘I saw this on CNN, watch this on CNN. CNN has a different business model. They’re just being objective news now,’ I’m with you.”
Stelter said that Rogan “wings” information about COVID-19 rather than relying on verified information provided from newsrooms such as his own on Feb. 1. The host questioned why people would trust Rogan over CNN with information related to COVID-19.
Rogan and his show’s platform, Spotify, have come under fire recently for allegedly spreading misinformation about vaccines. Over 270 doctors wrote a letter to the platform to enact a COVID-19 misinformation policy in response to Rogan’s interview with Dr. Robert Malone, a virologist who questioned the safety of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines despite his contribution to creating the technology.
Musician Neil Young, along with other musicians, requested that his music be removed from Spotify for “potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread” about vaccines.
Spotify announced in late-January that they will begin attaching warning labels to COVID-19 content and direct its listeners with a “COVID-19 Hub” to provide information on the virus.