The hits keep coming for embattled podcaster Joe Rogan.
Amid increasing backlash to his spread of COVID-19 disinformation and use of racist language, Spotify has begun making overtures that Rogan’s days with the streaming giant may be numbered.
Publicly, Spotify has stood by Rogan up until this point, with CEO Daniel Ek sending a letter supporting him to employees of the company.
Behind-the-scenes, however, things appear to be in chaos.
The platform recently announced that it would start adding content advisory labels to podcasts dealing with COVID-19 misinformation. Now, The Independent reports that Spotify has quietly removed over 100 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience. Tellingly, the episodes deal with much more than just COVID-19.
Episodes featuring fellow conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and alt-right troll Milo Yiannopolis have gone missing from the platform. Spotify had previously banned Jones for hate speech, though it did subsequently allow Rogan to interview him on The Joe Rogan Experience.
The expunging of more than 100 of Rogan’s episodes coincides with an offer by the CEO of the streaming platform Rumble, who has publicly offered Rogan $100 million to ditch Spotify for his platform instead.
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Rumble, which is bankrolled by far-right billionaire Peter Thiel, also has deals with right-wing commentator Glenn Greenwald and ex-LGBTQ ally/former U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, as well as a partnership with TRUTH Social, Donald Trump‘s hypothetical social media service.
“We stand with you, your guests, and your legion of fans in desire for real conversation,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski wrote in an open letter posted on Twitter. “So we’d like to offer you 100 million reasons to make the world a better place.”
“How about you bring all your shows to Rumble, both old and new, with no censorship, for 100 million bucks over four years? This is our chance to save the world. And yes, this is totally legit.”
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At the time of this writing, Rogan has not responded to the offer.
In 2020, Spotify cut a deal with Rogan granting them exclusive rights to his show to the tune of $100 million. Recent weeks have seen a plethora of other podcast hosts and musicians–notably Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, India Arie, and Mary Trump–cut ties with the company over its continued support of Rogan.
Rogan has issued apologies both for his spread of COVID-19 misinformation and use of racist language.
jayhalleaux
Rumble offer has no teeth. Spotify has exclusive rights to Joe’s entire catalogue. They don’t automatically follow him.
Jake123
Yeah they definitely aren’t going to part ways with him and if they did I imagine he will distribute his content by himself. And definitely has the money to do it. We all know this story is going to blow over in a few days like all the ones about celebs that say something racist/homophobic. Why even lose sleep over it at this stage ?
mastik8
Wishful thinking. The Rumble offer was free and much needed publicity for them, no more. It also made them appear more open minded – they can handle free speech and its consequences in a way that the Left cannot. Not true but there you go, politics per usual.
James Hart
This article says that commentator Glenn Greenwald is right-wing. Wrong. Greenwald is a socialist – and his husband is a socialist in the Brazilian Parliament. Queerty doesn’t like Greenwald because he calls out the bull shit on both conservatives and liberals. As the American Communist Party says: Scratch a liberal and you’ll find a fascist.
Cam
Sweetie, he regularly appears on Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham’s shows and attacks the Democratic party.
Again if you’re going to troll, do a better job.
ZzBomb
Glen Greenwald is as right wing and delusional as they come.
BoomerMyles
Greenwald is a self-avowed libertarian. He is the antithesis of a socialist.
Prax07
Scratch a conservative and you’ll find demon scales.
Darryl R
Liberals used to be counter culture and rebel against the status quo……..pro freedom, pro free speech, pro live and let live any way you want…….sadly they have become what they used to hate the most preachy judgmental queens that would prefer to rule and dictate rather than listen and be reasonably open minded. Joe Rogan is neither conservative nor right wing and this tempest in a teapot is tribute to what used to be the left wing being swallowed up whole by DNC dementia corporate group think………..congrats guys!! Great job! The future will be enhanced for sure by putting up gates……….act up is turning over in their collective graves SMDH as a 60 year old queer.
Cam
New screename same old troll account.
Funny how the right wing is in a panic and crying free speech to defend Rogan from a corporation possibly doing what it needs to do to keep it’s customers happy.
And it is very telling that Republicans like this troll only care about speech when it’s somebody having anti-vaxxers and racists on the podcasts. Call me when you defend a teacher who is teaching about Slavery in a U.S. School from being fired.
Spotify, is a corporation, they are entitled to hire and fire anyone they want to based upon profit. This is the world Republicans wanted, deal with it.
ZzBomb
” preachy judgmental queens that would prefer to rule and dictate rather than listen and be reasonably open minded”
There’s no rational debate for racism. Sorry but I don’t have to be “open minded” to people who racially slur others.
oaksong
Tulsi was NEVER an ally. Believe that and I can introduce you to her good friend Melania.
basils_Herald
I am so happy that Trevor Noah included excerpts of what Joe Rogan actually said on his show. I honestly hadn’t thought about cancelling my Spotify subscription because he’d said the n-word (which is how I understand what was happening at first). Spotify pays musicians like Lil Naz $0.003 per track and then takes the money they make from streaming his music to give $100 million to Joe Rogan. I can afford to buy my media library. It’ll take me a while but the artists deserve to be paid for their work and apparently there isn’t a music streaming service without a market of Joe Rogan aficionados.
Heywood Jablowme
I saw that too. (Trevor Noah is so damn cute!) Like many people I’d thought for a while about paying for Spotify. And until a few weeks ago I’d never even heard of Joe Rogan. After all this ruckus, and learning how Spotify screws the musicians, yeah I’ll pass! There are other ways to find out about new music.
Jim
Daniel Ek is covering his ass. Joe will remain on Spotify as long as Daniel makes a buck.
Have you asked yourself why Ed allowed Rogan’s podcasts where he’s using the N word on until it was made public that they were there.
Is Daniel a racists no just greedy.
Wait no, he could still be a racist
Cam
Republicans apparently think that Rogan has the free speech right to lie about covid and say racist things, but none of Spoitfy’s customers also have a the free speech right to express displeasure and cancel their acounts.
Could the Republicans please give us a list of the people who have speech rights and the ones who don’t?
ZzBomb
Gawker did a hilarious piece on alllllll the people defending Rogan on twitter… turns out its exactly who you’d think would come to the support of a moron like Joe: MMA fighters.
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And Caityln Jenner
MJCochran56
LOL, IT’S THE OTHER WAY AROUND!! ‘RUMBLE’ JUST OFFERED JOE ROGAN $100 MILLION TO BRING HIS PODCAST OVER THERE. LOOKS LIKE HE’S ACCEPTING!! LMAO!!
Heywood Jablowme
Rogan has a contract with Spotify, he can’t just break it unilaterally. As others have noted, this is just a publicity play by Thiel and the other Rumble backers.
rt6712
Glenn Greenwald is not a “ right-wing commentator.”