In recent events, Joe Rogan and Elon Musk have reacted to remarks made by ABC Chair Kim Williams, who accused Rogan of exploiting people’s vulnerabilities, calling it ‘deeply repulsive’. Rogan shared a clip on social media platform X, captioned ‘LOL WUT’, featuring Williams’ critical comments made during his address at the National Press Club. Musk later chimed in, drawing a comparison between the ABC and Russian state media, referring to it as ‘their Pravda’, a term that signifies ‘truth’ and was historically associated with the Soviet Union’s official newspaper.
During his address, Williams stated that figures like Rogan ‘preyed on people’s vulnerabilities’ and contributed to spreading conspiracies. He expressed his disbelief that someone could hold such significant influence in the United States, describing it as ‘deeply repulsive’. This incident coincided with Musk’s criticism of the Australian government’s proposal to limit social media usage for minors, which he claimed could lead to governmental control over the internet, describing it as a backdoor method for controlling online access.
Williams has since stated he faced severe backlash after Rogan and Musk’s responses, noting he received a ‘huge pile-on’ of aggressive reactions online. He expressed concern over how discussing Rogan negatively led to vicious responses, with critics labeling him as ‘unhinged’ and an embarrassment to Australia.
This controversy comes as discussions arise regarding the influence of Rogan’s podcast on political figures. Notably, Vice-President Kamala Harris’s potential appearance on Rogan’s show has been debated, especially after former President Donald Trump featured on the podcast during his campaign, an appearance that was streamed over 27 million times. Rogan confirmed that Harris would not be appearing on his podcast, despite interest from her campaign, which was unable to find a suitable date for the recording.
Senior adviser to Harris, Stephanie Cutter, indicated that both sides were keen on the collaboration, yet logistical issues prevented it from happening. She noted that the absence of Harris on the podcast did not significantly affect the election outcome, emphasizing that discussions around her non-appearance had been extensive.
