Topline
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump are in discussions to appear on the top-ranked “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in the waning days of the presidential campaign, according to reports, as both try to broaden their appeal to young men, though Rogan has made withering remarks about them.
JOE ROGAN QUESTIONS EVERYTHING — “Podcast” — Pictured: (l-r) Joe Rogan, Duncan Trussell — (Photo by: … [+]
Key Facts
In a July interview with political commentator Michael Malice, Rogan called Harris “the worst” and an unpopular vice president, said he was bothered to see her suddenly viewed as a “hero” and “solution,” wondered if she was medicated with anti-anxiety medications because of “disconnected ramblings,” but still said he thinks she will win the presidency because people think she’s a stronger alternative than Trump.
In a September interview with comedian Tom Segura, Rogan said, “whoever’s coaching her, whoever’s the puppet master running the strings” is doing a “f****** amazing job.”
In 2022, Rogan said to podcaster Lex Fridman that he’s “not a Trump supporter in any way, shape or form” and has “had the opportunity to have him on my show more than once” but said no each time because he doesn’t want to help him, explaining that his show can “revitalize and rehabilitate” their public image in a “shocking way.”
The “Joe Rogan Experience” has never hosted Trump on the podcast, and Rogan has been outspoken about the candidate, calling Trump a “polarizing figure” and “existential threat to democracy,” although Rogan — a staunch defender of free speech — has also defended Trump supporters and criticized the internet’s portrayal of Trump.
Both candidates have decided to forego traditional media interviews and instead targeted specific—and large—niche audiences through popular podcasts.
Rogan, whose podcast is the largest in the U.S., touts a large audience of young men—including a large Black audience—a coveted demographic for both candidates.
Which Podcasts Has Harris Appeared On?
Harris visited host Alex Cooper on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, routinely ranked as Spotify’s second largest podcast next to Rogan’s and one of the 10 most popular podcasts for women, according to Edison Research. Cooper said the podcast has a “very mixed” political audience and typically does not discuss politics with its celebrity guests like Miley Cyrus or Post Malone. The episode with Harris episode now ranks as one of the most popular podcast episodes on Spotify. Harris also went on the “All the Smoke” podcast, hosted by former NBA stars in a growing segment of athlete podcasts that discuss sports and lifestyles. “All the Smoke” has hosted guests like Will Smith and Kobe Bryant and has more than one million followers on YouTube. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — Harris’s vice presidential pick — went on the “Smartless” podcast, a high-ranking show hosted by comedians Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes with several hundred thousand followers on Instagram and YouTube. “Smartless” has also hosted President Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, among other Democrats.
Which Podcasts Has Trump Appeared On?
Trump’s media blitz included the “All In” podcast, a business and technology-focused with more than half a million followers on YouTube; Lex Fridman’s podcast, a high-ranking show with a strong male audience that has hosted Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg for its more than 4 million followers on YouTube; Theo Von’s podcast, which has hosted dozens of comedians and Sen. Bernie Sanders alike for its more than 3 million YouTube followers; YouTuber Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast, which caters to a male audience in its nearly 5 million YouTube followers by routinely hosting boxers and wrestlers; the “Full Send Podcast” from the YouTube stars called the “Nelk Boys,” who became popular among its nearly all-male audience of 8 million followers on YouTube for prank videos; and the “Flagrant” comedy podcast, which has more than 1 million followers and hosts guests ranging from actor Peter Dinklage to UFC’s Dana White. Trump has also appeared in a Kick.com live-stream for controversial internet personality Adin Ross, which was later posted to his YouTube audience of more than 4 million followers. Most recently, Trump appeared on a podcast hosted by former NFL players called “Bussin’ With The Boys” — owned by digital media company Barstool Sports, which caters to sports and college-culture — which has more than half a million followers on YouTube.
Tangent
Comedian Theo Von — who hosted Trump several weeks ago on his podcast — held a two-hour-long episode with billionaire Mark Cuban, who discussed his support of Harris. Von mentioned in the episode that the Harris campaign reached out for a possible episode.
Key Background
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Harris’ campaign has been in touch with Rogan’s team, adding another popular podcast to her media blitz in the final days before the election. An interview with Rogan could boost Harris’ campaign as she looks to appeal to more male voters, an identified campaign goal. Trump has said he intends to go on the podcast, revealing last week in an interview with the “Nelk Boys” podcast that he has considered the move. The Twitter account for the “Joe Rogan Experience” has also hinted that Trump may be on the show, posting articles daily about Trump potentially being on the show and asking on X this Sunday if Trump should be a guest. Rogan, who stated he was not politically affiliated with the Republican party, said in early August that he liked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a person and a candidate, although he wasn’t endorsing his presidential bid. In 2020, the podcaster shared his appreciation for Bernie Sanders and later said he would rather vote for Trump than President Joe Biden. He revealed on his show that he voted for libertarian candidate Jo Jorgenson in 2020. Rogan has often been criticized for the conversations he hosts on his show, which often give a platform to far-right commentators and potentially dangerous conspiracy theorists. He has also been criticized for spreading false information during the Covid-19 pandemic and the vaccine.
Further Reading
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