Podcast host Joe Rogan addressed media criticism directed toward him for making controversial statements about the coronavirus on his podcast, telling the mainstream media to reflect on why he garners such a large audience.
Speaking on concerns from the media during Thursday's episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Rogan suggested that the outlets not be so quick to label his comments on COVID as "disinformation."
"The answer is not to silence me, the answer is [for] you to do better," Rogan said. "The answer is for you to have better arguments. When you're on television talking about how I'm taking horse paste, and you know that's not true. 'He's taking horse dewormer.'"
"What you should have said, 'How did Joe Rogan get better so quick? How come he got COVID that’s killing everybody and he was better in five days, negative in five days, working out in six days?' How come that's never discussed?" Rogan continued.
Rogan, whose podcast draws an audience of about 11 million viewers, clarified that he believed monoclonal antibodies did more to help him recover from COVID than Ivermectin, which was prescribed to him by his doctor. After hearing he was using Ivermectin as one of his treatments for the coronavirus, media outlets such as CNN falsely claimed he was taking "horse dewormer."
During an episode of his podcast last year, Rogan pressed CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta on his network's claim that Rogan was taking "horse dewormer." Gupta was forced to admit that his colleagues were wrong about Rogan's use of Ivermectin. CNN, however, dismissed the suggestion that its anchors had been peddling misinformation.
Also on Thursday's podcast, Rogan offered advice to CNN, pointing out that it could attract a larger audience if it was more honest with its viewers.
"If you're in business and your business is the news, and you want to get 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 every day for the news until they start f---ing hating on me."
The podcast host also suggested CNN could bring in more viewers if it focused more on objective news reporting rather than partisan commentary.
"If you want to do better, just f---ing change your model, change the way you do it," Rogan said. "Stop this editorial perspective with guys like Brian Stelter and Don Lemon that nobody listens to. Nobody is like chiming in saying, 'Oh, yeah, finally we get the voice of reason.' Nobody thinks that. Have people that give out effective news, objective news, rather, and I'll support you. I would turn around 100 percent … and I'll be one of the people that tells people, 'I saw this on CNN, watch this on CNN.'"
Several musicians have been pushing Spotify to kick Rogan from their platform. Singers Neil Young and Joni Mitchell are among those who removed their music from Spotify after the company refused to take down Rogan's podcast.