During a recent discussion with stand-up comedian Dave Smith on his popular podcast, Joe Rogan praised Tucker Carlson’s move to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, now called X. The conversation delved into the perceived controversy surrounding figures like Rogan and Carlson, exploring their influence and public perception.
Rogan initiated the conversation by suggesting that Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News in April was the result of his controversial viewpoints challenging the status quo. Although the exact reason for Carlson’s departure from Fox News was not officially disclosed, it occurred amidst legal issues involving the show’s staff and a lawsuit related to harassment allegations.
Smith joined the conversation, comparing the way mainstream media portrays both Rogan and Carlson as controversial and polarizing figures, despite their immense popularity. Smith highlighted that their massive followings, as evidenced by being “number one” in their respective domains—cable news for Carlson and podcasting for Rogan—contradict the notion of their marginalization or unpopularity.
Smith continued to argue that the public’s attraction to Rogan and Carlson is rooted in their perceived authenticity. He posited that viewers sense that these figures are not simply peddling approved narratives, as some mainstream media outlets might do, making their content more appealing to a discerning audience seeking honest discussions.
Rogan concurred with Smith’s observation, expressing agreement with the notion that their popularity was due to their authenticity. He remarked on Carlson’s approach to pushing boundaries on his Fox News show, often discussing topics that diverged from mainstream narratives.
The conversation also touched on Carlson’s propensity to delve into conspiracy theories, with Rogan applauding him for his willingness to discuss controversial and unconventional topics on a large platform. This included Carlson’s exploration of unproven conspiracy theories, such as suggesting that the CIA was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Rogan and Smith praised the freedom that Carlson now enjoys on the platform X (formerly Twitter), highlighting how his departure from Fox News has given him the opportunity to express himself more candidly. This prompted discussions about the importance of open discourse and the need for people to be informed and critical thinkers.
, “Well, it’s very interesting that if you know, we’ve talked about this before, when we played clips about CNN talking about you and stuff and like that. If you listen like CNN, the way they talk about you or the way they talk about Tucker Carlson, now that you guys are in different worlds, but the way they talk about you, too, is like you’re these very controversial figures who say all of these things that are not approved of and these like very, very polarizing figures.”
“But then you’re like, no, they’re, he’s the number one guy in cable news and you’re the number one guy in podcasting. Like you guys, how are you guys viewed as controversial? But like, CNN is talking to an audience of like 200,000 people and letting you know, you know, people are very skeptical of these guys and like, no, they’re not. These are the most popular figures. And it’s because people can at least smell that you’re not bullshitting them the way these guys are,” Smith argued, suggesting Rogan’s and Carlson’s popularity somehow means they are reliable sources of information.
Rogan quickly agreed, saying, “Right.”
Smith continued and concluded by noting how the news division at Fox and Carlson, an opinion host, differed in their programming. “If you look at like, you know, the daytime at Fox News where they were on the war in Ukraine versus where Tucker was or where they were on lockdowns versus where Tucker was, it is a night and day difference. And so, of course, they removed the one interesting guy,” Smith concluded.
“Well, he was kind of doing podcasting on TV. He had gotten to the point where his show was so huge that he could kind of get away with it. And he incrementally kept ramping it up to he’s like, ‘the CIA killed Kennedy,’” Rogan added, praising Carlson for publicly pushing unproven conspiracy theories.
“Jesus, bro,” Rogan quipped.
“Yeah, he started, he started really going for it. That was great, people need to hear that,” Smith replied.
“Well, the beautiful thing is now he’s just going forward on Twitter and, you know, Elon’s like, okay, go ahead,” Rogan said.
“And you can see it in him that even though he was going for it on Fox, you can see the freedom he has like on Twitter where he’s like, okay, I’m not pulling any punches now. Yeah, and I love that. That’s beautiful,” Smith replied.
“Well, it’s important. It really is, because people need to wake the fuck up
The episode also touched on 2020 election denial conspiracy theories, with Rogan and Smith expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the election. This viewpoint aligns with previous claims made by Rogan regarding election fraud in Arizona, which have contradicted official audit findings.
Joe Rogan & Dave Smith on Why Tucker on X is So Important
"The beautiful thing is now he's going forward on Twitter…Even though he was going for it on FOX, you can see the freedom he has on Twitter…It's important, it really is. People need to wake the f–k up."@joerogan… pic.twitter.com/fJO2tL6ah5
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) August 24, 2023
