Joe Rogan's know-nothing Gaza commentary - opinion

• Published date: 02 April 2024
• Author: COOKIE SCHWAEBER-ISSAN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

All seemingly true, top podcaster Joe Rogan should be in his element since he is now embroiled in the mother of all controversies, resulting from his March 26 interview with comedian Kurt Metzger as the two veered off their discussion of Candace Owens' recent departure from the Daily Wire, plunging right into the topic of the Israel-Hamas war

After voicing whether Owens had been fired for criticizing Israel," Rogan tried to come off as merely asking the questions that "no one else is asking." Metzger dutifully agreed that it's simply a matter of covering up for your team, meaning that if you're on the side of Israel, you ignore what Israel is doing, even if it looks like they are killing innocents. Relying upon a video he viewed, Rogan argues that the people whom he saw, being "blasted from the sky," seemed to be ordinary citizens and not Hamas operatives. Why wouldn't he believe what his eyes saw – everyone knows that there is no such thing as a doctored video!

But he didn't stop there, Rogan incredulously wondered how the same "tribe of people" who suffered the horrors of the Holocaust could, themselves, turn around and commit similar atrocities upon others. This is where Rogan hopes to display his virtue – by talking about the subject that no one else will expose.

There's only one problem. None of it is true nor does he even attempt to substantiate it. He simply throws out the accusation – similar to the "blast from the sky," which he saw but which he is unable to say from where it came, in what context, or when it occurred. In fact, he says, "It's so hard to imagine." Maybe that's because it's a lie spread by others which Rogan impulsively decided to adopt. But why?

The man, who is among the most popular podcasters, with an audience of around 15 million, certainly has the means, the staff, the access, and anything else needed to check up on an explosive accusation, which he has to know will foment the outrage of millions, willfully chose not to fact-check such a scandalous and libelous charge – perhaps just to be controversial and grab the limelight of a 24-hour news cycle?

One would think that there had to be more to it than that, unless he was trying to be part of an experiment in how far he could go before getting canceled for his arrogance and incitement – an affront to those who are fighting terrorists that raped, mutilated, burned and tortured innocent human beings.

One would ask, "Is anything sacred to him?"

It wasn't that long ago that Rogan...