British conservative columnist and author Douglas Murray called out Joe Rogan on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” for the podcast host’s tendency to platform guests with “fringe views” who spread misinformation under the guise of “just asking questions.”
Murray appeared on the Thursday episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” alongside Rogan and comedian Dave Smith, the latter of whom engaged in a heated debate with Murray about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Murray did not just use his appearance on the popular, increasingly influential podcast to debate Smith, though. He also used it to question Rogan for his habit of inviting guests on his show who harbor “counter-historical” views.
“I just feel we should get it out straight away,” Murray told Rogan. “I feel you’ve opened the door to quite a lot of people who have now got a big platform who have been throwing out counter-historical stuff of a very dangerous kind.”
Murray argued that Rogan should be more careful about platforming guests who share opinions about global conflicts and global history without being experts on the matters in question. The British cultural commentator specifically called out said guests’ tendency to claim they are “just asking questions” when they are, in fact, promoting misinformation or dangerous conspiracy theories.
“If you throw a lot of s—t out there, there’s some point at which ‘I’m just raising questions’ is not a valid thing anymore,” Murray argued. “You’re not asking questions. You’re telling people something.”
Rogan countered that he does not choose his guests based on their personal beliefs but in his interest in them. “I don’t think about it that way,” the podcast host said. “I just think, ‘I’d like to talk to that person.’”
Murray is not the first to criticize Rogan for his guest selection over the years. The podcast host’s tendency to focus on conspiracy theories and interview conspiracy theorists has been called out by plenty of figures both prominent and not, particularly during America’s recent election cycles and the COVID pandemic.
Rogan has never shied away from wading into political matters with his guests on his podcasts. Near the end of 2024, he even famously endorsed Donald Trump over Kamala Harris for president. Murray’s comments, consequently, come at a time when many are discussing the dangers of comedians and entertainers becoming mainstream platformers for political and cultural ideas that may not always hold up to factual, historical or moral scrutiny.
