this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2025
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After months of sharply criticizing President Donald Trump’s actions, decisions and rhetoric, the left-leaning MeidasTouch Podcast overtook the Joe Rogan Experience for the first time last week, according to YouTube’s weekly ranking of top podcast shows.

While Rogan’s 20.1 million YouTube followers dwarf MeidasTouch’s 5.2 million, the podcasting giant’s show finished in second place. Progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen and conservative-leaning Sean Ryan’s shows also made the top ten.

The MeidasTouch Podcast saw its rankings climb in July as Trump attempted to appease Congress, the media, and voters over his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, with episodes zeroing in on the president’s past ties to and comments about the disgraced financier.

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[–] F_OFF_Reddit@lemmy.world 122 points 1 day ago (8 children)

I have no fucking idea why people watch Rogan, he's not particularly well versed in anything other than martial arts, he's not brilliant or even well spoken or educated by any stretch of the imagination... it feels to me as if he became popular because the average idiot finds this interesting but in reality he's just talking about nonsensical themes with some guests that, surprisingly, are quite well educated themselves.

I'll always remember this man as the crazed idiot who screamed bloody murder at a zoologist because her findings, research and experience contradicted what he wanted to showcase so at that moment he truly showed who he was.

[–] Khlo@lemmy.zip 1 points 41 minutes ago

What's this story about the zoologist?

[–] MisterNeon@lemmy.world 108 points 1 day ago (1 children)

he's not brilliant or even well spoken or educated by any stretch of the imagination

That's the point. He's the average American idiot. I grew up with legions of these guys. He got people to eat bugs in the 2000s for insane ratings.

The masses are garbage people.

[–] criss_cross@lemmy.world 11 points 16 hours ago

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with listening to people that aren’t smart for podcasts. I listen a lot to sports podcasts that are just 2 people shooting the shit about random things.

Now it IS a problem if you base your political identity and take voting advice from them yes. Joe Rogan should not be someone ever reported on by CNN.

But saying that every podcaster has to have a PHD is a bit heavy handed.

[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 42 points 1 day ago

He’s like a friend’s older brother who isn’t educated but tells coolbro stories and conspiracies with no backing. It’s edgy and cool if you’re 14 with no life experience, but besides that it’s just noise which helped Yamtits get elected.

[–] TJDetweiler@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Rogan used to have great stuff on his show pre-covid, especially MMA talks. He even had a great episode with Michael Osterholm at the beginning of the pandemic.

Shortly after that, he 180'd on his vaccine stance, and moved from Cali to Texas. Since then, he's been a total conservative pundit.

I've long since kicked Rogan from anything I listen to, but there was a time where he was entertaining, and did have great guests. Some of his "talking nonsense" was kind of what made his show fun, when it was harmless. Now he spreads misinformation and perpetuates brainrot in young men.

[–] cuerdo@lemmy.world 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I am in the same boat.

Joe Rogan was a good interviewer, he is humble and unassuming and gives enough space to the guest to share. If you are into the guest, then you will enjoy it, I really enjoyed his interview on Tarantino and a few others.

It is also nice when he interviews comedians, since you can see the camaraderie and some of them are really funny, like Chapelle, Burr or CK. It is very interesting to listen to them if they are given space.

I stopped to listen when it became obvious that he is monetizing or capitalizing all the audience he has gained over the years. He is not a neutral commentator, he is a pundit with an agenda and he is making bank on it. That has degraded the image I had of him to the image I have of people as O'Reilly or the Bow-Tie guy.

It is a shame but I will not listen to anything from his show on principle.

[–] EtAl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

For me, it was the episode when he had Tim Pool on with the Twitter executives. Pool was like "Twitter discriminates against conservatives" and Vijaya Gadde was like "Moderation is not discrimination". Rogan did realize his mistake five minutes into the episode, but he showed just how impressionable he was. The whole show lost the allure after that. There's a thin line between curious and gullible.

[–] cuerdo@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

I don't mind gullible. I think that is just part of his persona.

What I mind is that he is a dishonest and malicious manipulator.

It became obvious in his political commentary that he was subjective on purpose with an agenda, that means he is being paid one way or another.

When he finally endorsed Trump, it became undeniable.

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 day ago (1 children)

People also like McDonald's and coca cola ...... even when they have runaway diabetes.

The popularity of something or someone is just a barometer of the general intelligence of a population ..... and judging by what's happening in the US, it's a very low level indeed.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

runaway diabetes

The kind of diabetes Soul Asylum get on a train?

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

I know you were making a joke about everything .... but your reminder and note about the song Runaway Train by Soul Asylum was just the right thing I needed right now. I love that song and its always a reminder of just how lucky I've been in my life. I'm middle aged now and I've built some sort of life for myself ... I have enough, I've done lots and I've yet to do more ... if circumstances hadn't have turned out when I was lot younger (and trust me, I had plenty of opportunities to ruin my life early on), I would have ended up in similar lost stories as some dumb kid that disappeared into nothing never to be heard from again.

So whatever, your meaning to post your comment and that link ... I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's a subtle little nudge in my life that I needed today.

Thanks ever so deeply.

[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'll always remember this man as the crazed idiot who screamed bloody murder at a zoologist because her findings, research and experience

I missed that because I keep as little Joe Rogan in my life as possible, who was that? What was she talking about?

[–] zildjiandrummer1@lemmy.world 5 points 23 hours ago

I, too, would love to laugh at this 1% fascist-supporting useful idiot.

[–] vegeta@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I think he was right to yell at her, after all there is plenty of photographic evidence of the Bondo Ape. There is even a video of it actually speaking as of 8/1/25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq4y2vh8TD8&t=2134s

[–] redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com -5 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

Before he sold his soul to Spotify for 100m he had a few kinds of guests that were interesting. Fringe stuff like Grant Hancock who's got some real archeology content mixed with some more wild hippity dippity stuff. Bob Lazar and UFOs which mostly stopped after Spotify. Random authors. UFC fighters and comedians(not as many of them now either).

Joe was a good listener and competent conversationalist when he's interested, like his interviews with Neil Degrass Tyson. Problem is his interests are mostly money now.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 17 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

Fringe stuff like Grant Hancock who’s got some real archeology content mixed with some more wild hippity dippity stuff.

Graham Hancock is a complete and utter fraud. He’s so full of shit that if you gave him an enema he’d shrivel to a stick figure.

That “debate” between him and Flint Dibble is fucking pathetic. Please don’t even suggest that that pseudo archeologist hack is worth any fucking respect.

[–] redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 17 hours ago (2 children)

The interesting stuff I remember from him was south america lidar. Legit research that wasn't mainstream at the time. Guy is for sure Looney but he wouldn't have the following he does if it was all bullshit forever.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 12 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

He went insane in the late 80’s/90’s, by his own admission spent most of the time really stoned. 1992 is when his book about the Ark of the Covenant/Holy Grail came out. He has zero archeological credentials, has argued that his mythical advanced civilization built pyramids on Mars, and has done obscene damage to popular understandings of archeology.

It is cool that real archeologists found advanced (but not space faring technology advanced) structures using LIDAR in Ecuador. It is not cool that he uses that research, which he was not involved in because he is not an archeologist, to argue for a mythical hyper advanced civilization that was wiped out by a meteor impact. Half of the AI archeology slop memes that pollute Facebook are from shit he made up; the other half is Von Daniken/Zechariah Sitchin’s Annunaki bullshit.

He’s also a trash human being - the way that he and Rogan’s audience treated Flint Dibble, who was going through treatment for cancer at the time, was absolutely disgusting.

Miniminutemen does a good job of ripping him to shreds.

[–] redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 17 hours ago

Fits for the "dropped too much acid in 79" vibe I remember. I don't remember anything of his mostly stuff he read and was repeating. Vaguely remember skipping the stuff where he pluggs his books. Remember Joe getting him of telekinesis tangent and laughing, was fun to see Joe Cringe.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 7 points 16 hours ago

What world do you live in. He wouldn’t have the following if he was full of bullshit? What shape is the planet you live on round or flat?

[–] Dozzi92@lemmy.world 5 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, I listened to earlier stuff, the ones you mentioned, even when he had Tom DeLonge on. Hamilton Morris was good. When he has guests on that talk about drugs, and the paranormal, and outer space, or just weird shit, it was interesting, and like him or not he can talk about anything with anyone.

It's when it comes to the politicking that his agenda is very clear, and whether it's his own agenda or just the money talking, doesn't matter.

[–] redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Probably a big impact changing social circles moving to Texas too.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

I just read an article about his social circles moving again out of Texas saying that Texas sucked shit compared to LA or New York.

[–] aramova@infosec.pub 2 points 18 hours ago

He's just a modern Art Bell with protein powder and a lot less entertainment value.