Jon Stewart defends Joe Rogan over COVID vaccine ‘misinformation’

Jon Stewart is coming to the protection of fellow podcaster Joe Rogan over the uproar surrounding “misinformation” about vaccines that has prompted requires Spotify to sever ties with its $100 million star.

Stewart, the previous star of Comedy Central’s “The Each day Present” who's now internet hosting his personal gabfest on Apple’s streaming service, mentioned Thursday that “canceling” Rogan can be akin to banning Stewart from tv for his opposition to the Iraq warfare in 2003.

Jon Stewart defended fellow podcaster Joe Rogan in opposition to claims the Spotify star must be “canceled” for allegedly selling “vaccine misinformation.”

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“The New York Occasions, proper, was an enormous purveyor of misinformation, and disinformation,” Stewart mentioned of the newspaper’s editorial assist for the Iraq warfare.

“And that’s as vaunted a media group as yow will discover, however there was no accountability for them.”

The Occasions and different mainstream information organizations have been criticized for unquestioningly reporting the Bush administration’s claims that Saddam Hussein was growing weapons of mass destruction and that these efforts justified the US invasion.

"These are shifting sands." Jon Stewart makes such a wonderful level right here on Joe Rogan flap, one of the vital. "Who will get to resolve" what's thought-about "misinformation."
(Full clip: https://t.co/jsgy2T7PFv) by way of @mediaite@leia_idlibypic.twitter.com/pHiuAGxDrA

— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) February 10, 2022

No such weapons have been ever present in Iraq after American troops eliminated Saddam from energy and put in a pleasant authorities in Baghdad.

Stewart mentioned Thursday that whereas he was “very vocal” in opposing the Iraq warfare in 2003, he was within the minority.

“Couldn’t I've gone down and fallen down this — if Viacom or Comedy Central had wished to censor me — or had wished to take me off the — look, I’m not owed a platform. No person is,” he mentioned.

Stewart then added: “However my level is, these are shifting sands, and I feel I get involved with, nicely, who will get to resolve?”

Jon Stewart spoke out in protection of Rogan, whereas rocker Neil Younger eliminated his music from Spotify to protest Rogan’s podcast.

Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Rogan hit out at mainstream media shops similar to CNN on Thursday, calling them “dishonest” for his or her portrayal of his podcast.

The host of “The Joe Rogan Expertise” referred to as out CNN media reporter Brian Stelter and primetime host Don Lemon personally, saying: “Cease this editorial perspective with guys like Brian Stelter and Don Lemon that no person listens to.”

Rogan added: “No person is, like, chiming in saying, ‘Oh yeah, lastly we get the voice of cause.’ No person thinks that.”

Rogan has been on the middle of controversy in latest weeks after rocker Neil Younger pulled his music from Spotify to protest the podcaster’s present. Younger and others have assailed Rogan for interviewing medical officers who've been accused of “spreading vaccine misinformation.”

Joe Rogan has additionally come beneath hearth for utilizing the N-word, although he says viral video clips of him uttering the slur have been taken out of context.

NBCU Photograph Financial institution/NBCUniversal by way of Getty Photos

After Younger pulled his content material from the favored streaming platform, different artists like Joni Mitchell and India.Arie adopted go well with.

Requires Spotify to chop ties with Rogan intensified even additional over the previous week after viral movies on social media present the host uttering the N-word — although the clips have been spliced in a method that decontextualized the feedback.

However Spotify’s CEO informed staffers that whereas he condemned Rogan’s use of racial slurs, he had no plans to terminate the $100 million contract with the favored podcaster, who instructions an viewers of some 11 million listeners.

Spotify tried to appease Rogan critics by culling greater than 100 outdated episodes of the podcast from its platform.