Joe Rogan defended his decision to host guests with widely contested views on the coronavirus, insisting he is “interested in talking to people with different opinions.” In a nearly 10-minute video posted on his Instagram, the podcaster apologised to Spotify for the backlash faced over his programme and discussed potential changes he could bring in to limit criticism. Spotify has been threatened to see artists hosted on the platform withdraw permission to stream their music in protest to Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Addressing his followers, Mr Rogan said: “I do not know if they’re right. I don’t know because I’m not a doctor. I’m not a scientist.
“I’m just a person who sits down and talks to people and has conversations with them.
“Do I get things wrong? Absolutely. I get things wrong, but I try to correct them whenever I get something wrong.”
He continued: “I try to correct it because I’m interested in telling the truth.
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“I’m interested in finding out what the truth is, and I’m interested in having interesting conversations with people that have differing opinions.
“I’m not interested in only talking to people that have one perspective.”
Mr Rogan singled out Dr Peter McCullough and Dr Robert Malone as two of the main guests behind the ongoing controversy.
Fact-checking organization Science Feedback claimed both guests appeared on the show and made multiple unsubstantiated allegations over the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Spotify struck a reported nine-figure deal to host Rogan’s podcast exclusively.
Last week, musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell both withdrew their music from Spotify in protest, with Young citing Joe Rogan’s “false information about vaccines” as a reason.
Fans of 76-year-old Young have since pointed out that he suffered from polio as a child due to there being no vaccine at the time of his birth.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who struck an £18 million deal with the platform, are now also “expressing concerns” to Spotify about Covid-19 misinformation but say they will continue to work with the platform.