AUSTIN, TEXAS: Joe Rogan, a prominent figure known for hosting his widely popular podcast, has voiced his criticism against the government's handling of COVID-19 protocols. He highlights the detrimental impact these measures have had on numerous family businesses. As an influential UFC commentator and podcast host, Rogan's statements carry weight and have the potential to resonate with a vast audience.

Rogan's willingness to engage in discussions about various topics on his podcast has allowed him to cultivate a significant influence. By calling out the government, he brings attention to the economic fallout experienced by small businesses as a result of strict COVID-19 regulations, which have often led to closures, bankruptcies, and job losses.

'Like who the f**k are you?'

In an episode exclusively featured on his 'JRE' podcast, Rogan openly voiced his discontent with the government. Rogan firmly maintained that these businesses had been subjected to unnecessary interference, regardless of the eventual reality that everyone would inevitably contract COVID-19. Expanding on his viewpoint, Rogan contended that the government's categorization of jobs as either "essential" or "non-essential" had been undeniably disastrous in its consequences. Through his podcast platform, Rogan passionately expressed his concerns about the detrimental effects of governmental actions on small, independent enterprises, shedding light on the complexities and ramifications of such categorizations during a global crisis.

Rogan said, "Those businesses...I bet those people got COVID anyway, everybody got COVID anyway. And I bet if those people got COVID and recovered, they would've been safe to run the f**king store. Like they just took the decision out of people’s hands, and it’s been proven it was a disaster. It was a disaster for the economy, it was a disaster for mental health, it was a disaster for people's careers, it was a disaster for people's long-term businesses and they had to close....family businesses, they had restaurants for 30 years. With local neighborhoods and places that everybody went to 'sorry, you can't work, for a year and a half...it just bled people out."

Rogan also states that while all the small businesses were closed all the big giants and stores made "more and more money."

Rogan further said, "They told people their job was ‘essential’ or non-essential. Like who the f**k are you? Yeah, guess what's non-essential, you...you f**king halfwit. Telling people what they can and can't do based on what? Not even debating the science of it. It was gross man, I was happy to get out of it."

'We will never forgive them'

In response to Rogan's impassioned criticism of the government's COVID-19 protocols, a multitude of users took to Twitter to express their perspectives on the matter. One user wrote, "They destroyed hundreds of thousands of businesses - quite deliberately. We will never forgive them." Another user wrote, "They pushed everyone to get EIDL loans promising a grant that was later taken out AFTER many small businesses had applied and granted the loan. The loan has been a trap for so many businesses as soon after inflation kicked in. Many will have to file for bankruptcy and all was created by our own government. These businesses should actually be reimbursed for the damage this government officials created for many of them." A user stated, "He nailed when he said those telling us what to do were the non essential ones."

Rogan and Hotez clash over vaccine misinformation

In a podcast episode, Rogan hosted Robert F Kennedy Jr, a prominent figure known for spreading vaccine misinformation and challenging Joe Biden in the primary. The three-hour conversation was rife with unchecked vaccine misinformation, conspiracy theories about 5G technology and wifi, and Rogan's continued endorsement of ivermectin as a purported COVID treatment, despite its lack of effectiveness.

Following the episode, vaccine scientist Peter Hotez from Baylor College of Medicine criticized the discussion. In response, Rogan invited Hotez to debate vaccines with Kennedy on his show. However, Hotez declined the invitation and proposed a one-on-one conversation instead. Despite Hotez's offer, Rogan insisted on a debate, prompting Elon Musk to join the conversation with a mocking comment directed at Hotez. Unfortunately, the online controversy led to real-life harassment, as two individuals targeted Hotez at his home in Houston. Despite the incident, Hotez remained steadfast in his refusal to engage in a debate with RFK.