UFC President Dana White: ‘You Can’t Cancel Joe Rogan’ Over COVID-19 Controversy
“This is f–king America, and you can have your own opinion about these things, and you can voice them.”
Dana White is squarely in Joe Rogan’s corner when it comes to his star employee airing controversial episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
The outspoken UFC president recently appeared on YouTube troupe NELK’s Full Send podcast to defend Rogan, a longtime color commentator for the MMA promotion, reports Bro Bible.
Co-host and NELK founding member Kyle Forgeard asked for the White’s thoughts on an open letter signed by hundreds of doctors, scientists and nurses, who urged Spotify to remove a Joe Rogan Experience episode featuring Dr. Robert Malone.
The controversial medical doctor and immunologist has been accused of pushing debunked claims about COVID-19, but he’s also credited as playing a key part in developing the mRNA technology now used in COVID-19 vaccines.
Rock legend Neil Young jumped into the fray this week when he threatened to leave Spotify if Rogan continued to host the platform’s biggest podcast.
In a now-deleted post on his website, the “Heart of Gold” singer asked his managers and record label to remove his music from Spotify because he said the music and podcast platform is “spreading fake information about vaccines — potentially causing death to those who believe this disinformation spread by them.”
“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” the 76-year-old Young said in Monday’s post, according to Rolling Stone. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”
But White says nobody can stop the Rogan media juggernaut at this point.
“You’re not canceling Rogan,” White said in the Full Send video interview above. “The thing is with Rogan, he’s a brilliant guy, he does his homework, and he knows what he’s talking about.”
On the significance of Spotify’s streaming of the episode in question, the letter states, “This is not only a scientific or medical concern; it is a sociological issue of devastating proportions and Spotify is responsible for allowing this activity to thrive on its platform.”
White added: “Guess what? This is fucking America, and you can have your own opinion about these things, and you can voice them.
“That’s what this fucking country was built on. And all these little whiny fucking pussies that don’t like it, too fucking bad.”