Joe Rogan calls backlash 'political hit job' but is not sorry for apologizing for use of N-word
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Joe Rogan is not sorry — for apologizing, that is.
After a video compiled from clips of his repeated used of the N-word on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience went viral, singer India Arie took to Instagram to share the clips while stating that Rogan's views on race were "the last straw" for her, and she joined the ranks of Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and others who left Spotify recently amid another Rogan controversy: his repeated spouting of COVID-19 misinformation. On Tuesday the comedian returned to his podcast defiant — yet still somewhat apologetic.
At once dismissing the backlash over his derogatory language as "a political hit job," Rogan also pushed back on conservatives who don't think he should've apologized at all.
"In a lot of ways, this is a relief," Rogan said. "That video had always been out there. This is a political hit job. They're taking all this stuff I've ever said that's wrong and smushing it all together. It's good because it makes me address some stuff that I really wish wasn't out there."
This all started when Neil Young forced Spotify's hand, giving the streaming music service a classic "him or me" ultimatum over Rogan's penchant for spreading misinformation about COVID-19. Spotify ultimately chose Rogan amid other artists pulling their music, including Joni Mitchell and India Arie. Arie, however, cited Rogan's past "language around race" for her decision to leave the streaming app, and shared videos of the podcaster repeatedly using the N-word.
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Whereas Rogan defended his statements about COVID, while promising "to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people's perspectives," he outright apologized for the video of him using the racial slur, calling it "the most regretful and shameful thing I've ever had to talk about publicly."
"It's not my word to use," Rogan said. "I never used it to be racist, because I'm not racist, but whenever you're in a situation where you have to say 'I'm not racist,' you've f—ed up, and I clearly have f—ed up."
Some conservatives, however, claimed Rogan apologizing was simply cow-towing to the "woke mob," but Rogan disagreed. "You should apologize if you regret something," he said. "I do think you have to be careful not to apologize for nonsense."
"Over time, people will understand you," Rogan added. "They know you. If you misstep, they know what you're trying to do — you're not a vicious person, you're just trying to be funny."
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