Joe Rogan threatens to quit Spotify over public criticism

The podcast host has threatened to leave the music streaming giant if he continues to be picked apart by the public for ‘every little thing’.

Joe Rogan is giving Spotify an ultimatum – again.

The hugely popular, and hugely controversial, podcast host is threatening to quit the music streaming giant, leaving their $200 million deal on the table, the New York Post reports.

During a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Podcast,” the former mixed martial arts commentator got into a conversation with MMA fighter Josh Barnett about the cutthroat podcast industry ring.

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Recently on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the former MMA commentator talked to fighter Josh Barnett about the cutthroat podcast industry ring. Picture: PowerfulJRE /YouTube

“I will quit. If it gets to a point that I can’t do it anymore, where I have to do it in some sort of weird way where I walk on eggshells and mind my p’s and q’s, f – k that!” Rogan said.

Referring to recent headlines spawned by his problematic banter – from using the N-word to spreading COVID-19 misinformation – Rogan, 54, described his fear of being picked apart by the public for “every little thing.”

“There’s more people poring over it but it’s the same thing. I do it the same way,” Rogan told the 44-year-old heavyweight.

“If I become something different because it grew bigger, I will quit,” he concluded.

Joe Rogan has said his job “requires sincerity” and “without it, this show doesn’t have any success”. Picture: Instagram/joerogan

Rogan first signed with the streaming music platform in 2020 for $100 million.

With still about a year left to complete the contract, the deal has already since doubled in valuation.

Jon Stewart defended fellow podcaster Joe Rogan against claims the Spotify star should be “cancelled” for allegedly promoting “vaccine misinformation.”

Jon Stewart defends Joe Rogan over Covid vaccine ‘misinformation’.

His troubling pandemic rhetoric culminated recently when a group of 270 doctors and health care experts called Rogan a “menace to public health” in an open letter to Spotify.

Their signed warning couldn’t move the app to act, so musician activists Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Nils Lofgren did, announcing a boycott of the platform.

Spotify has since slapped a content advisory on some of Rogan’s episodes containing questionable discussion of COVID-19.

During yet another public review, it also removed 113 episodes of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” namely those featuring interviews with far-right pundits, such as Milo Yiannopoulos and Proud Boys associate Gavin McInnes.

Rogan, who is also a stand-up comedian, has come under fire for using the N-word, though he says viral video clips of him uttering the slur were taken out of context. Picture: Getty

In the meantime, his critics have indeed had time to dredge up even more troubling comments from Rogan’s past, including the use of the N-word – for which he promptly apologised upon re-reveal, calling it “the most regretful and shameful thing I’ve ever had to talk about publicly.”

“It looks f – king horrible. Even to me,” Rogan said, acknowledging his reputation for shocking statements.

“I know that, to most people, there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, never mind publicly on a podcast, and I agree with that now. I haven’t said it in years.”

During Tuesday’s episode, Rogan said his job “requires sincerity; without it, this show doesn’t have any success.”

Barnett urged his friend and former colleague to keep having difficult conversations.

“It resonates with people because they’re so starving for that.”

This story originally appeared in New York Post and has been reproduced with permission.