- In a podcast appearance, Jon Stewart dismissed the idea that Democrats need their own Joe Rogan.
- The suggestion, he said, always comes from "people that have never really listened to him."
- Rogan, Stewart said, talks to everyone with curiosity, which Stewart suggested Dems need more of.
Jon Stewart seems to think the idea that Democrats need their own Joe Rogan-type media personality to balance the podcast giant's support for President-elect Donald Trump is laughable.
In a Thursday appearance on his "The Weekly Show" podcast, Stewart chuckled at a listener's question — relayed to him by his producer, Brittany Mehmedovic — about who the democrat version of Joe Rogan could be.
"I think that's oversimplifying Joe Rogan," Stewart said. "I mean, as somebody who does listen to Joe Rogan, like, I don't know what I would necessarily classify him as he has some ideas that I think are wildly progressive, other ideas that are probably, I would less agree with."
Rogan's podcast has a massive audience, largely made up of young men. The former "Fear Factor" host made headlines late in the campaign cycle when he, after months of avoiding an explicit endorsement, backed Trump's reelection bid. Some Democrats have since suggested his draw with young voters should be replicated with a liberal-leaning media personality of their own.
Rogan's political leanings have varied over the years. He previously endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a progressive candidate, in his 2020 election campaign. He later said he'd rather vote for Trump than President Joe Biden before formally backing Trump in 2024. He has regularly featured conservative guests on his show, including provocative pundits like Matt Walsh and Ben Shapiro, drawing criticism from some liberal listeners who argue commentators who espouse seemingly racist or sexist views shouldn't be featured on the podcast.
But Stewart said Democrats should consider Rogan as more than a partisan media figure.
"Bernie went on Joe Rogan, which I think was exactly the right thing to do," Stewart said, referring to Sen. Sanders' 2019 appearance on the show. The suggestion that Democrats should build their own version of Rogan, he said, always comes from "people that have never really listened to him."
Sen. Sanders has also pushed back on the partisan criticism of Rogan, telling CNN's "State of the Union" last week that the current Democratic party has a problem "vilifying" its critics like Rogan.
"Look, you're going to have an argument with Rogan, agree with him, disagree with him," Sanders said. "But, what's the problem with going on those shows? It's hard for me to understand that."