Joe Rogan, the celebrated host of the groundbreaking podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” recently marked a significant milestone with the 2000th episode of his show. This milestone episode featured Joe Rogan and his close friend, comedian Duncan Trussell.
However, what made this episode truly unique was the surprising revelation: both Rogan and Trussell embraced their furry alter egos.
The episode kicked off with a playful skit where Rogan and Trussell appeared as their furry selves. While they remained in costume throughout the episode, they removed the bulky heads that hindered audio quality.
Joe Rogan and Duncan Russell dressed as furries in the latest podcast pic.twitter.com/yz4Rxy7ZbQ
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) June 20, 2023
During the podcast, Rogan delved into an intriguing topic—whether belief in Santa Claus contributes to a tendency to accept various forms of misinformation. He expressed his disdain for the idea of growing up with a lie and how it could potentially impact a person’s perception of reality.
“Weird that they grow up with a lie. That’s what I don’t like. You grow up with a lie, you stupid lie, and you convince a child that this lie that we all have mutually agreed upon means f**king kind of Santa Claus is kind of dangerous because it sets people up at a very early age for the reality that the possibility, rather, that everything you believe in is bulls**t misinformation.”
“Santa Clause is kinda dangerous… Because it sets people up at a very early age for the possibility that everything you believe in is bullsh*t”.
by u/ToronoRapture in JoeRogan
Rogan’s words resonated strongly, considering his own history of being accused of spreading disinformation and lending a platform to flat earth theories in the early stages of the movement.
Interestingly, Rogan faced criticism for sharing a conspiracy theory related to furries in the past.
“My friend, his wife is a school teacher and she works at a school that had to install a litter box in the girls room because there is a girl who’s a furry,” Rogan said.
“Her mother badgered the school until they agreed to put a litter box in one of the stalls. So this girl goes into the litter room or to the girl’s room and urinates or whatever,” he added.
However, Rogan later clarified the situation during an episode featuring author Michael Shermer. Shermer commented on how the story had gained attention as a meme, fitting into certain conservative narratives regarding gender and sexuality. Rogan admitted that the incident seemed more like an urban legend, stating that discussions might have taken place but there was no evidence to support the existence of a litter box in the school.
“The kitty litter boxes is a weird one,” Rogan said. “It’s like an urban legend,” Shermer proclaimed.
“I fed into that and let me — I should probably clarify that a bit. I have a friend and my friend’s wife is a school teacher and she told him that there was discussions in the school that a mother wanted to put a litter box in one of the bathrooms,” Rogan began.
Rogan’s personal connection to the furry community goes back a decade when he stumbled upon a furry convention during a UFC event in Pittsburgh. He recalled a conversation with a hotel employee who mentioned that attendees had made unusual requests, such as having their food delivered in bowls on the ground to mimic animal behavior.
While Rogan found it intriguing, he acknowledged the peculiarity of the request for a litter box in the hotel lobby.
Given Rogan’s skepticism towards Santa Claus and childhood beliefs, it raises curiosity about his stance on organized religion. However, any similar skepticism towards Christianity could potentially alienate a significant portion of his fanbase.
The furry community, already feeling marginalized, expressed displeasure with Rogan’s choice to don furry attire for the episode. Apparently, Rogan and Trussell angered the community with their choice of attire. Rogan purchased a $1800 mascot costume off of amazon – which is not common practice among furries.
Furries are individuals who have a deep affinity for anthropomorphic animal characters, often depicted in various forms of media, including artwork, literature, and costumes. They may perceive mascot costumes, typically representing non-anthropomorphic characters or corporate brands, as incongruent with the essence of the furry fandom.
The episode raised some interesting questions about the culture of conspiracies, misinformation as well as identity politics. In the end, Rogan’s influence is unparalleled and he holds a key demographic. Was he just pondering if his podcast would be as popular in the world with no Santa Clause?