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Podcast Titan Joe Rogan Draws Intense Scrutiny for Defending Ilhan Omar’s Reprehensible Anti-Semitic Comments
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Podcast superstar Joe Rogan is being harshly criticized for spreading anti-Semitic tropes on his Saturday show by insinuating that Jews are the only people who like money, according to a report on the World Israel News web site.
A report on the Algemeiner.com web site stated that during the February 4th episode of Spotify’s “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan was talking to Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, hosts of the podcast Breaking Points, about the House of Representatives removing Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Breaking Points’ is self-described as “a fearless anti-establishment …podcast which holds the powerful to account, “ WIN reported.
In defense of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who was removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for her repeated anti-Semitic statements, he referred to her notorious 2019 comment that the American government supports Israel because of donations Jews make to political candidates. “It’s all about the Benjamins,” Omar said.
WIN reported that the House vote to boot the congresswoman went straight down party lines, with all Democrats, including its Jewish members, voting against the move, and all Republicans voting for it, with the latter having a 218-211 edge.
“It’s just about money — she’s just talking about money,” he said on “The Joe Rogan Experience.” WIN reported. “That’s not an anti-Semitic statement, I don’t think that is. Benjamins are money. The idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous. That’s like saying Italians aren’t into pizza. It’s f—ing stupid. It’s f—ing stupid,” Rogan opined on his program.
He went on to call that opinion “bold,” adding that “There’s many people that have that opinion, and they should be represented,” without referring to anyone specifically by name, WIN reported.
Comments poured in criticizing the podcaster.
WIN reported that David Baddiel, a British comedian and author of a 2021 book about anti-Semitism titled Jews Don’t Count, tweeted, “I actually want to stop banging the “Jews Don’t Count” drum at some point but hard to do when a racist myth about Jews is just… said, breezily, on one of the biggest podcasts in the world and no-one gives a f**k.”
“For the hard of understanding, ‘Jews are into money’ is not like ‘Italians are into pizza,’” he continued, as was reported by WIN. “Because unless my history lessons really missed something out, no-one has exterminated a large section of the entire Italian community because of their love for pepperoni.”
WIN also reported that he then noted that Rogan was being hypocritical, writing, “Also, Joe Rogan has a 200 Million dollar deal with Spotify. And yet apparently it’s Jews who are into money.”
Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), tweeted Tuesday, “@JoeRogan, in defending Rep. Omar’s past anti-Semitic comments, you invoke the same tropes that have been used to persecute Jews for centuries. With an audience of millions, it’s dangerous to be so flippant in trafficking in antisemitic stereotypes. Happy to explain on your pod,” WIN reported.
Rogan’s show on Spotify is considered the most popular in the world, with an average 11 million viewers a week tuning in to hear his opinions.
WIN reported that in its lengthier statement on the issue, the AJC said that the theme Rogan was hawking, that only Jews are greedy, “is so widespread [in antisemitic rhetoric] that it’s led to a long list of Jewish stereotypes, including being excessively materialistic and money-oriented, exploiting others for personal gain, being overly wealthy, and controlling the world’s finances.”
Rogan’s guest, Ms. Ball, a former Democratic Party nominee for Congress, agreed, WIN reported. She said that that Omar “should not have apologized” as she did for that statement, and that “she could have phrased it a different way so that people would have less of a freakout. But can you not talk about the influence of money in D.C.?”
“There is a very obvious reason why for my entire life there’s been a uniparty consensus around our policy vis-à-vis the Israeli government,” she continued, “and a total inability and unwillingness to criticize the Israeli government. It has everything to do with organization, and yes, money,” Ball said, as was reported by WIN.
Rogan agreed with her comment as well.
“Today, Israel is one of America’s top global allies for many reasons, from shared democratic values to strategic interests,” the AJC continued, as was reported by WIN, “In fact, poll after poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support strong U.S.-Israel relations. To suggest that this relationship exists solely because of the influence of money, as Ball claims and Rogan affirms, is a mischaracterization of reality.”
WIN also reported that the AJC also blasted Ball’s statement, saying that “calling into question the reasons for America’s strong ties with Israel… is a long-held stereotype that implies American Jews manipulate U.S. foreign policy, specifically when it comes to supporting the Jewish state. The statement echoes the antisemitic tropes of a so-called ‘Jewish lobby’ in ‘control’ of politics and money.”
Algemeiner reported that Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) added, “It’s despicable language like this that leads to attacks and threats against Jewish people. @JoeRogan has a massive platform and it’s infuriating to watch him and @krystalball promote blatant, dangerous antisemitic tropes, including those masquerading as anti-Israel sentiments.”
Ball also defended Omar and talked about the Israeli government’s “influence of money in DC.” Algemeiner reported that Rogan later said about Omar, “whether you agree with her or not, she has a bold opinion, and that opinion is not her own, there’s many people that have that opinion, and they should be represented.”
International human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovksy said Rogan “is peddling in age-old anti-Semitic tropes that directly lead to violence against Jews!” and added, Shame on you Joe! No respect for you!,” Algemeiner reported.
Disturbed frontman David Draiman even offered to talk to Rogan about his offensive comments, according to the Algemeiner report. The musician tagged Rogan on Twitter and said in a message, “Listen, if you’d like to have an opportunity to talk to someone who can explain why perpetuating the stereotype that Jews love money more than any other race/creed/religion, leads to dangerous and disastrous consequences… …I’m around. Let’s talk.”
Dov Hikind, former New York State Assemblyman and founder of the organization Americans Against Anti-Semitism said that in the podcast episode Rogan sounded like Omar and musician Kanye West, who recently made his own antisemitic comments about Jews, Algemeiner reported. Hikind told Rogan in a video shared on Twitter, “How could you do it? How can you join the anti-Semites? Like the Kanye Wests, Ilan Omar, and talk about Jews and money. One of the most anti-Semitic tropes used by Jew haters; the cause of so much hate against the Jewish people.”
“My kids adore you, Joe,” Hikind added, according to the Algemeiner report. “But they are shocked that you have legitimized this picture of the Jewish people. You have made it kosher, Joe. My kids tell me ‘Joe Rogan is a good guy, he’s a mensch.’ But you have now joined the ranks of antisemites for what you did. You need to take a leave from a podcast and figure out what you just did and how you could do it … You’ve just made a dangerous mistake.”
Algemeiner reported that the Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt also slammed Rogan for using “his immense platform to spew anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money” while StandWithUs called his comments shameful. Algemeiner also reported that the latter also urged Rogan to educate himself about “the violent history of the very anti-Jewish stereotype you just promoted” and asked him to “have the courage to invite guests who will call out this garbage.”
