When recent footage emerged of UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan using the “N-Word”, it seemed like yet another salvo in the culture wars surrounding The Joe Rogan Experience, his successful podcast. However, in the wake of Neil Young pulling his music from Spotify in protest of what he believed was Joe Rogan’s spread of misinformation, Rogan is under greater scrutiny than ever.
He addressed the claim that he was a racist – disseminated in a compilation video of Rogan using the “N-Word” multiple times – in a video uploaded to Instagram.
Joe Rogan Releases Statement Addressing Past Use of The “N-Word”: “I clearly have f*cked up”.
“I’m making this video to talk about the most regretful and shameful thing that I’ve ever had to talk about publicly. There’s a video that’s out that’s a compilation of me saying the ‘N-word.’ It’s a video that’s made of clips taken out of context of me of 12 years of conversations of me on my podcast and it’s all smushed together and it looks f*cking horrible, even to me.
Now, 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, but for a long time when I bring that word up, like if it would come up in conversation, instead of saying the ‘N-word,’ I would just say the word. I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing.”
Rogan claimed that he no longer used the slur, even in conversation. “It’s a very unusual word, but it’s not my word to use. I’m well aware of that now, but for years, I used it in that manner.
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 f*cked up. I clearly have f*cked up.
That’s my intention to express myself in this video to say there’s nothing I can do to take that back. I wish I could. Obviously, that’s not possible.
I do hope that if anything, that this can be a teachable moment. I never thought it would be taken out of context and put in a video like that and now that it is, holy sh*t it looks bad.”
What do you think of the latest Joe Rogan controversy? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer.
