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Fact Check: did joe rogan spread anti vaccine, anti science conspiracry on his podcast during pandemic, his clai...

Fact Check: did joe rogan spread anti vaccine, anti science conspiracry on his podcast during pandemic, his clai...

Published May 13, 2025
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# Did Joe Rogan Spread Anti-Vaccine, Anti-Science Conspiracy Theories on His Podcast? ## Introduction The claim that Joe Rogan has spread anti-vacci...

Did Joe Rogan Spread Anti-Vaccine, Anti-Science Conspiracy Theories on His Podcast?

Introduction

The claim that Joe Rogan has spread anti-vaccine and anti-science conspiracy theories on his podcast, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has sparked significant debate. Critics argue that Rogan's platform has been used to promote misinformation about vaccines and mainstream science, while supporters contend that he is merely facilitating open discussions. This article examines the available evidence surrounding this claim without reaching a definitive conclusion.

What We Know

  1. Podcast Content: Joe Rogan has hosted various guests who have made controversial claims regarding vaccines and COVID-19. For instance, Dr. Peter McCullough, a known figure in the anti-vaccine movement, has appeared on Rogan's podcast and made assertions that health officials were withholding treatments for COVID-19 to promote vaccines 6.

  2. Public Reactions: Rogan's comments have drawn criticism from medical experts and organizations. An NPR article highlighted that many experts have condemned Rogan for airing false claims about the pandemic and vaccines, describing it as a significant sociological issue 2.

  3. Clarifications by Rogan: In response to backlash, Rogan has attempted to clarify his stance on vaccines. He stated that he does not consider himself an anti-vaccine person, emphasizing that he believes in the importance of vaccines but has expressed skepticism about their necessity for young, healthy individuals 57.

  4. Specific Claims: Some of the claims made on Rogan's podcast have been fact-checked and found to be misleading or false. For example, a claim linking tuberculosis to the smallpox vaccine was labeled as "outrageously false" 4.

  5. Spotify's Role: Spotify, which has invested heavily in Rogan's podcast, has faced pressure to address the spread of misinformation on the platform. Critics argue that the company's financial interests may influence its response to the content aired on Rogan's show 3.

Analysis

The evidence surrounding the claim that Rogan has spread anti-vaccine and anti-science conspiracy theories is multifaceted and requires careful evaluation of the sources involved.

  • Source Credibility: The sources cited include reputable news organizations like NPR and BBC, which have established editorial standards and fact-checking processes 23. However, the reliability of some claims made by guests on Rogan's podcast, such as those from Dr. McCullough, is questionable as they often contradict established scientific consensus.

  • Bias and Conflicts of Interest: Rogan's platform is known for its informal and sometimes controversial discussions, which can lead to the promotion of fringe theories. His guests often have specific agendas, such as promoting alternative health treatments or questioning vaccine efficacy. This raises concerns about the potential for bias in the information presented 69.

  • Methodology of Claims: The claims made on Rogan's podcast often lack rigorous scientific backing and are sometimes based on anecdotal evidence or personal beliefs rather than peer-reviewed research. This methodological weakness undermines the credibility of the assertions made by guests 8.

  • Counterarguments: Supporters of Rogan argue that his podcast serves as a platform for free speech and diverse opinions. They contend that the discussions encourage critical thinking and allow for the exploration of alternative viewpoints, even if they are controversial 7.

Conclusion

Verdict: Mostly True

The claim that Joe Rogan has spread anti-vaccine and anti-science conspiracy theories on his podcast is mostly true, as evidenced by the presence of guests who promote controversial and misleading claims about vaccines and COVID-19. Notably, Rogan has hosted individuals like Dr. Peter McCullough, whose assertions have been widely criticized by medical experts and fact-checkers. Additionally, some statements made on the podcast have been fact-checked and found to be false.

However, it is important to note that Rogan himself has clarified that he does not identify as anti-vaccine and has expressed support for vaccination in general, albeit with some skepticism regarding its necessity for certain demographics. This nuance suggests that while misinformation may be present, it is not solely a reflection of Rogan's personal beliefs.

The limitations of this verdict lie in the subjective nature of what constitutes "anti-vaccine" rhetoric and the varying interpretations of Rogan's intent and message. Furthermore, the informal nature of podcast discussions can lead to the uncritical acceptance of fringe theories, which complicates the assessment of the overall impact of Rogan's platform.

Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate the information presented in media and podcasts, considering the sources and the context in which claims are made. Engaging with diverse viewpoints is essential, but it is equally important to discern credible information from misinformation.

Sources

  1. Joe Rogan: So, first of all, thanks for coming and uh very ... https://nehls.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/nehls.house.gov/files/2022-01/JRE-Rogan-Malone-Transcript.pdf
  2. What the Joe Rogan podcast controversy says about the online ... https://www.npr.org/2022/01/21/1074442185/joe-rogan-doctor-covid-podcast-spotify-misinformation
  3. Joe Rogan: Four claims from his Spotify podcast fact-checked - BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/60199614
  4. Elon Musk Pushes Back Against Joe Rogan's Anti-Vax Podcast Episode https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/elon-musk-joe-rogan-anti-vax-1235304807/
  5. Joe Rogan addresses his controversial anti-vaccine comments https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/29/media/joe-rogan-clarifies-vaccine-comments/index.html
  6. Is Joe Rogan an anti-vaxxer? A brief history of the podcasters ... https://www.indy100.com/celebrities/joe-rogan-covid-vaccine-comments
  7. Joe Rogan clarifies vaccine comments: ‘I’m not an anti-vax ... https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/551057-joe-rogan-clarifies-vaccine-comments-im-not-an-anti-vax-person/
  8. False claims about mercury in vaccines aired on Joe Rogan's ... https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/chemistry/false-claims-about-mercury-in-vaccines-aired-on-joe-rogan-s-podcast/ar-AA1EueCf
  9. Elon Musk Challenges Joe Rogan on Anti-Vaccine Claims: A Clash of ... https://opentools.ai/news/elon-musk-challenges-joe-rogan-on-anti-vaccine-claims-a-clash-of-influential-voices
  10. Dr. Peter Hotez on the anti-science movement and ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbGfeksduGE&pp=0gcJCfcAhR29_xXO

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Fact Check: Autistic Non-Verbal Episodes in Marriage: Why Words Vanish Sometimes and What to Do About It Neurodiverse Couples Tuesday, august 12, 2025. Here’s the scene: You’re in the middle of a conversation with your spouse. Maybe the topic is small (“Did you pay the water bill?”) or monumental (“Are we happy?”). And then—without warning—your autistic partner’s voice disappears. No yelling, no slammed doors. Just… gone. You’re left holding the conversational steering wheel while they’ve quietly climbed into the trunk. If you’ve never lived with high-functioning autism, this can be tragically misconstrued as stonewalling or contempt. It isn’t. It’s just neurology pulling the emergency brake. Why This Happens: The Science Without the Lab Coat Smell For autistic adults, losing speech under stress is often a shutdown—a form of nervous system overload that knocks language production offline. Think of it like your phone freezing: all the apps are still there, but none of them open when you tap. Research calls this autistic burnout when it happens in a longer, chronic cycle—linked to masking (Hull et al., 2017; Raymaker et al., 2020). Masking is the art of “performing normal” so well that non-autistic people think you’re fine. The issue is that it eats through your energy reserves like a car idling in traffic with the A/C on full blast (Mantzalas et al., 2022). Eventually, one hard conversation can tip you from functional to frozen. And here’s where couples therapy meets neuroscience: physiological flooding—the body’s fight/flight/freeze switch—is a known relationship killer (Malik et al., 2019; Gottman Institute, 2024). In other words, for some autistic partners, flooding may tend to show up sooner, last longer, and is more likely to pull the plug on speech entirely. The Danger Loop in Marriage Autistic partner goes non-verbal — brain says “nope.” Non-autistic partner reads it as avoidance — brain says “attack.” Pressure increases — “Just say something.” Shutdown deepens — and now you’ve both lost. Do that a few hundred times and you’ll start conflating a physiological response into a moral failing. That’s the real marriage-killer. The Protocol: Three Phases, Zero Guesswork This is where we get practical. You can’t “love away” a temporary shutdown, but you can stop it from turning into World War III. Before: Build the Net Name the state. Agree on a phrase or signal ( I call this a couple code)—such as “words offline,” “shutdown,” a hand over the heart. The point is to make the invisible visible. The Shutdown Card. A literal card that says: I can’t speak right now. Please lower lights, reduce sound, give me X minutes. I promise I will circle back. The Pause Rule. Require a minimum of 20 minutes before resuming any tough talk. Autistic partner may need 90+. Agree ahead of time. Downgrade Kit. the usual gear; earplugs, soft light, weighted blanket, fidget, a quiet room. You know, human decency in object form. Reduce Daily Load. Avoid heavy talks right after work or big social events. Chronic overload makes a nervous shutdown more probable. During: Do Less, Better Autistic Partner: Give the signal. Exit stimulation. Switch channels if possible (text, notes app, yes/no cards). Send a short pre-written message: “Safe, can’t talk, back at 8:15.” Non-Autistic Partner: Acknowledge once—“Got it, I’m with you.” Hold the pause boundary. Lower stimuli. Go regulate your own nervous system—walk, journal, pet the dog. Don’t rehearse comebacks. Both: Avoid sarcasm, interrogation, ultimatums. Nothing lengthens a shutdown like moral outrage. After: Close the Loop Check in: “Are you ready to talk, or should we start in text?” Debrief: Identify triggers and what helped. Solve the actual problem. No conflict gets left to rot in the corner. Spot burnout early. If shutdowns start clustering, it’s time to reduce demands, not double them. How This Isn’t Stonewalling Stonewalling is a choice. Shutdown is a lockout. Stonewalling says, “I won’t talk to you.” Shutdown says, “I can’t talk to you yet, but I will.” The key difference? Repair intention. A shutdown protocol builds that right into the process. The Ten-Minute At-Home Drill Co-create your signal and card. Agree on a pause window. Pack the downgrade kit. Rehearse the exchange (“Got it, I’m with you.”). Check in weekly to tweak the system. Remember, you’re not aiming for zero shutdowns. You’re aiming for shorter, kinder, safer ones. Why This Works Because it matches lived autistic experience (Raymaker et al., 2020; Lewis et al., 2023). Because it honors nervous system limits instead of punishing them (Malik et al., 2019). Because it lets both partners keep their dignity and still solve the problem. In other words: you’re building a marriage that can survive the occasional moments when the words are gone for the time being. Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed. REFERENCES: Hull, L., Mandy, W., Lai, M.-C., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., & Petrides, K. V. (2017). “Putting on my best normal”: Social camouflaging in adults with autism spectrum conditions. Autism, 21(5), 611–622. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316671012 Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Delos Santos, A., … & Nicolaidis, C. (2020). “Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew”: Defining autistic burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0079 Mantzalas, J., Richdale, A. L., Adikari, A., Lowe, J., & Dissanayake, C. (2022). What Is Autistic Burnout? A thematic analysis of posts on two online platforms. Autism in Adulthood, 4(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0079 Lewis, L. F., et al. (2023). The lived experience of meltdowns for autistic adults. Autism, 27(7), 1787–1799. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221145783 Malik, J., et al. (2019). Emotional flooding in response to negative affect in romantic relationships. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 18(4), 327–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2019.1641188 Gottman Institute. (2024, March 4). Making sure emotional flooding doesn’t capsize your relationship. Retrieved from https://www.gottman.com/blog/making-sure-emotional-flooding-doesnt-capsize-your-relationship/

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Autistic Non-Verbal Episodes in Marriage: Why Words Vanish Sometimes and What to Do About It Neurodiverse Couples Tuesday, august 12, 2025. Here’s the scene: You’re in the middle of a conversation with your spouse. Maybe the topic is small (“Did you pay the water bill?”) or monumental (“Are we happy?”). And then—without warning—your autistic partner’s voice disappears. No yelling, no slammed doors. Just… gone. You’re left holding the conversational steering wheel while they’ve quietly climbed into the trunk. If you’ve never lived with high-functioning autism, this can be tragically misconstrued as stonewalling or contempt. It isn’t. It’s just neurology pulling the emergency brake. Why This Happens: The Science Without the Lab Coat Smell For autistic adults, losing speech under stress is often a shutdown—a form of nervous system overload that knocks language production offline. Think of it like your phone freezing: all the apps are still there, but none of them open when you tap. Research calls this autistic burnout when it happens in a longer, chronic cycle—linked to masking (Hull et al., 2017; Raymaker et al., 2020). Masking is the art of “performing normal” so well that non-autistic people think you’re fine. The issue is that it eats through your energy reserves like a car idling in traffic with the A/C on full blast (Mantzalas et al., 2022). Eventually, one hard conversation can tip you from functional to frozen. And here’s where couples therapy meets neuroscience: physiological flooding—the body’s fight/flight/freeze switch—is a known relationship killer (Malik et al., 2019; Gottman Institute, 2024). In other words, for some autistic partners, flooding may tend to show up sooner, last longer, and is more likely to pull the plug on speech entirely. The Danger Loop in Marriage Autistic partner goes non-verbal — brain says “nope.” Non-autistic partner reads it as avoidance — brain says “attack.” Pressure increases — “Just say something.” Shutdown deepens — and now you’ve both lost. Do that a few hundred times and you’ll start conflating a physiological response into a moral failing. That’s the real marriage-killer. The Protocol: Three Phases, Zero Guesswork This is where we get practical. You can’t “love away” a temporary shutdown, but you can stop it from turning into World War III. Before: Build the Net Name the state. Agree on a phrase or signal ( I call this a couple code)—such as “words offline,” “shutdown,” a hand over the heart. The point is to make the invisible visible. The Shutdown Card. A literal card that says: I can’t speak right now. Please lower lights, reduce sound, give me X minutes. I promise I will circle back. The Pause Rule. Require a minimum of 20 minutes before resuming any tough talk. Autistic partner may need 90+. Agree ahead of time. Downgrade Kit. the usual gear; earplugs, soft light, weighted blanket, fidget, a quiet room. You know, human decency in object form. Reduce Daily Load. Avoid heavy talks right after work or big social events. Chronic overload makes a nervous shutdown more probable. During: Do Less, Better Autistic Partner: Give the signal. Exit stimulation. Switch channels if possible (text, notes app, yes/no cards). Send a short pre-written message: “Safe, can’t talk, back at 8:15.” Non-Autistic Partner: Acknowledge once—“Got it, I’m with you.” Hold the pause boundary. Lower stimuli. Go regulate your own nervous system—walk, journal, pet the dog. Don’t rehearse comebacks. Both: Avoid sarcasm, interrogation, ultimatums. Nothing lengthens a shutdown like moral outrage. After: Close the Loop Check in: “Are you ready to talk, or should we start in text?” Debrief: Identify triggers and what helped. Solve the actual problem. No conflict gets left to rot in the corner. Spot burnout early. If shutdowns start clustering, it’s time to reduce demands, not double them. How This Isn’t Stonewalling Stonewalling is a choice. Shutdown is a lockout. Stonewalling says, “I won’t talk to you.” Shutdown says, “I can’t talk to you yet, but I will.” The key difference? Repair intention. A shutdown protocol builds that right into the process. The Ten-Minute At-Home Drill Co-create your signal and card. Agree on a pause window. Pack the downgrade kit. Rehearse the exchange (“Got it, I’m with you.”). Check in weekly to tweak the system. Remember, you’re not aiming for zero shutdowns. You’re aiming for shorter, kinder, safer ones. Why This Works Because it matches lived autistic experience (Raymaker et al., 2020; Lewis et al., 2023). Because it honors nervous system limits instead of punishing them (Malik et al., 2019). Because it lets both partners keep their dignity and still solve the problem. In other words: you’re building a marriage that can survive the occasional moments when the words are gone for the time being. Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed. REFERENCES: Hull, L., Mandy, W., Lai, M.-C., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., & Petrides, K. V. (2017). “Putting on my best normal”: Social camouflaging in adults with autism spectrum conditions. Autism, 21(5), 611–622. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316671012 Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Delos Santos, A., … & Nicolaidis, C. (2020). “Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew”: Defining autistic burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 132–143. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0079 Mantzalas, J., Richdale, A. L., Adikari, A., Lowe, J., & Dissanayake, C. (2022). What Is Autistic Burnout? A thematic analysis of posts on two online platforms. Autism in Adulthood, 4(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0079 Lewis, L. F., et al. (2023). The lived experience of meltdowns for autistic adults. Autism, 27(7), 1787–1799. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221145783 Malik, J., et al. (2019). Emotional flooding in response to negative affect in romantic relationships. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 18(4), 327–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2019.1641188 Gottman Institute. (2024, March 4). Making sure emotional flooding doesn’t capsize your relationship. Retrieved from https://www.gottman.com/blog/making-sure-emotional-flooding-doesnt-capsize-your-relationship/

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