“You Were Just Lying to Us” – Joe Rogan Calls Out Mark Zuckerberg’s Lies on JRE Podcast

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has recently made headlines for multiple reasons, including his growing association with UFC head honcho Dana White. However, it’s Meta’s bold new policy shift that has captured widespread attention. In a game-changing move, Zuckerberg announced that the platform will replace independent fact-checkers with a community-driven notes feature reminiscent of X’s approach. This shift coincides with a significant political development in the United States: Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

As the nation navigates this changing political climate, Meta’s decision has sparked discussions about content regulation and free speech. Joining this debate is Joe Rogan, a vocal critic of censorship and mainstream media. The podcaster has long criticized the way mainstream media distorts content, particularly calling attention to the ‘content moderation’ that the Biden administration pressured Meta and other media houses to implement, which involved censoring news about COVID-19 and vaccines.

In his latest JRE podcast episode (#2255), Joe Rogan expressed his frustration with the mainstream media. Moreover, he also called out Zuckerberg’s alignment and prior content policies while taking a shot at the tech mogul. He quipped, “They’re just reporting on it… It’s a terrible format. The problem is, they get locked into that format and no one trusts them. And then they leave and I go, ‘Yeah, but you [Mark Zuckerburg] were just lying to us about this, that, and the other thing, and now I’m supposed to believe you’re one of the good guys. You’re one of the straight shooters now.”

Rogan, who has frequently clashed with the mainstream media, didn’t always hold this position. His tension with them began roughly four years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when he made several controversial statements on his multimillion-dollar podcast regarding the virus, vaccines, and Ivermectin. These comments sparked a fierce backlash from the mainstream media, including CNN, which directed derogatory remarks at the podcaster.

Joe Rogan’s major verdict on mainstream media

Many factors will undoubtedly make the 60th quadrennial U.S. presidential election memorable, one of the most significant being the rise of digital media. This shift played a crucial role in Donald Trump’s victory, as it allowed him to bypass the mainstream media, which had consistently been hostile toward him. Instead, Trump engaged directly with the public through podcasts and other unconventional channels, particularly reaching younger audiences.

Even after Trump’s election as the 47th POTUS, UFC boss Dana White described the moment as if “somebody hit the reset button,” taking a dig at mainstream media. Trump’s appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast became a historic episode, now boasting over 54 million views. This reflects the growing preference for candid, in-depth discussions over scripted mainstream media broadcasts.

On his recent podcast with Dave Smith, Joe Rogan delved into the changing media landscape, highlighting how unconventional outlets like podcasts have outpaced traditional media. He remarked, “Think of the difference between 2016 and 2020, and then 2024. Podcasts. Huge. Way different. They all listen to podcasts. Everybody gets clips. You hear opposing perspectives. You hear very intelligent people come on and make arguments that you’re not hearing on TV anymore.”

The podcaster and Smith further pointed out how the viewership of a single episode of Joe Rogan Experience has now surpassed many TV network shows, thanks to its deeper, more authentic conversations. Rogan concluded with a bold statement: “Mainstream media is dead. That’s a wrap, son.”

How do you feel about Joe Rogan’s criticism of Mark Zuckerberg and his prior association with mainstream media? Do you think they’re intentionally withholding real information, offering only surface-level news instead of delving into deeper, more meaningful stories? Share your thoughts below.