Former President Donald Trump is set to record a podcast with the massively popular Joe Rogan on Friday, and there is speculation that Vice President Kamala Harris may well do the same, as both presidential nominees look to appeal to as many voters as they can, with less than two weeks until Election Day.
The expected and potential sit-downs of Trump and Harris with Rogan come at a time when politicians are increasingly stepping outside traditional media circuits to reach voters directly. The Joe Rogan Experience, boasting a listenership that rivals some of the largest TV networks, offers a raw, unedited arena where the two candidates can articulate their policies, counter criticisms, and humanize their personal brand amid a tight race for the White House.
Who Is Joe Rogan?
Rogan, 57, is an comedian, podcaster and UFC color commentator. A New Jersey native, he is married to Jessica Ditzel, with whom he shares three children.
Rogan has been dubbed "libertarian-learning," by CNN. He has described himself as socially liberal, supports freedom of speech and is a fan of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, having previously said he would make a good president.
What Are The Origins of the Rogan Podcast?
The podcast's first release was in 2009, and to date has released over 2,000 episodes, which typically range from one to three hours in length. In May 2011, Rogan secured a deal with SiriusXM to have the podcast air on its uncensored talk channel, The Virus. In 2013, video episodes of the podcast started to be uploaded to YouTube.
In May 2022, Rogan announced that the podcast would be exclusively available on Spotify in a licensing deal worth an estimated $200 million.
The podcast has had it's share of infamous and controversial moments since it's first release in 2009, from tech billionaire Elon Musk smoking marijuana live on air, to Rogan's controversial comments about the COVID-19 vaccine, which sparked a Spotify boycott from artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell and been criticized for sharing misinformation.
When Is Joe Rogan Interviewing Donald Trump?
Trump will record an interview with Joe Rogan on Friday, according to multiple media reports. The interview will take place at Rogan's studio in Austin, Texas. Rogan's team reportedly makes minimal edits to episodes, and publishes them quickly.
Will Kamala Harris Go On Joe Rogan's Podcast?
The Independent reported that Harris campaign officials have met with Rogan's team, but an appearance is yet to be announced.
The vice president has had trouble winning people over through her previous podcast appearances, according to a recent poll.
Why Are The Presidential Candidates Going on Joe Rogan?
The Joe Rogan Experience is Spotify's most popular podcast, with a listenership of an estimated 14.5 million people per episode, according to Digital Music News. Rogan has 19 million followers on Instagram, and 17 million subscribers on YouTube. The wide audience of the podcast mean it is a vehicle for both Trump and Harris to make their election bid and have it reach a large number of people.
A New York Times-Siena College poll conducted before the September presidential debate found that 28 percent of voters still wanted to know more about Harris and her positions, compared to only 9 percent for Trump.
Harris has struggled with the younger male demographic, who make up much of Rogan's audience, so an appearance could be lucrative for the vice president.
According to data from Media Monitors, Rogan's listenership is 71 percent male and is evenly split between high school and post-secondary graduates. Over half or Rogan's audience report earning over $50,000 a year and 19 percent say they make over $100,000.
Podcasts have been a pivotal part of both presidential candidates social media strategies. Harris' appearance on Alex Cooper's podcast Call Her Daddy, made headlines, and she has also appeared on the All The Smoke and Charlamagne Tha God podcasts.
Trump meanwhile has appeared on Theo Von and Logan Paul's podcasts, both of which reach young male audiences.
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