Chelsea Handler Gets Political About Joe Rogan’s $82M Podcast Win: ‘Give That To Our Vets’

Chelsea Handler is not afraid to say exactly how she feels about Joe Rogan being named as one of the highest-earning podcasters. 

The comedian voiced strong criticism regarding Joe Rogan’s substantial earnings from his hit podcast, arguing that such massive wealth would be better directed toward a better cause. 

Meanwhile, Rogan was recently at the receiving end of backlash after being accused of sucking up to Donald Trump despite speaking out against the MAGA movement. 

Handler expressed open disbelief after Forbes released its evaluation of the highest-paid podcast hosts for 2026. The outlet placed Rogan in the top position with an estimated annual revenue of $82 million. 

Reacting directly to the media outlet’s announcement on social media, Handler questioned the justification for such a massive payout. 

“WHO IS PAYING JOE ROGAN 82 million?” she wrote. “Give that to our vets, or our children!!! 82 million to be completely uninformed and say ‘whoopsie doodle,’ every time he’s wrong, which is FREQUENT?”

Rogan, who launched “The Joe Rogan Experience” back in 2009, continues to dominate stream counts across major distribution networks. In 2024, he finalized a multi-year deal with Spotify valued at up to $250 million, per Entertainment Weekly. 

His financial success places him ahead of several other prominent podcast creators featured on the list, such as Ashley Flowers of “Crime Junkie” with $42 million, the comedy trio behind “Smartless” earning $37 million, and self-help host Mel Robbins at $35 million. 

Joe Rogan Criticized The MAGA Movement And Its Supporters

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In addition to facing criticism over his income, Rogan has also sparked debate with a noticeable shift in his political commentary. Despite endorsing Trump during his 2024 presidential run, the broadcaster’s recent remarks demonstrate growing skepticism toward the political movement he previously backed. 

The Blast reported that during a broadcast, the UFC announcer openly criticized the political faction and its main slogan, questioning the premise of the “Make America Great Again” catchphrase. 

“That phrase sucks. America is great. Make America greater? I’m down,” Rogan stated during the episode. He argued that the political brand has transformed into a gathering space for “a bunch of dorks,” describing many associated individuals as “really weird, f-cking uninteresting, unintelligent people”.

Joe Rogan Was Slammed For His Shift In Stance

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Following his sharp critique of the political movement, public commentary online swiftly erupted in response to his remarks.

Users across social platforms immediately dissected the host’s changing political stance. Opinions split sharply between former supporters feeling betrayed and critics pushing him to go even further in his repudiation.

Many commenters accused him of out-of-touch hypocrisy, pointing to a contradiction between his harsh words and the controversial figures he routinely invites onto his broadcast. 

Other listeners labeled him an “elitist” and “the ultimate uninteresting dork.” One user noted on X, “When did Joe become an elitist? You only matter to Joe if you’re an amazing, accomplished, intelligent person.”

Joe Rogan Garnered Mixed Reactions To His Viral Trump Handshake Video

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Despite taking a harsher stance on the political movement, the popular podcaster still faced intense public backlash after a cordial interaction with the former president went viral. 

According to The Blast, video footage of the host greeting Trump with a warm handshake sparked widespread skepticism regarding the sincerity of his political critiques. 

Following the release of the greeting clip, social media users expressed doubt about the broadcaster’s consistency, with critics accusing him of appeasing the political leader despite his earlier callouts over policy decisions. 

Many commenters expressed skepticism about his changing views, with one individual posting, “He is a very large part of the blame in how we got here, so this makes sense based on that. I don’t believe his recent change.” 

The Podcaster Also Received Public Backlash For His Oval Office Appearance

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Adding to the relentless heat Rogan received for his political stance, he also came under fire for joining Trump at the White House. Standing beside the chief executive in the Oval Office, the broadcaster was present as a new directive was signed to speed up approval for alternative mental health treatments. 

Ironically, the host’s involvement sparked immediate outrage from observers who accused him of abandoning his previous principles. Online commentators aggressively condemned the host for standing with the administration so soon after insulting its supporters, per The Blast.

Critics quickly highlighted the glaring contradiction, with some calling him a “phony” who remains loyal to the political leader regardless of his public complaints.

“Say what you want about Rogan, but you gotta admit it’s pretty impressive to be a spineless little b-tch who stands for nothing,” another critic commented.