You know that old saying about how even broken clocks are right twice a day?
Podcaster Joe Rogan may have made a career out of amplifying alt-right figures and conspiracy theorists, and may support virulently anti-LGBTQ far-right Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for President in 2024.
But he wants it known that overturning the right to same-sex marriage is where he draws the line.
In a recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Rogan gave full-throated support for same-sex marriage rights and criticized the GOP's opposition, as well as their crusade against abortion rights. See his comments below.
\u201cJoe Rogan comes out full-force, 100% in support of gay marriage. He even says GOP opposition to it is one of the things that keeps him from being a Republican.\u201d— Mike Sington (@Mike Sington) 1658760863
Speaking with comedian Andrew Schulz, Rogan said:
“It’s not just abortion rights but now they’re going after gay marriage too, which is so strange to me."
Rogan then referenced Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio's recent comments criticizing Congressional Democrats' efforts to codify same-sex marriage rights into law.
Democrats are attempting to protect same-sex marriage after the Supreme Court's recent overturn of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which were based in interpretations of constitutional rights that also underpin the landmark Supreme Court rulings on same-sex relationships and marriage, Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges.
In his concurring opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, the case that overturned Roe and Casey, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that Lawrence and Obergefell should be overturned on the same bases used to overturn Roe and Casey.
Rubio called the resulting efforts to codify same-sex marriage rights into law "a stupid waste of time."
Rogan pointedly disagreed.
"Gay marriage is not silly. It’s marriage — it’s marriage from people that are homosexual and it’s for them. It’s important. They want it. They want to affirm their love and their relationship."
Rogan went on to call the attacks on same-sex marriage an effort to divide the electorate and distract us from the GOP's attacks on freedom.
"They wanna divide us in the best way they can."
"And this is the best way for them to keep pulling off all the bullsh*t they’re doing behind the scenes is to get us to fight over things like gay marriage or get us to fight over things like abortion or it’s just like, why are you removing freedoms?..."
"The fact that they’re going after [same-sex marriage] now, like that’s the kind of sh*t that keeps me from being a Republican."
The comments were surprising given Rogan's support for DeSantis, who has used his tenure as Florida's governor to launch an all-out attack against LGBTQ people in the state, especially children, and has led a sustained campaign to smear LGBTQ people as pedophiles.
On Twitter, some people were grateful to Rogan for speaking out in support of LGBTQ rights like same-sex marriage.
\u201cI can\u2019t stand this guy but honestly his angry mouth-breathing white male audience hearing this from him DOES matter. I hope he keeps talking about this stuff and less about things he knows nothing about, like vaccines.\n\nhttps://t.co/rqnKkLqoAs\u201d— Michelle (@Michelle) 1658773798
\u201cJoe Rogan complained about republicans taking freedoms away, and he\u2019s not a conservative/republican because of it. I agree \ud83d\udcaf% with his support of Gay marriage in a country that supports marriage. He confuses me, but I thank him.\u201d— Laurie \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99 (@Laurie \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99) 1658809961
\u201cGOP politician opposition to gay marriage \u201cis the kinda sh!t that keeps me from being a Republican\u201d\n\n\ud83c\udfafon Joe Rogan \n\nOver 70% of (R) voters agree with you Joe...w T f is wrong with some of our Senators?\n\nRT/Remix MikeSington\nhttps://t.co/qElyJNouSw\u201d— Constituent \ud83c\udf3a\u23f3\ud83c\udf40 (@Constituent \ud83c\udf3a\u23f3\ud83c\udf40) 1658872268
\u201c@MikeSington I never thought I\u2019d agree with Joe Rogan, but he nailed it!\u201d— Mike Sington (@Mike Sington) 1658760863
\u201cWe all know I have my issues with Joe Rogan, but he's saying the thing that I say to every Republican I know. \n\nTheir party is going to fall apart because it stands for nothing. And if Joe Rogan can't get himself to vote republican, who can? \n\nWhite nationalists & old people.\u201d— joanna schroeder (@joanna schroeder) 1658888799
But the inconsistencies in Rogan's stated political beliefs did not go unnoticed.
\u201cJoe Rogan: \u201cI endorse Ron DeSantis\u201d - the man who literally told Florida \u201cdon\u2019t say gay.\u201d\n\nAlso Joe Rogan: I support gay marriage. \n\n\ud83d\ude44 \nhttps://t.co/w6zEVvLcvd\u201d— Reshma Gopaldas (@Reshma Gopaldas) 1658798864
\u201cJoe Rogan sends more mixed signals than my ex wife. You need to pick a side and stay on it dude.\nJoe Rogan Fights Critics Who Claim He\u2019s a Republican, Defends Gay Marriage: \u2018I\u2019m a Bleeding Heart Liberal\u2019 https://t.co/MmiidWFC44\u201d— Victor Ruiz \u262e-The Voice Of Rican- (@Victor Ruiz \u262e-The Voice Of Rican-) 1658892568
\u201c@MikeSington But he supports and votes for the people who oppose same sex marriage. He supports conservative justices. U can't say you are for something--then vote for people who oppose and try to end it.\u201d— Mike Sington (@Mike Sington) 1658760863
\u201c@Variety Okay, let\u2019s say this is true. Then how does @joerogan justify his support of DeSantis?\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1658771580
\u201cJoe people don\u2019t call you GOP because you like guns, they call you a Republican because you support people like DeSantis and their policies, claim your fighting the woke, provide platforms for strong conservative ideas, fight against liberal ones and blame antifa instead of Maga\u201d— KC Walsh (@KC Walsh) 1658771051
Regardless of the inconsistencies, Rogan was emphatic in the episode that he is not a Republican, telling those who accuse him of being one, "you can suck my d*ck," and calling himself "a bleeding heart liberal" on many issues.
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The Washington Post