Joe Rogan fans say he's 'broken a promise' after major change to JRE podcast
Ellie Kemp
Featured Image Credit: Joe Rogan/YouTube/Vivian Zink/Syfy/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Joe Rogan has angered fans with a major change to his podcast he'd previously criticized others for.
The UFC commentator's Joe Rogan Experience was the most-listened to Spotify podcast of 2024, racking up 14.5 million followers across more than 2,200 episodes in total.
Having launched in 2009, the show was snapped up by Spotify in licensing deal reportedly worth $200 million in 2020.
Some pretty major names have graced the podcast over the years, including boxing champion Mike Tyson, President-elect Donald Trump and technology magnate Elon Musk,
Advert
Thanks to Rogan, we got to witness the world's richest man smoke weed - remember that!? - while chatting all things artificial intelligence, space exploration and electric vehicles.
Joe Rogan Experience's hours-long format and casual conversation - allowing room to explore different topics in intrinsic detail - is exactly what makes it so popular.
In fact, the Joe Rogan Experience is so influential, some reckon he helped ensure Trump's re-election back in November after he was invited to appear on the show and endorsed by Rogan.
But recent episodes have caused quite the stir, with fans taking to social media to complain.
People have noticed new episodes are now interrupted by adverts, promoting companies such as ARMA Colostrum, Bon Charge, Goal Zero, and Hexclad.
These pesky ads are unskippable, even for Spotify Premium subscribers who pay up to $19.99 a month for 'ad-free music listening'.
In earlier episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience, the host called out others who used mid-roll ads, insisting he'd never do the same as it disrupts the flow of conversation.
But avid listeners who've noticed the ads have been quick to point out Rogan's hypocrisy.
Fans took to Reddit vent their frustration, as one person reasoned: "I get still having ads, but making them skippable was at least meeting paying subscribers halfway.
"Now it's mid ep not skippable in the previous way. Pretty f****d, why pay for Spotify?"
Another commenter added: "Remember when Joe SPECIFICALLY said he would never put ads in the middle of the conversation because they interrupt the flow of the podcast and ruin the listening experience?
"I remember."
Another listener echoed similar sentiments, typing: "I remember when Joe would constantly talk about how stupid it was for other podcasters to do this as it interrupts the flow of the conversation for the listener…"