PewDiePie recently stirred up some controversy by openly criticizing Joe Rogan, branding him as "dumb" after sampling parts of his podcast. The popular YouTuber didn't stop there; he also took a swipe at the podcasting industry as a whole.
In a video posted on November 28 on his YouTube channel, PewDiePie delved into the topic of podcasts, titling his video "Podcasts have gone too far."
Opening with a humorous tone, Felix, as he is known, quipped, "There are 3.2 million podcasts. I told you there are too many podcasts; your grandma's got a podcast, your janitor's got a podcast."
During the video, PewDiePie and his companion proceeded to critique various podcasts, highlighting the ubiquity of the medium. "Anybody now has a podcast," they remarked.
Notably, PewDiePie singled out the renowned podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. "I had this epiphany. I'm like, 'Oh, he's the biggest podcast. I've never actually listened to him.' So I listened to an episode. I'm like, 'Oh, he's actually, respectfully, very dumb,'" PewDiePie shared.
He went on to provide a satirical summary of Rogan's podcast, likening it to a scenario where Rogan, depicted as a caveman, questions a scientist about fire. PewDiePie even showcased clips from Rogan's podcast, including moments like Donald Trump's appearance during the 2024 presidential campaign and instances where Rogan missed the punchline of jokes.
However, PewDiePie's critique extended beyond Rogan, as he also raised concerns about podcasters oversharing personal information. One instance highlighted in the video was KSI's revelation on the Sidemen's podcast Sidecast that he only showers once a week. PewDiePie humorously remarked, "Like if you just didn't have a podcast, no one would know about it."
Addressing the rise of "Alpha male podcasts," PewDiePie expressed his bemusement, stating, "I've just never addressed them, so I tried to look up what they actually talk about." His friend quipped, "This is where you go to lose brain cells."
Reflecting on the surge in podcasting, the YouTube sensation commented, "It's funny because people are clearly not that interesting—not everyone is fascinating enough to have a podcast." They also touched on the societal impact of the podcasting trend.
Despite Joe Rogan's enduring popularity in the podcasting realm, he has faced challenges, temporarily losing the top spot to shows like the Kelce brothers' NFL-focused program, New Heights, and even to his own guest, Shawn Ryan, on separate occasions.
PewDiePie's candid take on Joe Rogan and the podcasting landscape has sparked discussions about the saturation of podcasts and the quality of content in the industry. As the podcasting world continues to expand, it raises questions about the necessity of discerning and engaging content in an increasingly crowded space.
