Joe Rogan Offered $100M to Quit Spotify

If Joe Rogan is getting tired of apologizing for the contents of his podcasts, he might be tempted by an offer from video-sharing platform Rumble. The right-wing Canadian site is trying to lure Rogan away from Spotify with a $100 million deal, per the Hollywood Reporter. The Joe Rogan Experience moved exclusively to Spotify in 2020 in a deal believed to be worth around the same amount. "We are ready to fight alongside you," Rumble told Rogan in a tweet Monday, sharing a letter from CEO Chris Pavlovski.

"We stand with you, your guests and your legion of fans in desire for real conversation," Pavlovski wrote. "How about you bring all your shows to Rumble, both new and old, with no censorship, for $100 million bucks over four years?" The offer came after Spotify removed around 70 old Rogan episodes but said it was standing by the podcaster after controversy over his use of the n-word. Rogan apologized for his use of the slur Saturday, saying it was "the most regretful and shameful thing" he'd ever had to talk about publicly. Less than a week earlier, he apologized to Spotify for the backlash against COVID misinformation on his show that caused artists including Neil Young to depart.

"This is our chance to save the world. And yes, this is totally legit," Pavlovski said in his letter to Rogan. Rumble, which was launched in 2013 as a YouTube alternative, already has deals with controversial figures including Dan Bongino and Steve Bannon. It also has an agreement to provide video for Truth Social, Donald Trump's proposed social media platform, reports Reuters. Spotify is believed to have a multiyear contract with Rogan and it's not clear how easily he would be able to change platforms, the Wall Street Journal notes. (More Joe Rogan stories.)