California Governor Gavin Newsom threw down the gauntlet in a new interview, issuing a challenge to Joe Rogan to stop talking about him behind his back and have him on his show.
In an interview with Higher Learning’s Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, the governor was asked about recent comments Joe Rogan made about Newsom, particularly his record and his political ambitions.
On his podcast, Rogan poked fun at Newsom for wanting to be president “so bad,” adding that unfortunately for Newsom, “You can’t ruin a city and then go on to ruin a state and say, ‘Guys, that was just practice. Once I get in as president, I’m gonna fix it all.”’ He also called the governor a “bulls--t artist”.
“He’s been attacking me for years and years and years and won’t have me on the show,” Newsom told Lindsay and Lathan.
He continued, “Joe, why won’t you have me on the show? He won’t have me on the show. It’s one way. And he has guests coming and attacking and bashing, but he will not have me on the show. Period. Full stop.”
Newsom then issued Rogan a challenge, declaring, “He should have me on the show. Let’s have it. Let’s do it, Joe.” In response to Lindsay’s suggestion that Newsom host Rogan on his podcast, Newsom agreed, adding, “Come on my show, Joe.”
Newsom had previously responded to Rogan’s comments on X, writing in a post, “Joe Rogan is too [chicken emoji] to have me on his show and expose his listeners to the truth, so I’ll put it here,” followed by a list of his state’s achievements. He ended the post with, “I could continue… invite me on any time, @joerogan :)."
Later in the episode, when Lindsay asked Newsom if he would push back on Rogan’s more outlandish claims were he to appear on Newsom’s podcast, Newsom said, “We all have our role to play. I just told you, I’m not afraid to go... I’m punching Joe Rogan, okay? That son of a b--ch is not used to that. And he’s gonna dismiss it and he’s gonna laugh it off, tough guy and all that, but is he going to have me on? I don’t know.”
Claims Rogan made about California include that residents were fleeing in significant numbers, that the state has the highest rate of homelessness in the country, that there’s money missing, that Newsom mandated vaccines “for kids that didn’t need them” and that Hollywood is dead.
Of the criticisms leveled against his state by figures like Rogan and President Donald Trump, Newsom said, “We’re imperfect. We got homelessness. We got problems. Give me a break. So does every goddamn state. You never talk about those states. It pisses me off, cause I love this place. I love what it represents.”
“You hit us, you hit my state, I’m coming back.”
