Joe Rogan has come under fire for his recent comments about who should and should not be referred to as ‘Black’, also arguing that the term itself is ‘strange’.
On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the podcaster was joined by psychologist Jordan Peterson.
The two began discussing how academic Michael Eric Dyson called Peterson a 'mean, angry, white man' back in 2018, with Rogan insisting that the comments were incorrect.
He explained: "Depending on who you ask, either you're a voice of reason and rationality and personal responsibility, or a voice of intolerance and bigotry and anger and hateful.
"What did Michael Eric Dyson call you? A mean, angry, white man? Hilarious. You're not mean at all. That's what's dumb about that statement."
They then joked that it's a lie to even call Peterson white because he says he has a bit of a tan.
As Peterson added that Dyson 'is actually not Black' and is more 'brown', Rogan started pondering the way we label people of different ethnicities with only a few words.
"Well, isn't that weird?" he said.
"The Black and white thing is so strange because the shades are so... there's such a spectrum of shades of people.
"Unless you're talking to someone who is, like, 100 percent African from the darkest place where they're not wearing any clothes all day and they've developed all that melanin to protect themselves from the sun.
"Even the term Black is weird and when you use it for people that are literally my colour, it becomes very strange."
After the episode went live, many people have spoken out about Rogan’s comments online, with one tweeting: “The d**k of the day trophy goes to Joe Rogan for saying that calling a person Black is weird ‘unless you are talking to someone who is like 100% African from the darkest place where they are not wearing any clothes all day.’ A seriously f***ed in the head take.”
Another added: “Rogan said this in response to Jordan Peterson claiming that Michael Eric Dyson isn’t actually Black. Sick stuff. Can’t believe so many listen to this a**hole. Proof that there are millions and millions of f***ing idiots.”
Another wrote: “@Spotify pays Joe Rogan $100 million dollars to sit with Jordan Peterson and talk about Black people the way the freaking 1890 Census did.”
South African comedian Trevor Noah addressed the matter on The Daily Show, mocking Rogan and Peterson's conversation.
He joked: “Oh my God! I’m not Black! I’m… not Black! Joe Rogan’s right! I’m like a Caramel Mocha Frappuccino. This changes everything… This changes everything!”
He then ran off screen, but promptly returned after police sirens sounded, saying: “The police said I’m Black.”
Noah added: “But yeah, apparently Joe Rogan really wants to know why they say ‘Black people’ if they’re not the colour of a Sharpie."
Even Michael Eric Dyson has called Rogan and Peterson out for the comments.
He told The Daily Beast: "Clearly they haven't kept up with discussion about how race isn't just about skin tone or color, but about a host of meanings determined in the social world.
"Blackness is not about shade, but about the shade provided by traditions of Black thought, culture, and resistance."
He added that he would love to be invited onto the show to discuss the topic further.
Topics: Joe Rogan
Jess Hardiman