Cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough, who appeared in a popular episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience” in recent weeks, disputed claims that he promoted “misinformation” about COVID-19 and vaccines following an announcement made Sunday by Rogan’s host, Spotify.
In recent days, Spotify and Rogan have come under pressure after the podcaster hosted several individuals, including McCullough, who has argued that healthy children don’t need COVID-19 vaccines.
“Spotify never contacted me for slides which are freely available to them to adjudicate with their doctors,” he also wrote. “Bring it on Spotify!”
Dr. Robert Malone, a key mRNA vaccine technology contributor who also appeared on Rogan’s show, wrote on his Telegram page: “Well, well. They got to Spotify now. Only a matter of time at this point.”
Their remarks come as Rogan issued a statement following decisions made by musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell to pull their music from streaming service Spotify over alleged misinformation about COVID-19 said on Rogan’s show by these experts.
Meanwhile, the UFC commentator said he took issue with the term “misinformation,” which has been used widely by legacy media outlets and some politicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The problem I have with the term ’misinformation,' especially today, is that many of the things that we thought of as misinformation just a short while ago are now accepted as fact,” he said. “Eight months ago, if you said if you get vaccinated you can still catch COVID and you can still spread COVID—you will be removed from social media … Now, that’s accepted as fact,” Rogan said.
Rogan added: “If you said ‘I don’t think cloth masks work’ you would be banned from social media. Now that’s openly and repeatedly stated on CNN.”
“I’ve never tried to do anything with this podcast other than just talk to people and have interesting conversations,” he said of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which “started off is just [expletive] around with my friends.”
“I’m not trying to promote misinformation. I’m not trying to be controversial,” Rogan also said, adding that the situation is “some out of control juggernaut that I barely have control of.”
In response to Young’s and Mitchell’s decisions, Rogan said, “I’m very sorry that they feel that way. I most certainly don’t want that. I’m a Neil Young fan. I’ve always been a Neil Young fan.”
The podcast host also addressed an announcement hours earlier by Spotify CEO Daniel Elk that future podcasts that include COVID-19 discussions would carry content advisories.
“Sure, have that on there. I’m very happy with that,” Rogan remarked. “Do I get things wrong? Absolutely. I get things wrong, but I try to correct them,” he then said.
About a week ago, Young, 76, published a now-deleted letter to Spotify that the platform either remove his music or take down Rogan’s podcast. Mitchell, 78, followed suit several days later. Spotify, in a statement to news outlets, confirmed it would listen to Young’s request.
Spotify hasn’t responded to request for comment as of press time.
