Joe Rogan Says $100 Million Spotify Deal ‘Feels Gross’
Comedian doesn’t want to boast about his new contract “when people can’t work” due to COVID-19
Sean Burch | May 25, 2020 @ 10:37 AM
Last Updated: May 25, 2020 @ 10:41 AM
Joe Rogan may have just signed an industry-shaking deal, reportedly worth more than $100 million, to bring his massively popular podcast to Spotify, but he doesn’t feel comfortable bragging about it — especially while millions of people are unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It feels gross,” Rogan told The New York Times Monday about his new deal. “Especially right now, when people can’t work.”
More than 38 million Americans have filed for unemployment during the last nine weeks, according to The Washington Post.
Rogan’s comments were included in a new piece penned by Bari Weiss that examines why the comedian has become the biggest name in podcasting. The story comes less than a week after Rogan announced his pact with Spotify, which will bring “The Joe Rogan Experience” exclusively to the streaming service by end of the year. That means fans won’t be able to listen to his podcast on Apple’s Podcasts app anymore, and full interviews won’t be posted to YouTube (although it’s believed clips of his interviews will still be shared to YouTube).
Soon after Rogan tweeted about the deal last Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported Rogan would get more than $100 million for the licensing rights to his show. Rogan, per Forbes, made $30 million last year from his podcast — easily lapping the next biggest podcaster.
The ex-“Fear Factor” host, when congratulated by Weiss on becoming “crazy rich,” said he felt “weirdly richer” following the deal. Rogan added: “Like, it doesn’t register. Seems fake.”
You can read the full story, which includes Rogan’s concerns over censorship on YouTube, here.
10 TV Shows Based on Podcasts Ranked, From 'Homecoming' to '2 Dope Girls' (Photos)
"Homecoming" is back and "Dirty John" will be returning for its second season on June 2. Here are other TV shows based on successful podcasts, with their Metacritic ranking (as of May 24, 2020).
"Up and Vanished" (2018 - )
Metacritic score: n/a
Payne Lindsey's true-crime podcast first became a successful two-part special on Oxygen, exploring the disappearance of Georgia schoolteacher Tara Grinstead. And then it became a series, with Payne and his team exploring a new cold case in each episode.
Oxygen
"Alex Inc." - based on "StartUp" (2018)
Metacritic score: 49
Zach Braff played a journalist who quits his job to start his own podcast business -- in a short-lived ABC sitcom very loosely based on Alex Blumberg's "StartUp" podcast about the founding of his own Gimlet Media podcast network.
ABC
"StarTalk" (2015 - )
Metacritic score: 55
Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson adapted his hit podcast into a long-running talk show on NatGeo, with a wide variety of guests beyond the science (and even sci-fi) field.
National Geographic
"Dirty John" (2018 - )
Metacritic score: 58
Connie Britton and Eric Bana starred in the first season of this true-crime anthology series based on the Wondery podcast about love gone wrong. The second season starred an ill-fated coupled played by Amanda Peet and Christian Slater.
USA
"Lore" (2017-18)
Metacritic score: 60
Aaron Mahnke's podcast exploring the true histories behind horror legends like werewolves and vampires inspired an anthology series that blended dramatic scenes, animation and narration and ran for two seasons on Amazon.
Amazon Prime
"Limetown" (2019)
Metacritic score: 62
Jessica Biel starred in this Facebook Watch series that told the fictional story of the disappearance of 300 people at a Tennessee neuroscience facility. But the show failed to capture the creepy immersiveness of the original podcast and lasted only one season.
Facebook
"The Ricky Gervais Show" (2010-12)
Metacritic score: 62
The creator of "The Office" adapted his radio show (with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington) into a podcast, and then into an animated HBO series that made its potty-humor jokes literal.
HBO
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" (2012-16)
Metacritic score: 67
Scott Aukerman adapted his comedy podcast into a parody talk show that ran for five seasons on IFC.
IFC
"Homecoming" (2018 - )
Metacritic score: 76
Julia Roberts starred in the first season of this show, based on Gimlet's fictional podcast about a secret government program to transition U.S. war veterans back to civilian life. Janelle Monaé took center stage in Season 2.
Amazon Prime
"2 Dope Queens" (2018 - )
Metacritic score: 87
"Daily Show" alum Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson adapted their hit comedy podcast into an HBO series that hits a broad range of topics.
HBO
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A growing number of TV shows have been inspired by audio hits
"Homecoming" is back and "Dirty John" will be returning for its second season on June 2. Here are other TV shows based on successful podcasts, with their Metacritic ranking (as of May 24, 2020).