Joe Rogan Says $100 Million Spotify Deal 'Feels Gross'

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.

Also Read: Joe Rogan Signs Exclusive $100 Million Podcast Deal With Spotify

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.

Also Read: Why Joe Rogan Is a $100 Million Bargain for Spotify

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.”

So far, Rogan’s contract seems to be a hit with Spotify’s shareholders, with the company’s stock price rocketing higher last week — adding several billion dollars to Spotify’s valuation in the process.

You can read the full story, which includes Rogan’s concerns over censorship on YouTube, here.

17 TV Shows Based on Podcasts Ranked, From 'Homecoming' to '2 Dope Queens' (Photos)

"Desus & Mero" is going strong with its third season and "The Shrink Next Door" premiered just last month. Here are other TV shows based on successful podcasts, with their Metacritic ranking (as of December 3, 2021).
Epix, IFC, Matt Sayles/Netflix, Showtime
"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
Song Exploder (2020 - )

Metacritic score: n/a

Based on the acclaimed podcast of the same name, the Netflix docu-series takes a look at how the world's greatest musicians have created their songs, while exploring their various creative processes and inspirations.
Matt Sayles/Netflix
Equinox (2020 - )

Metacritic score: n/a

Based on the Danish podcast "Equinox 1985," this Netflix thriller follows a young woman investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of kids, one of whom was her sister.
Tine Harden/Netflix
Slow Burn (2020 - )

Metacritic score: n/a

The true-crime podcast hosted by Leon Neyfakh is now a docuseries on EPIX. Similar to the podcast, Neyfakh dissects historical figures and events and outlines how the lesser-known subplots behind the stories have changed history.
Epix
"Alex Inc." (2018)

Metacritic score: 49

Zach Braff plays 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
"The Shrink Next Door" (2021 - )

Metacritic score: 61

The dark comedy series based n the podcast of the same name premiered November 12 on Apple TV+ and follows the dysfunctional and increasingly manipulative relationship between celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Isaac "Ike" Herschkopf and his longtime patient Martin "Marty" Markowitz.
Apple TV+
"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. However, 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: 64

Scott Aukerman adapted his comedy podcast into a parody talk show that ran for five seasons on IFC.

IFC
"The Case Against Adnan Syed (2019)

Metacritic score: 66

The four-part HBO documentary series follows the 1999 disappearance and murder of 18-year-old high school student Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, which was a case that was covered in the widely popular investigative journalism podcast, "Serial."
St. Martin's Press
"Maron" (2013 - 16)

Metacritic score: 71

The sitcom, which was based on the comedian's podcast, stars Marc Maron as a fictionalized version of himself, as he navigates life, trying to balance all his relationships.

IFC
"Homecoming" (2018-)

Metacritic score: 75

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.

Showtime
"Desus & Mero" (2019 - )

Metacritic score: 78

Bronx natives Desus Nice and The Kid Mero star in Showtime's first ever talk show, which was adapted from their comedy entertainment podcast "Desus vs. Mero."
Amazon Prime
"2 Dope Queens" (2018 - 19)

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

1 of 18

A growing number of TV shows have been inspired by audio hits

"Desus & Mero" is going strong with its third season and "The Shrink Next Door" premiered just last month. Here are other TV shows based on successful podcasts, with their Metacritic ranking (as of December 3, 2021).

View In Gallery

17 TV Shows Based on Podcasts Ranked, From 'Homecoming' to '2 Dope Queens' (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL