Joe Rogan Under Fire: 'Maybe You Should Just Go Shoot The Homeless'

It seems Joe Rogan is in trouble yet again for controversial remarks that he made on his Spotify podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

Earlier this year, the former “Fear Factor” host created two apology videos: one for spreading COVID-19 vaccine misinformation via hosting controversial guests and another for the repeated use of the N-word which was compiled into an inflammatory clip that even shocked Rogan himself.

In an episode that aired on July 14, Rogan told podcast guest Tom Segura, “Maybe you should go shoot the homeless people” in Los Angeles, which has spawned a new wave of controversy.

During the July 14 episode, Rogan was talking to comedian Tom Segura about homelessness in Los Angeles. Variety transcribed their conversation, which can be read below:

Tom Segura: When you see stuff like that on the streets, at least in Los Angeles or California, that’s protected property. Like by law. That’s that’s person’s property by law.

Joe Rogan: Oh, a homeless person’s property is protected?

Segura: Absolutely. If you were to try to move that or take that—

Rogan: You’d get arrested. Hilarious. But they wouldn’t arrest you if you shot somebody. Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people.

Segura: I like your ideas.

Rogan: And if nobody claims it. I mean nobody does anything about violent crime in LA anymore.

Shortly after the polarizing remark, Variety sat down with community leaders in Los Angeles to get their opinion on Rogan’s insensitive remark.

One person that Variety spoke to was Theo Henderson, who created the podcast “We the Unhoused.” Henderson is concerned that Rogan’s remarks will lead to an uptick in violence against people without homes.

“It’s repulsive,” Henderson said of Rogan’s remarks. “It’s infuriating because it’s not only out of touch, but the reality is that unhoused people are targeted by housed people. To advocate trying to shoot at unhoused people or just giving these dog whistles to people that do not see unhoused people as human beings — I can’t believe you’d advocate for it.”

The one silver lining that might come from Rogan’s remarks is that it has opened a conversation on how to address the crisis in L.A. Fortunately, Henderson already has a few ideas that will help unhoused people in society.

“Two good things that are basically universal [for the unhoused population] that would be a great help are bathroom access and shower depots, where unhoused people would be able to take care of themselves without being considered pariahs,” Henderson said.

“It’s a very abysmal response to a varied situation that we all should be really concerned and working aggressively to put people in housing right now,” he added.

Variety also spoke with Andy Bales, who serves as president and CEO of the downtown L.A. homeless shelter Union Rescue Mission.

“I’m surprised and saddened,” Bales said of Rogan’s remarks. “The comments about beginning to kill homeless people hits too close to reality for any comfort, because murders of homeless people in Los Angeles went up 47% last year over the previous year.”

“There is a bit of an unfortunate vigilantism already in Los Angeles towards people devastated by homelessness and they don’t need any encouragement,” he said, extending the invitation for Rogan to come tour the Union Rescue Mission to get a firsthand look at the work they do.

“Usually when I get in a case like this, with somebody with a lot of influence and responsibility, I invite them to come see what’s happening on the street and get to know the people that they’re talking about,” Bales said. “I would invite Joe to come to Union Rescue Mission to see, not only our work, but see what’s happening on the streets and who these people are who he’s talking about.”

In other Joe Rogan-related news, earlier this month, he claimed that the former U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to appear on his podcast... and he said no. Those interested can read more about that here.