"He's burning the boats for sure" — Joe Rogan's Covid-19 theories on his Netflix special spark widespread reaction online

Joe Rogan’s latest Netflix special, his third for the platform, has sparked discussions online among both admirers and detractors of the celebrity comedian and podcast host. Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats was streamed live on Netflix on August 3, 2024, as the comedian performed live at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, Texas.

In the special, Rogan made jokes about several timely issues. During one segment, he touched upon the alleged controversies surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines. Through several promptly delivered jokes, he expressed his misgivings about the vaccines.

Rogan quipped:

“Before Covid, I would have told you that vaccines are the most important invention in human history. After Covid, I’m like, ‘I don’t think we went to the moon.’”

This was followed by other jokes in the same vein as the audience burst out laughing. This entire segment on Covid has divided the internet, and netizens are busy either defending or criticizing Joe Rogan. One X user, reacting to his set, wrote:

"He's burning the boats, for sure."

Several other netizens shared similar sentiments online.

"Joe Rogan is 🔥." another user added.

"I think it was his best so far!" one fan commented.

"That was some good writing. I was a little underwhelmed by the last special I saw of his, but that was perfectly delivered. Nice give and take on the Michelle Obama joke," another X user reacted.

However, not all of the X users were fans of the special. The Covid segment, in particular, was not well received by many viewers, and some of them expressed their views passionately.

"Actually a lot of them are dead! They died because of listening to dumb m****s like Rogan!" a netizen wrote.

"Says man who has huge platform and spreads conspiracies constantly," another agreed.

"Damn this looks super weird and boring. it’s just the same joke every time," one user wrote.

As the heated discussion on X continued, some users commented that it was pointless to take a comedy special so seriously.

"Y’all are getting so soft it’s just damn comedy it’s not supposed to matter if it’s offensive😂" one user wrote.

---

Joe Rogan is no stranger to Covid controversies

The full gag on Covid vaccines unfolded this way:

“Before Covid, I would have told you that vaccines are the most important invention in human history. After Covid, I’m like, ‘I don’t think we went to the moon.’ I think Michelle Obama’s got a d***. I think Pizzagate is real. I think there’s direct energy weapons in Antarctica.’

As the audience erupted into a fit of laughter, Joe Rogan added:

“I’m just kidding – I don’t think Michelle Obama’s got a d***, but I believe all of that other s***.”

It should be noted that Joe Rogan has previously been accused of spreading misinformation about Covid. In 2022, Spotify was pressured to drop his podcast from the platform following his alleged anti-Covid vaccine comments. Rogan was also accused of using racial slurs. In protest, Neil Young, among other musicians, withdrew their music from the platform.

On January 14, 2022, the New York Post reported that around 270 medical experts, including doctors, researchers, and healthcare professionals, issued a statement addressed to Spotify, warning it about Joe Rogan’s dissemination of unscientific medical advice through his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.

In his latest Netflix special, Rogan not only rekindled the vaccine controversy but also indulged in some ironic self-deprecation. He made fun of his reputation as a spreader of falsehoods and told the audience that his statements should be taken with a pinch of salt.

He joked:

“Here’s my take on that, sincerely: If you’re getting your vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault?”

He then added:

“That’s not my job, kids. I’m a professional s**t-talker. Some of the things I say make sense. A lot of them don’t. It’s up to you to figure out what’s what. That’s the fun part.”

---

Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats is currently streaming on Netflix.