Joe Rogan has criticized Bill Gates over his foundation's immunization program, saying he won't take health advice from Gates because he is "fat."
On the July 10 episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan discussed vaccines with mixed martial artist Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Rogan faced backlash during the COVID-19 pandemic for his comments on the virus and vaccines. He claimed Ivermectin cured the disease and suggested young, healthy men didn't need to get vaccinated.
Jackson said he didn't get vaccinated after watching an interview with Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. The Gates Foundation contributed billions to global healthcare, including $250 million to fight COVID worldwide.
Jackson said, "Them saying they got to give it to Blacks and Latinos first, I was like 'Oh f*** that, I'm not taking it.'"
He continued, "I see Fauci is getting in trouble, but how come nobody saying anything about Bill Gates? Why would we listen to him about medicine anyway?" Anthony Fauci was the chief medical adviser to the president during the pandemic.
Rogan responded by calling Gates "fat." "He's got a big pot belly," Rogan said. "He's got no medical degree, I mean, I don't even think he had a college degree. He looks like s***, why are you taking health advice from a guy that looks like s*** just 'cause he invested a bunch of money in a company?"
Newsweek reached out to Bill Gates for comment via email. This isn't the first time Rogan criticized Gates' appearance. In December, Rogan mocked Gates, claiming he has "man boobs," a "gut," and "toothpick arms." Rogan said on the podcast, "Hey buddy, you're not healthy," suggesting Gates' health is "p*** poor."
During the pandemic, Gates became a target of conspiracy theorists, while Rogan caused controversy with his views on the virus and vaccines, particularly his claims about Ivermectin. The FDA states that clinical data hasn't shown Ivermectin to be effective against COVID.
Rogan said a doctor prescribed him the drug to combat the illness, a claim he reiterated during the July 10 episode. "They could have saved a lot of lives and they still to this day ridicule it," Rogan said. "They tried to do everything they could to make [people] take the vaccine because that's what was profitable."
He continued, "They only started attacking me because people could say, 'Oh Joe Rogan got better, yeah he's healthy.' They exaggerated how many people died. The whole thing was f*****."