Popular podcast host Joe Rogan took aim at transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney, referring to the popular Instagram influencer as both “mentally ill” and an “attention wh***” after finally issuing a response to the Bud Light boycott that ensued after a partnership was struck between Mulvaney and the beer brand. The comments from Rogan were made during a Thursday edition of his hit Spotify podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which featured an interview with legendary rap star and actor, Ice Cube.
According to the New York Post, the whole Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney controversy topic arose during the two-and-a-half-hour conversation between the two men. “The only time [capital] respects opinions is when people boycott s–t and it works like this Bud Light thing, and now people are like, ‘Don’t do that again,’” Rogan went on to say during the program, making a reference to the extremely steep drop in sales Bud Light has experienced since Mulvaney began supporting the beer on his social media accounts back on April 1.
“Who controls Bud Light? That’s the question,” Ice Cube responded to Rogan’s remarks. “Why would they make a dumb decision like that? Are they trying to ruin Bud Light? Are they trying to take down some of our most iconic American brands?”
Rogan, who also commentates fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the pressure corporations are currently facing to bring in “ESG,” also known as environmental, social, and governance standards, stating that the actions taken by Bud Light prove that these measures are out of touch with normal people.
“Take a brand like Bud Light,” Rogan continued. “It’s for blue-collar drinking people and they like to watch football and drink Bud Light and then all of a sudden you have this mentally ill person who’s just an attention whore.”
He then cited the viral video from music artist Kid Rock in which he used a rifle to shoot up cases of the popular beer brand. “Once Kid Rock shoots your cans, you’ve got real problems,” he added. The New York Post attempted to get a comment from both Anheuser-Busch and Mulvaney, but as of this writing, it does not appear either has responded.
The remarks from Rogan come after Mulvaney took to social media and posted a video sharing his response to the controversy with 1.8 million followers, saying he felt a “loneliness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” revealing that Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, did not take any action to show support for the activist/influencer as he has been dragged through the ringer in the months since the campaign was launched. It only took 24 hours for Anheuser-Busch to fire back.
In a statement addressing Mulvaney’s comments, the corporation said it is “committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
During the program, Rogan also fired verbal shots at Bud Light for opting to sponsor a Pride event in Toronto, Canada, saying it was “silly.” Rogan and Ice Cube then discussed Target, which also fell prey to a boycott over LGBTQ Pride-themed merchandise being sold in its stores.
“I think that’s an ESG thing, and Target lost billions of dollars,” Rogan stated during the show. “Because people are sick of this s–t. They’re sick of social things that are controversial, getting stuffed into your face and where you have to accept it, and people are like ‘I don’t wanna accept it. I’m just here for f—ing toilet paper.’” Target responded to the boycott by moving the merchandise to the back of the store.
