Joseph James Rogan Jr. (born August 11, 1967) is an American podcaster, sports commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. Since 2009, he has hosted The Joe Rogan Experience, which is one of the most popular podcasts in the world and has been the most streamed podcast on Spotify as of 2020. Rogan was born in Newark, New Jersey, and began his career in comedy in 1988 in the Boston area. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1994, he signed an exclusive developmental deal with Disney and appeared as an actor on several television shows, including Hardball and NewsRadio. In 1997, he started working for the UFC as an interviewer and color commentator. He released his first comedy special, I'm Gonna Be Dead Someday..., in 2000 and hosted the game show Fear Factor from 2001 to 2006. After leaving Fear Factor, Rogan focused on his stand-up career and hosted more comedy specials. He launched The Joe Rogan Experience in 2009; by 2015, it was one of the most popular podcasts in the world, regularly receiving millions of plays per episode. Spotify obtained exclusive distribution rights to The Joe Rogan Experience in 2020 for $200 million. Rogan's audience has since grown significantly, and in 2024, he renewed his deal with Spotify for an estimated $250 million, but will no longer be exclusive to them. Although not a traditional political figure, significant attention has been given to Rogan's political views and his role as a political influencer. Rogan has voiced support for politicians and stances across the political spectrum, including socially liberal causes such as same-sex marriage, recreational drug legalization and universal health care, while also supporting gun rights and free speech and opposing cancel culture and military adventurism. Rogan has faced criticism for promoting conspiracy theories, COVID-19 misinformation, transphobia, and for hosting guests who spread misinformation and pseudoscience. In the 2024 presidential election, Rogan made a widely covered public endorsement of Donald Trump, though later criticized some of Trump's policies, while continuing to make public appearances with him.