Long-time UFC color commentator Joe Rogan has found himself at the center of multiple controversies throughout his career. On several occasions, the backlash was so intense that many believed the 58-year-old podcaster could lose his job or be canceled entirely. Yet, Rogan always managed to weather the storm.
“One of the reasons they decided to stop doing the show is they didn’t like the fact that I said on that show that I think the greatest color analyst in the history of sports is Joe Rogan,” Carton told White. “I said you can take Troy Aikman in football, take Tim McCarver in baseball, guys who are really good at it, I don’t think there’s ever been an analyst that is better at being an analyst and explaining things who loves the sport and the people just getting into the sport than Joe Rogan.”
Carton added that the show pulled in impressive viewership numbers. Despite its strong performance, however, it was canceled after just one season. The praise for Rogan dates back to 2012, long before his podcast reached the massive popularity it enjoys today. Still, Spike TV’s problem was never really with the veteran color commentator himself, but rather with the UFC, the organization Rogan represented.
The thing is, Spike TV was just a year away from parting ways with the UFC to partner with Bellator. This meant that Carton was prohibited from discussing upcoming UFC events. And this, of course, made hosting an MMA show difficult. Yet, it appears the praise for Joe Rogan played a major role in the cancellation of the show. But it’s not all bad for Carton.
Since the show’s cancellation, Carton’s career has outlasted both Spike TV and Bellator. Spike TV was rebranded as the Paramount Network in 2018, while Bellator MMA was eventually dissolved after being acquired by the Professional Fighters League.
In any case, while a few positive remarks about Joe Rogan may have contributed to Carton’s show getting canceled, Rogan himself has remained virtually impossible to cancel. In fact, the longtime UFC commentator made a career-defining move years ago that made him untouchable.
Joe Rogan opened an anti-cancel comedy club
Back in 2023, Rogan officially opened his anti-cancel culture comedy club, Comedy Mothership, in Austin, Texas. Funnily enough, the club launched with a sold-out event featuring comedians often labeled canceled. The club hosted performers including Roseanne Barr, Tim Dillon, and Tony Hinchcliffe.
Rogan described the venue as a place where comedians can perform freely without fear of backlash.
“You can’t fire me from my own club, b—ch,” Rogan joked during the opening night.
“I felt compelled to do it,” Rogan said about why he opened the club.
He added that he wanted to create a new comedy hub after Austin’s Capital City Comedy Club closed down. The alien-themed venue also warns guests beforehand that comedy is subjective, encouraging audiences to research performers to avoid disruptions or offended reactions during shows.
That being said, it appears people around Joe Rogan may get canceled and find themselves out of a job. However, the podcaster himself has taken the necessary steps to avoid a similar fate.
