LOS ANGELES – Comedian Joe Rogan, whose podcast racks up millions of listens but who has faced criticism for suggesting young people need not get vaccinated against Covid-19, said Wednesday he had tested positive for the virus.
In a post on Instagram, Rogan said he was tested after showing mild symptoms following a trip to Florida, which is currently battling surging cases of the highly infectious Delta variant.
He said he had taken a number of drugs to treat the virus, including antiparasitic medicine ivermectin, demand for which has surged in the United States despite scant evidence of its effectiveness against Covid.
"A wonderful heartfelt thank you to modern medicine for pulling me out of this so quickly and easily," Rogan said.
Rogan's podcast is one of the world's most popular, often featuring fellow comedians as well as academics, journalists and athletes discussing everything from fitness to UFOs and psychedelic drugs.
He signed a reported US$100 million (RM415 million) deal with Spotify last year, giving the music streaming giant exclusive rights to his show.
But the podcast has long drawn criticism for giving a platform to conspiracy theories and disinformation, with Rogan publicly rebuked by the White House this year for suggesting young people do not need to receive Covid jabs.
"If you're like 21 years old and you say to me, 'Should I get vaccinated?' I'll go, 'No,'" he said.
"If you're a healthy person and you're exercising all the time and you're young and you're eating well, I don't think you need to worry about this."
Rogan has not stated publicly whether he received a Covid vaccine. – AFP, September 2, 2021
