‘No context’: Rogan addresses N-word clip

Calling the clip “the most regretful and shameful thing I’ve ever had to talk about publicly,” Rogan, 54, insisted the video was compiled of “out of context” snippets from “12 years of conversations” on his show.

“It looks f**king horrible. Even to me,” he said.

He continued, “I know that to most people, there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, nevermind publicly on a podcast, and I agree with that now. I haven’t said it in years.”

While the controversial comedian admitted to using the word in his past, he claimed it would only be within the context of the conversation, claiming that he’s “not racist”.

He went on to address a story he once told on his podcast in which he recalled being dropped off in a “Black neighbourhood” and remarking: “‘We got out and it was like we were in Africa … It was like we were in Planet of the Apes”.

He said: “Instead of saying ‘the N-word,’ I would just say the word. I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing,” he said, listing a number of instances he dropped the racial slur while “quoting” comedians or celebrities who had used.

Discussing his fascination with the word itself, he referred to it as a “very unusual word”.

“If a white person says that word, it’s racist and toxic, but a Black person can use it and it can be a punchline, it can be a term of endearment, it can be lyrics to a rap song, it could be a positive affirmation … it’s a very unusual word, but it’s not my word to use,” he conceded.

“I’m well aware of that now. I never used it to be racist, because I’m not racist, but whenever you’re in a situation where you have to say, ‘I’m not racist’, you f***ed up,” he added.

Grammy-winning singer India. Arie first shared the now-viral clip of Rogan on Instagram while explaining her reasons for removing her music from Spotify, citing Rogan’s “language around race” and $100 million deal that she believes was built on the backs of musicians.

While acknowledging that social media footage “can be doctored” and/or “taken out of context,” Arie, 46, argued that the stand-up and UFC enthusiast, “shouldn’t even be uttering the word — don’t even say it, under any context. Don’t say it. That’s where I stand. I have always stood there.”

In his response, Rogan also addressed a clip of him referring to a Black neighbourhood as “Planet of the Apes,” after being dropped off to see the movie with friends in Philadelphia.

“I was trying to make the story entertaining,” Rogan claimed.

“I did not, nor did I ever say that black people are apes, but it sure f**king sounded like that.”

“It wasn’t a racist story, but it sounded terrible.”

Rogan has been in the spotlight following Neil Young’s decision to remove his music from Spotify due to Rogan’s Covid “misinformation” and anti-vaccine statements.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reproduced here with permission

Originally published as Joe Rogan addresses viral clip of him using the N-word repeatedly on his podcast