Staff Reports
Kamala Harris has once again taken a page out of the 1990s PR playbook by wrapping up her 2024 presidential campaign with appearances on two media relics: “The Howard Stern Show” and “Saturday Night Live.” Someone might want to remind her that the world has moved on since her heyday, as neither of these platforms can touch the reach of modern alternative media. SNL, for instance, boasts a meager 4.5 million viewers, while Joe Rogan’s interview with Donald Trump has amassed a staggering 50 million views—for starters. That doesn’t even include the additional millions tuning in on Spotify or scouring social media for clips.
The liberals are understandably shaken. The cozy relationship they once enjoyed with pop culture seems to be slipping through their fingers, leaving them on the outside looking in. They’ve spent years occupying their ivory towers, gleefully patting themselves on the back over how they’ve dominated the cultural landscape. Now they are clamoring for a progressive juggernaut like Joe Rogan to boost their influence, but alas, no such figure exists to rescue them from their relational disaster.
In a recent article by journalist Taylor Lorenz, a stalwart of the liberal media landscape and known for her nuanced contributions (like doxxing the creator of “Libs of TikTok”), she laments the left’s inability to conjure up a liberal version of Joe Rogan. Her griping revolves around the staggering reach and impact of Rogan and the right-wing media sphere—a world, she asserts, the left just can’t mimic. The current reality is that the liberals have neither the creative talent nor the platform to reach today’s audiences like the conservatives do.
I’ve Discovered the Liberals' Joe Rogan! And He Is… https://t.co/08RNw3wAj5
— kornfed (@GeeWillyQue1) November 8, 2024
The sob story goes that wealthy donors and PACs have created a burgeoning right-wing media ecosystem while progressives all suffer from the same fate as underfunded college bands trying to get traditional publishing contracts. Lorenz goes on to paint a picture where progressive creators struggle to get noticed and ultimately fade away, complaining about how unfair it is that only the loudest right-wing voices are making waves on social media. Apparently, the algorithms that prioritize engaging content are just biased against their heartfelt leftist screeds.
And then, there’s her assessment of what the left has in place of a liberal Rogan—most notably, the podcast “Pod Save America.” It’s a slick production, yes, but it operates firmly within partisan lines. Designed to cater to the Democratic establishment, the product lacks the authentic connection with disaffected youth who are tired of the same old political song and dance. Instead, it appears the left is promoting a club of establishment insiders while insurgent voices grow stronger on the other side.
However, Lorenz’s search may finally be over; the left has, after all, already had their potential Joe Rogan. They just couldn’t keep him. Imagine this: a guy from Los Angeles who ran with the liberal crowd, supported progressive causes, and even dabbled in comedy. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? He was never going to win a rap battle against the establishment Democrats, but he was friendly and relatable enough to have conversations with all walks of life. His podcast was hip and gaining traction—until his listeners realized they needed to embrace the full spectrum of thought, even if it meant straying from leftist orthodoxy.
The truth is, the liberal elite can’t blame anyone but themselves for losing a potent advocate like Rogan. They drove him away during their self-righteous crusades, which only fostered distrust and drove dissent into the shadows. Instead of looking for another figure to fill the void, perhaps they should reflect on how their actions have pushed talented people to the right. Until then, they will remain stuck in their antiquated media strategies, wondering why they can’t attract audiences beyond their bubble.
