VARIETY CANCELS JOE ROGAN – by Christian Toto

Never forget the mainstream media’s complicit role in Cancel Culture.

We see it time after time, from press outlets savaging Dave Chappelle for telling jokes about an “off-limits” group to reporters using far-Left verbiage against author J.K. Rowling’s alleged transphobia.

Reporters did the same when Neil Young attempted to cancel podcast superstar Joe Rogan for COVID-19 “misinformation.” Never mind that your average “View” broadcast features enough Fake News to snag an internship at CNN.

The media pounced, and seized, on Young’s claims but Rogan emerged with his Spotify gig intact.

Now, Variety is trying to put Rogan through the woke ringer. Again.

The liberal outlet read the transcript of Rogan’s recent interview with fellow comic Tom Segura to set the cancel attack in motion. The two discussed crime, homelessness and the beleaguered City of Angels.

Segura noted it’s illegal to dismantle a homeless person’s makeshift encampment, even if it’s on public property.

Joe Rogan: Oh, a homeless person’s property is protected?

Segura: Absolutely. If you were to try to move that or take that—

Rogan: You’d get arrested. Hilarious. But they wouldn’t arrest you if you shot somebody. Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people.

Segura: I like your ideas.

Rogan: And if nobody claims it. I mean nobody does anything about violent crime in LA anymore.

Both comedians are smiling as they make their comments. The facile tone belies a serious point, one reflected by Rogan’s actual words – “nobody does anything about violent crime in LA anymore.”

It’s why the city’s embattled D.A., George Gascon, may be recalled for his eggshell-soft on crime approach. His own deputies “sued him for permission to charge repeat offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” according to Fox News.

Variety briefly cited outrage on social media (without including any actual comments beyond one grumpy Tweet). Fearing that wouldn’t be enough to cancel Rogan, Variety bravely sought out homeless advocates to do their heavy lifting. Or, rather Unhoused advocates.

These humorless experts were “stunned and disheartened” by satire, as Variety put it.

“The comments about beginning to kill homeless people hits too close to reality for any comfort, because murders of homeless people in Los Angeles went up 47% last year over the previous year…. There is a bit of an unfortunate vigilantism already in Los Angeles towards people devastated by homelessness and they don’t need any encouragement.”

We’re triggered that Andy Bales, president and CEO of the downtown L.A. homeless shelter Union Rescue Mission, used the term “homelessness” when it clearly should be “unhousedness.” Get the newspeak right, please.

The comments section let Variety have it.

Clearly they were joking around…you people are pathetic.

LOL, variety writing another terrible article for the wokies

Variety didnt used to be a leftist advocacy outlet. No one believes your more than woke propoganda.

Nothing like taking an off handed joke by a comedian and treating it like government policy.

Variety fails to realize the joke is on them.

Variety doesn’t actually think Rogan wants homeless people to be shot, of course. It’s drumming up faux outrage to either diminish the podcaster’s voice or force Spotify to fire him.

Why?

Rogan draws hate from the media and liberals, but we repeat ourselves, for being a free thinker. He’s isn’t a Democrat or Republican, although he leans a bit to the left overall. He has guests on from all sides of the cultural debate, giving them a fair hearing and asking solid questions along the way.

It’s why the media attacked him with a Fake News assault last year, claiming he took horse medication to battle COVID-19.

Rogan isn’t a doctor, but as a comedian and broadcaster he shares his views on many hot-button topics. His views on the pandemic may not be 100 percent accurate, but the same is certainly true of mainstream media reportage on the subject.

Plus, he’s a comedian. They’re journalists. Once upon a time you could spot the differences.

All of the above puts a target on Rogan’s back, and the media can’t help aiming at it.

In the process they shoot themselves in the foot, over and again.

Christian Toto is the editor of Hollywood In Toto, the right take on entertainment