COVID-19 Pauses Production On Joe Rogan’s Podcast

Popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience has been temporarily struck down by the coronavirus, after a key member of Rogan’s team, Jamie Vernon, tested positive for COVID-19.

Listeners know Jamie as the often unseen co-host and producer of Rogan’s podcast, the man responsible for retrieving videos from the internet (usually involving great apes), and the occasional fact-check, sparking the “Jamie, pull that up,” meme. 

Rogan took to Instagram to break the news, writing:

“All podcasts are cancelled this week Young @jamievernon tested positive for COVID-19. I tested negative, and the rest of the staff tested negative but we’re shutting everything down until we get an all clear from our doctor. I was out of town last week and the shows that aired had all been previously recorded, so I haven’t had any contact with Jamie in the past 9 days except for briefly today, but I’m staying away from everyone and being tested every day until I know I’m in the clear. I’ll keep you folks posted as to when the show will resume.”

Thankfully, it sounds as though the necessary precautions are being taken. Which is somewhat ironic, considering that Rogan has spent a great deal of time over the last few months downplaying the danger of the coronavirus, and sometimes, even mocking those who wear masks.

This ignorant attitude led to one of the most memorable moments of the podcast, as comedian Bill Burr, co-creator of Netflix’s F is for Family, took Rogan to task for his ignorance, stating:

“I’m not going to sit here with no medical degree, listening to you with no medical degree, with an American flag behind you, smoking a cigar, acting like we know what’s up better than the CDC. All I do is I watch the news once every two weeks. I’m like, ‘Mask or no mask? Still mask? Alright, masks.’ That’s all I give a f**k about … Oh god, you’re so tough, with your f**king open nose and throat.”

Leave it to Burr to be able to deliver a good scolding, while still being lighthearted and funny. Judging from Rogan’s recent Instagram post, he should be safe from the effects of the virus, if he’s cautious, and the long-running podcast should return soon.

However, it looks as though that much-anticipated Kanye West appearance (scheduled for this Friday, according to West), isn’t going to happen. At least, not anytime soon.