Fan-favorite podcaster Joe Rogan has called out California Governor Gavin Newsom and his administration for targeting right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley. The 58-year-old UFC color commentator criticized Newsom for ridiculing Shirley after the latter shared an exposé video highlighting alleged fraudulent activities taking place in the Democrat’s state.
Joe Rogan slams Gavin Newsom in podcast
In the March 20 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the titular host blasted Gavin Newsom for mocking Nick Shirley after the latter allegedly uncovered a ‘billion-dollar fraud crisis’ in California.
“Did you see what the governor posted, what Newsom’s press office posted?” Rogan asked his guest, Mark Normand, adding, “They posted a photo of Nick Shirley, like a fake Nick Shirley, like a meme – like Nick Shirley peeking into windows. Like, hey, he’s doing your job. He’s uncovering fraud, and what you’re doing is mocking him?”
Normand responded by saying, “Right. You should go, ‘Oh s–t, there’s fraud? I’m the governor.’” Joe Rogan then slammed Gavin Newsom for making fun of Shirley on the internet instead of looking into the issues highlighted by the YouTuber. “They should just open up the investigations into all these places immediately if you care, but all they want to do is just obfuscate, cover it up, make it look silly — make it look like he’s something, whatever he is, White supremacist — Nazi, whatever, MAGA, come up with a name,” the actor/comedian remarked.
Shirley first gained recognition after his investigation into Minnesota’s in-state-funded daycare programs went viral on the internet. He conducted a similar assessment in California and alleged that the uncovered fraud was even bigger than the one in Minnesota.
Newsom’s office responded to this news by mocking Shirley on social media, prompting a retaliatory response from the YouTuber. “You do realize I’m trying to help America eliminate fraud and waste right? No need to try and make me look like the bad guy for exposing fraud. People are over it. Start working for the people and not against them,” Shirley noted in an X (formerly Twitter) reply.
