Joe Rogan rose to Jelly Roll’s defense on Wednesday’s “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, railing against “fucking nuts” supporters of President Donald Trump who took issue with the country’s star’s late night jokes while guest hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last month.
“Trump supporters are f–king nuts man, they’re rabid,” Rogan told his guest, comedian Ron White. “He represents something other than just a person to them. He represents something, a leader they wish they had. Which is a real problem in our society in general with leaders. We look to them as if they’re something different than every other person that’s ever been a leader before. Like, ‘This is the one that’s gonna save us.’”
White said that he’s “always been careful” about what he says about the president for that very reason. “You know, don’t be stupid Ron. Don’t be stupid.”
“He’s saying jokes. I shouldn’t even say he’s saying stupid things,” Rogan added. “I’m just saying like if you want people to like you, like, going after Trump — and especially from his perspective as a country guy, that’s a giant chunk of your crowd. I wouldn’t have advised him to say that there.”
Jelly Roll came under fire while hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” the last week of August and making jokes at the president’s expense — comparing his own 300-pound weight loss to Trump’s cratering approval ratings, teasing the president for being a fellow “fat pig,” and saying Trump is “the pot calling the kettle fat” whenever he goes after his political enemies for their weight.
Rogan, rolling a clip from the late night segment that showed a montage of Trump calling Chris Christie and others a “fat slob,” admitted the bit was “f–king hilarious.”
But Trump supporters came out in arms online against Jelly Roll, with many vowing to stop listening to his music. The singer took it in stride later in the week, referencing the blowback on air and saying it’s the “weirdest thing I’ve ever done to stun people.”
“Some folks online were upset that I didn’t treat the president with reverence and dignity. But I want to remind y’all that I go by the name Jelly Roll,” he said.
“I think he’ll be fine. He’ll be fine because he’s super talented,” Rogan concluded Wednesday, later adding: “I wish he didn’t say that stuff, but I mean, it’s just sometimes the juice is not worth the squeeze.”
Watch the full “Joe Rogan Experience” episode below.
