Summary

Former Ukrainian boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko accused podcaster Joe Rogan of “repeating Russian propaganda” after Rogan criticized U.S. military aid to Ukraine and suggested it could escalate into World War III.

Klitschko defended Ukraine’s resistance against Russia, highlighting the country’s fight for freedom and condemning Rogan’s remarks as aiding Putin’s agenda.

He invited Rogan to discuss their differences on the podcast “like free men.”

Rogan, who recently endorsed Donald Trump, called the war a “proxy war” and criticized Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russian soil with U.S.-supplied missiles.

  • MataVatnik@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    I now see Rogan as our generations Rush Limbaugh. He fell so far, I used to enjoy listening to his podcast and now he’s just a rich, bitter, insular propaganda mouthpiece.

      • fluxion@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        He went from supporting Bernie Sanders to being a fascist bootlicker of the most anti-worker administration ever.

        • krashmo@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          I wouldn’t do what Rogan has done as a response but I don’t blame people for being disillusioned with the way Bernie was treated either. All the bad stuff people say about Trump is true but he wasn’t the one that did everything in his power to prevent a progressive with grassroots support from getting the nomination to run for president. That was all the DNC. They shouldn’t be surprised to see backlash to that kind of treatment. Obviously it would have been much better for everyone if that backlash had occurred when Republicans were running a relatively sane candidate but here we are.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          Wasn’t that character supposed to be a one off, but they liked how dumb Rogan was so they made him part of the show?

        • ArtieShaw@fedia.io
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          1 month ago

          I’d say that he was fine in News Radio, but that was an incredibly one-note character. Seemed harmless compared to Andy Dick.

          My, how the turntables.

          I wonder what Russian propaganda or piles of cocaine Dave Foley is up to these days.

    • atro_city@fedia.io
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      1 month ago

      Crazy that he once had Bernie Sanders on his show and sat there agreeing with him on so many things. I think he also had Andrew Yang on it and nodded his head most of the way through it. I wonder what it was that made him turn to the dark side. For Musk, it was his child transitioning, but for Rogan? No idea…

  • circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 month ago

    I have recently been trying to enlighten my Joe Rogan loving relative as to his (what I would consider, clear) political leanings and tendency to spew propaganda. “I’m just asking questions” is one of the most powerful propaganda tactics, since it can be used to relatively quickly normalize any topic.

    As one might expect, the conversations haven’t gone well. People who listen to Joe Rogan tend to think they are well informed by virtue of listening to Joe Rogan.

    I think collectively we need to start referring to him only as “the former host of Fear Factor” to really drive home exactly who it is these people are idolizing.

      • ArtieShaw@fedia.io
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        1 month ago

        I’ve said it before, but he was good in Fear Factor. I don’t like Rogan, but it’s like this man was born to convince aspiring actors and models to eat maggoty cheese or sort tarantulas with their mouths.

        “C’mon, man. I know you want that key!!! Get in there!!! Pick up those spiders. You’ve only got seven and you need at least nine to beat Brock. The clock is counting!!!”

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    “I listen to your latest podcast,” said Klitschko, whose brother Vitali Klitschko was also a world champion boxer and is now mayor of Kyiv.

    “I’m sending you this video to let you know that I disagree. You talk about these American weapons being sent to Ukraine, which you believe will lead to the third world war. So let me tell you that you’re repeating Russian propaganda.”

    . . . Rogan said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was “100% wrong” but remarked of the Ukrainian president: “[Volodymyr] Zelenskyy says Putin is terrified. Fuck you, man. You fucking people are about to start world war three.”

    He added: “The whole thing is a proxy war … it is fucking insane.”

    Putin has long claimed US assistance for Ukraine is part of a proxy war aimed at weakening Russia.

    “Putin’s Russia is in trouble, so they want to scare you and people like you,” Klitschko said in his message to Rogan. “His war was supposed to last three days. It has lasted three years thanks to the heroism and sacrifice of us Ukrainians. So you’re using the only weapon that Putin really intends to use, propaganda, and this weapon really weakens our democracies.

    “Putin’s Russia wants to destroy Ukraine quietly. They want America to stay quiet. Not great, but quiet. A great America is not an America that abandons countries that defend freedom with their lives.

    “In short, you see, I have quite a few points of difference. If you invite me on your podcast, we could discuss them like free men.”

    Brilliant. But someone get him a fediverse account please. It’s crazy this is on Xitter.

  • Carrolade@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    If Rogan accepts him on his show, I’ll actually gain a touch of respect for him.

    • takeda@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      In my eyes it is the opposite.

      Klitschko is a heavy weight world champion, Rogan should be excited to have him.

      If he ignores it, it will be a clear signal that he isn’t independent as he claims to be, but also gets paid to spread Russian propaganda.

      I don’t see how one would reject such guest unless the goal is spreading disinformation.

      • NoiseColor @lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        He is not paid by the Russian propaganda. He is honest in his beliefs.

        He is a prime example of a person that is not a bad person per se, but just too dumb to understand the complexities and chaotic nature of the world. So they invent shortcuts in their brain, the same kind right wing demagogues are pushing. It is inevitable that he becomes a right wing propagandist.

        • aStonedSanta@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          I think this is my take also. I don’t think he’s purposely malicious or has any idea of the impact he has. I think he just shows up and does his job and smiles. 😆

          • Pips@lemmy.sdf.org
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            1 month ago

            There is no world in which he doesn’t know his impact. He’s got a number one podcast in terms of listenership. He’s an idiot but there’s no way he’s that far gone.

  • MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    Bless this guys heart, but after the Dibble affair it is clear there is no point debating insane positions in front of an insane audience.

  • blazeknave@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Like my dad taught me, give bullies everything they want all the time so they don’t take stuff or hurt you.

  • urno@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    I’m interested to see how JR responds. I heard the “Kamala was a chicken” line pre-election because she avoided him, for whatever reason. Now the tables have been turned! It’s a win-win for me because either I can sing out “Rogan is a chicken” or he actually has a discussion with Klitschko and many will have their positions challenged.

  • nednobbins@lemm.ee
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    1 month ago

    Why is “proxy war” in scare quotes?

    It’s just a war where at least one of the belligerents is supported by at least one third party. Is there anyone who doubts that the Ukraine war meets any part of that definition?

      • nednobbins@lemm.ee
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        1 month ago

        I get that people don’t want to associate Ukraine with the US’s horrible track record with proxy wars but the term is still just a dry political definition and the Ukraine war fits it perfectly.

        It would stop being a proxy war if the US (and everyone else) cut off funding or if they actually engaged in hostilities. As long as the US (or any nation) aids Russia or Ukraine without directly participating, it’s a proxy war because that’s how proxy wars are defined.

        • _cryptagion@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          1 month ago

          Would Iran, North Korea, and the other countries sending arms to Russia need to cut their support for it to stop being a proxy war? Or do they get a free pass for being the underdogs?

  • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    I thought they meant Vitali, but I didn’t know his brother was a boxer too.

  • NastyNative@mander.xyz
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    1 month ago

    An individual within the country, such as the former heavyweight champion, has a patriotic obligation to challenge any statements made against their nation or in favor of its adversaries. On the other hand, someone like Rogan, observing from an external perspective, might interpret Ukraine’s actions as merely executing the use of weapons provided to them.

    Ukrainians are being leveraged by this administration to sustain the demands of the military-industrial complex. The former champion would benefit from considering Rogan’s perspective, as doing so could potentially contribute to saving many lives.