Joe Rogan Says It's 'Very Strange' to Call People Black Unless They're From 'Darkest Place' of Africa
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 2 years ago • 89 commentsBy: Justin Baragona (The Daily Beast)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
'THE TERM BLACK IS WEIRD'
After Rogan said Michael Eric Dyson isn't Black because his skin isn't dark enough, Dyson told The Daily Beast he would relish a chance to go on Rogan's podcast to discuss.
Podcast host Joe Rogan once again courted controversy this week when he questioned the racial identity of a prominent African-American professor, saying it was "very strange" that anyone would call themselves Black unless they're from the "darkest place" of Africa.
During Tuesday's broadcast of the immensely popular "The Joe Rogan Experience," Rogan brought on clinical psychologist and cultural commentator Jordan Peterson, a fellow charter member of the so-called Intellectual Dark Web. While the conversation went through many hilariously weird turns—such as Peterson's confident claim that there is no such thing as climate—it was the pair's discussion on race that really raised eyebrows.
At one point in the interview, first flagged by Media Matters, Rogan noted that Peterson has become an extremely polarizing figure in recent years. After pointing out that many on the left have accused Peterson of intolerance, bigotry and hatefulness, the podcaster then recalled an exchange between Peterson and liberal academic Michael Eric Dyson.
"What did Michael Eric Dyson call you? A mean, angry white man?!" Rogan wondered aloud, referencing a 2018 debate that featured Dyson jokingly calling Peterson a "mean, mad white man" for "whining" about how repressed he was despite his personal success.
"Hilarious. You're not mean at all," Rogan continued. "That's what's dumb about that statement. You're not mean at all."
Peterson, for his part, took issue with Dyson highlighting his race, insisting "that's a lie" to call him white.
"I am kind of tan," he declared. "And he was actually not Black, he was sort of brown."
From there, Rogan and Peterson went back and forth over their own relative lack of whiteness—all while asserting that the African-American Dyson isn't Black because his skin color isn't dark enough.
"If you're tan then what the fuck am I. Because I'm darker than you. That's ridiculous," Rogan exclaimed.
"Neither of us are white," Peterson replied, adding: "And he was brown, not Black."
Rogan, meanwhile, took their argument on skin color and racial identity to its inevitable conclusion.
"Well, isn't that weird," he stated. "The Black and white thing is so strange because the shades are such a spectrum of shades of people. Unless you are talking to someone who is, like, 100 percent African from the darkest place where they are not wearing any clothes all day and they have developed all of that melanin to protect themselves from the sun, even the term Black is weird."
Rogan concluded: "When you use it for people who are literally my color, it becomes very strange."
Reacting to the remarks made by Rogan and Peterson, Dyson told The Daily Beast that while both men were "too funny," he took them "seriously because they have an influential perch on the culture." Furthermore, he said he would relish the chance to go on Rogan's program to discuss race.
"Clearly they haven't kept up with discussion about how race isn't just about skin tone or color, but about a host of meanings determined in the social world," he added. "Blackness is not about shade, but about the shade provided by traditions of Black thought, culture and resistance. But in a way, Blackness is about throwing certain kinds of shade, and I'd love to go on Rogan's podcast to share my thoughts and chop it up."
Dyson concluded: "I'm afraid he may be too afraid to engage me directly. Better to talk behind my ear than to my face. But let's see. We would have a blast of a time!"
Spotify, which streams Rogan's podcast, did not respond to an immediate requests for comment on Rogan's comments.
Rogan has found himself the center of controversy for months, largely over his willingness to give airtime to misinformation and fringe theories about COVID-19 and vaccines. Earlier this month, hundreds of doctors demanded that Spotify implement a misinformation policy after Rogan hosted a notorious anti-vaccine virologist who bizarrely claimed that "mass formation psychosis" is behind vaccinations.
Legendary rocker Neil Young has since asked his team to pull his music from Spotify in response to the "fake information about vaccines" that Rogan's been peddling on his show. "It's something that's really important to Neil," Young's manager Frank Gironda told The Daily Beast. "He's very upset about this disinformation."
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This is extremely odd. Neither Rogan or Jordan Petersen can possibly be as stupid as they sound in this story.
The terms black, brown , red, yellow, or white as used to describe "racial" differences are a shorthand standing in for the more obscure designations such as "caucasian". The terms are also cultural signifiers. It doesnt mean, at all, that someones skin is literally black. Rogan and Petersen made themselves look like idiots. But why? There may be something more nefarious behind this.
How bout they're just both idiots?
Yes they can, they proved it in this article. Stupid is as stupid says.
Who in the flock does Rogan think he is - 'nuther Glenn Beck???
Petersen certainly is not. Personally, I'm cautious about underestimating Rogan's stupidity.
The intelligent part of Petersen's point is that there is a racial spectrum like there is a skin color spectrum. Almost no white people have all-white ancestry, and fewer "black" people do with every passing year. So our relentless determination to classify ourselves along those lines is a fool's errand.
Black , or the others, are also cultural designations. This is one of the reasons mixed race people are allowed to designate their race on the census forms. If they want to self identify as black even though they are mixed race they can do so, and many do.
Sure. But one of the things Petersen is known for is challenging paradigms that don't make much sense.
The existence of the classifications you describe (and we all use) is the anachronistic habit upon which racism is built. The idea that people "identify" as one race or another and then in many cases internalize that race as anintegral part of their identity works in direct opposition to the eradication of racism.
wanna bet?
Well, one day we may have evolved (or devolved if one prefers) into one homogenous culture where everyone is seen as the same racial heritage. That seems very far off to me. In the meantime people consider themselves part of a historic ethnic culture (Irish, Carribean, French) and/or a racial culture (Indian, white, asian etc) . Nothing wrong with that as long as multiculturalism is respected.
I would love to see any statistics you have.
Well....we're going to need to change the way we think... so yeah, I agree, that's probably a very long way away.
Well, you did say "almost". But my ancestry has no people of color.
yeah, but do you buy your bedroom linen at walmart?
Oh, hell no. Mr G must have quality sheets
The Daily Beast ?
Talk about naked hatred!
FOX News?
talk about short bus community college.
It came from the Daily Best. Please pay attention.
it was a sarcastic response in reference to the favored news source of the willfully ignorant.
you appear to be some sort of expert on Fox.
do you watch it often?
I catch a few minutes of fux and fiends every morning to see what vic will be posting. that and seeing what steve and brian will be whining about. I don't know who the fox bimbo du jour is.
I figured you for a big fan.
We know you're a HUGE fan of Rachel Maddow.
Thank you for confirming this yet again:
You're quoting the Alzheimer's afflicted guy ignorant enough to believe:
Ronald Reagan said, “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do”
Good to know that your source didn't know much about anything.
the quote remains amazingly accurate, and loads of folks prove him right every day.
thanks for continuing to do your part.
No one ever accused you of not spouting nonsense.
You also undoubtedly believe that trees cause more pollution than automobiles do.
Oh, gee, an insult, and not even terribly original!
Can you not make a point without insults?
That has to be one of the most fucked-up things I have had the displeasure of reading here.
Why are you so damn intent on keeping on proving Reagan right all the time?
Coming from you that's hilarious. The irony is palpable.
Maybe everyone is wrong and you really do have a sense of humor.
maybe one day you can back your little imagined claims up, too.
maybe
Now you're doubling down on the irony.
I see you have no clue as to what irony is, either.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
You're letting your ignorance show again.
That is what people who can't mount a cogent argument do tend to say!
Thanks for not disappointing--I was wondering how long before that old canard was trotted out.
It's endless fun watching you try to defend your ignorance.
Keep it up! We all need a good laugh.
Pee Wee Herman-like response duly noted.
Another fail by you.
Now, run along and embarrass yourself somewhere else, like we know you will.
Another Pee Wee Herman-type response?
Nothing original, eh?
It didn't take you long:
Gee, how smart is it to quote someone else's words to me, like I stated what you quoted????????????/
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Most "non-white" people I know refer to "white people" as white. With one exception. I know several Chinese-Americans. For some reason I've never heard them refer to anyone as "White", rather they always refer to Whites as "Caucasians".
I don't think that Rogan is white, after all he isn't the whitest white from say Sweden. He resembles a mutt to me I think that we should investigate his heritage, perhaps a portion from sub sahara area.
LOL! We did a DNA ancestry test a few years ago. Boy! Was Mr G's brothers upset when he told them they had ancestors from Africa and the Sahara! You could say they're racist
they are both just imitating a border line personality disorder known as splitting.
Things are either con or lib.
right or wrong, black or white, there is no compromise.
Most people know better.
Rogan? Just another talking monkey who figured out how to make 1 hundred million $$
producing nothing but a talk show.
I think Plato would be equally impressed and disappointed.
Mr. G's family is a mix of Spanish, French, African, Arab (Moors) and Native American. And they are all the con or lib types. Either/or.
I still love them
What a bizarre and silly conversation. Petersen is usually a lot more thoughtful than this.
He may have been having a reflection moment on air. You know, simple issue that you have question about, but delay in getting around to solving: Just 'flops' out in mixed company. You take a risk that it will (or will not) land right (or wrong). What needs to happen next is he needs to get a proper answer so he can be satisfied and not have to ask again!
Well Joe, it goes something like this:
Africans originate in Africa. Were brought to the Americas. Were no longer Africans. Were never Whites. Oh, standard law of the states said anybody 1/16th blood African was non-white. So whites called us "negroes." In Spanish, "Negro" equals "Black."
But Black people wanted to "ID" themselves. So the "people" were open to "id shopping." James Brown made it possible by "id-ing" us in a song: "I'm Black and I'm Proud.' The term, Negro dissolved into a relic (finally).
One more thing: the Michael E. Dyson angle. Light-skinned (black) people were not considered white (the whole 1/16 blood African thingie.) So when white men or women started having mixed babies with Africans ( human attraction) those beautiful babies had to be 'slotted' in somewhere. Because they were 'massuh's progeny' they were given better work than field hands. They worked in the 'big house.' That is, the plantation house as servants and attendants. The lightest ones of us even got to "Pass" as white unsuspectingly.
But, all told, they never forgot that Whites did not consider them 'pure.' So, they are us. Therefore, Barack and most bi-racial children, especially of a 'shade' still with the Black nomenclature. See what hatred and oppression wrought?
Say it Loud- I'm Black and Proud James Brown
Does Joe refer to himself as pinkish cream?
I'm actually a golden brown. I spend a lot of time in the sun. But my ancestry is all white
White? Are they all albino?
I'm more of a reddish-bronze color and when in the sun just more reddish-bronze. My ancestors are all reddish-bronze.
Your toast?
Let's say that none of my ancestors were POC.
Like a nice peanut butter shade...on rye toast
LOL
Damn, it's almost noon here and I had to wait this long to read a comment that made me laugh out loud. Thanks, K.
Cue the _________ (insert name on line) "is living rent free in your head" jokes.
Maybe funny the first time but it's getting way past it's "best if used by ____ date".
My toast varies in colour slightly from day to day.
Truth be told its getting sorta boring..in fact the only reason I keep making it is that Jesus (PBUH) himself often appears in a piece of toast and gives me some inspiring words to start my day!
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one:
Woman Sees Jesus in Her Cheese Toast
A woman in Inman, South Carolina says she just wanted a piece of cheese toast but, she received an image of Jesus in her late night snack
(How many LOLs can they fit into a 53 second video?)
...saying it was "very strange" that anyone would call themselves Joe Rogan because he doesn't actually exist. He is a mere figment of his own imagination.
Actually he doesn't really exist-- the only reason people think he does is his likeness does occasionally appear on a roll (not on toast-- that's reserved for only Jesus!)
So does this mean that we have to go back to those "obscure" terms I learned in Anthropology class? Caucasian, Mongolian and Negroid (Oooooo. that sounds too much like that bad "N" word), I don't recall any such designations for Native Americans, and now there are multiple other such descriptive terms. But just remember that it isn't easy being green.
"isn't easy being ..."
Someone I knew invented this old saying:
Nothing difficult is ever easy...
Was Yogi Berra the person you knew?
It does sound like the Great Yogi Master, doesn't it?
Don't remember-- it was long ago-- but it may have been Bert and Harry Piel?
(Anyone remember them?)
They did the famous Piel's Beer commercials, way back when. (Or perhaps even before that..).
They were actually comedians whose real, names were "Bob and Ray")..
Another of their bon mots:
When Winter comes.. we'll know which trees are Evergreen!
I DO remember Bob and Ray, from way back when.
More on Rogan's ignorance
YouTube Bans Joe Rogan Episode Over Nazi Germany Reference, COVID-19 Misinformation — Spotify Refuses to Censor
Spotify is all about the cash. That's why they let Neil Young go
IMO Joe Rogan should be charged with the murder of every person who died believing his bullshit about the virus and vaccinations. And those who run Spotify, for providing him with the means to cause those deaths, should also be changed with being accessories those murders. Are you Americans SO PROUD of your free speech when it allows such criminals to cause the deaths of innocent people?
That's extreme, Buzz. Nobody forced anyone to listen to Rogan. And yes, our First Amendment rights are sacrosanct
Free speech is not entirely free, there ARE limitations, and IMO, because people DO listen to him, and believe him, and die, I think he's committing a crime.
LOL I came here to post this one.
Someone's been reading a lot of YouTube comments...(?)
I used to just watch the videos on YouTube...but I soon came to realize there's a whole sub-culture there-- the people who comment! Now I always look at the comments as well as the videos, often some of the comments are more fun than the video!
What does he call a lot of Jamaicans then?
Rasta
I am not familiar with that term.
The best!
Since we're paying tribute. A song for the ages.
Rasta...if they live nearby. But if they don't they're called Rasta-FAR-ians.
(But don't you worry 'bout a thing, ' cause every little things gonna be aw-right...)
Rasta...if they live nearby. But if they don't they're called Rasta-FAR-ians.
(But don't you worry 'bout a thing, ' cause every little things gonna be aw-right...)
Actually that song pretty much sums up my experience of the Jamaicans when I spent some time there on vacation...
Thread @1.5 locked for slap-fighting.