I wrote recently about ethical journalism, calling on journalists to be accurate, fair, honest, and courageous in their reporting on meat. It’s only right that I hold myself to the same high ethical bar, so I’m sharing with you why I agreed recently to be interviewed by Joe Rogan.
My co-author Robb Wolf and I were first invited on the Joe Rogan Experience in February 2021 to promote the release of our book and film Sacred Cow. The taping was postponed (and I was stranded in a hotel for a week with no water) as a result of the devastating Texas ice storm.
By the time the interview was rescheduled, Joe faced justified criticism of past racist and sexist comments. Racist, sexist comments are always wrong, and scientific misinformation is incredibly harmful. Joe himself called his language “shameful,” and Spotify has taken action to remove episodes containing offensive comments.
At the same time, my mission is to counteract the widespread misinformation about meat that currently dominates nearly every traditional media platform. My co-author Rob Wolff and I have made every effort to inform journalists, editors, and politicians of every political stripe of the truth about eating meat – that it is uniquely critical in healthy diets and can be produced sustainably.
Yet, we’ve been repeatedly locked out of the media platforms where Americans should be able to get these facts and have a chance to make their own informed diet decisions. Mainstream media like NPR and The New York Times refused to cover our book and film Sacred Cow or the facts therein while consistently giving coverage to damaging anti-meat dogma.
Despite Joe Rogan’s mistakes, tens of millions of people listen to every episode of his podcast. I think those tens of millions of people deserve to hear the facts about how meat can help us build a future where food keeps us and our environment healthy, instead of making us sick.
I don’t agree with everything Joe or his guests have said, but I appreciate the opportunity to engage on this critical issue.
Hear the full episode here
27 thoughts on “Practicing what I preach – why I’m taking facts about meat onto Joe Rogan’s podcast”
Congratulations Diana. I agree with you. The means has to justify the end and in this case, getting your message out is what’s important. I will be listening. As I’m sure will millions more.
The podcast interview on JRE was really informative. I’m looking forward on getting the book and watching the documentary. Thank you for being so bold and courageous to take on the corporations, industry, and political machine to give the people the truth.
How convenient of you to use Joe’s platform for your gains but distance yourself from him as a friend or a human. As a seeker of truth – I’m disappointed you can’t see the truth of Joe versus his media hit job.
As someone very influential said, “ We must be wise as a serpent, and gentle as a dove!” You and Robb demonstrate that through Sacred Cow and on the recent JRE. As a recently retired, career corporate Wellness professional I have been sharing the message of Sacred Cow with former colleagues.
You have truth on your side! Keep engaging and speaking!
Pax Christi
If we were to cancel everyone for not being perfect, even MLK would be cancelled (see his letter to a troubled gay boy in Esquire).
The fact of the matter is that Joe has admitted he was wrong and is committed to his own personal growth.
Meanwhile media outlets want to cancel him for misinformation, but many of these are the same media outlets that claimed Iraq had WMDs (such as CNN).
And these same media outlets refuse to have you on because what you have to say doesn’t fit the narrative. These old-school media outlets obviously do not believe in open discourse. They prefer to just censor.
When our immediate instinct is to censor other points of view, that is actually when we are at the greatest risk of misinformation. It’s when we hold so tightly to our beliefs that we become prone to believing in falsehoods for far too long.
Such as all the anti-meat propaganda.
It seems to me that Joe is committed to presenting all sides of an issue. After all the hoopla, Joe has been having more guests from different sides of issues on his show. It would be interesting to see if he brings any pro-vegan guests on soon.
Diane, this three-hour interview with Robb, You, and Joe Rogan was awesome. Also the YouTube version was succinct, with the enlightenment of all the folks chiming in with their point-of-view comments. Thank you from Northern California. ~Mary Anne~
Although I am a strong believer of your hard fought mission, I find it ironic and disappointing that you are falling into the the messaging of the negative narrative against Joe Rogan.
First of all, racist and sexist remarks are never ok, however I am surprised that you – of all people- are buying into the narrative of Joe Rogan using his platform to promote or pass along “scientific misinformation”. Have you even listened to the podcasts in question? The doctors he had on are incredibly knowledgeable in their field and had been on the frontlines in dealing with Covid 19 in the early days, until they saw and spoke out about what they saw behind the scenes. It is worth listening to- as is your “controversial” information. We deserve to hear all sides and decide for ourselves when it comes to our health and what we put in our bodies, be it food or medication. I applaud Joe Rogan for offering different perspectives just as he’s doing by giving you an opportunity to tell your side of the “beef” story, as some would say your information is harmful to the planet and people in it.
It is NO different!
I’m sorry but you’re not doing your own due diligence in research if you think Joe was spreading misinformation about the virus. Just as you want people to look beyond the narrative about meat so it was about this virus.
And the so-called racist comments was just another attempt at the MSM to try to take him down because he has more listeners than they do. You’d think as someone who is experiencing these narratives/censoring, you would be able to apply the same critical thinking to other issues. He’s a threat to the establishment, that’s all it is. No one should be apologizing for associating with him…in fact, you just add fuel for them. Be thankful he made your voice heard.
This post is not good.
“Justified criticism “?
You and every listener that follow joe Rogan knows he is not racist or sexist.
What the Scientists who were on the show said about Covid Is up for debate and not dangerous misinformation. It’s very clear that you know this and think it too. This post is a cowardly act done post show to please the woke mob who doesn’t listen to you anyway.
It’s a bad act to a friend like joe and a strategic mistake in the long run.
I read you book and loved it, follow you and share your posts a lot. but on a personal level I’m very disappointed. Your true colors came out, and they are not looking good.
If you had said it before the show or at the show itself I would respect you.
This is poor human behavior. You should look in and question yourself.
You can also go hang out with the Rock and Andrew Young. Y’all have a lot in common.
I will no longer follow you or share anything you say.
What a shame.
Go Diana! You did a huge service to Humanity with the production of Sacred Cow. But please don’t tell me that Joe Rogan has spread misinformation on the pandemic, he has not. He has done the opposite , hosted courageous world- leading doctors and scientists such as Dr Peter McCullough and Dr Robert Malone who are reminding us that these experimental vaxines are just that: warp -speed developed; devoid of animal testing; no safety profile; no data on mid, long term or intergenerational side effects; and to boot, no efficacy at all against Delta and Omicron. The short term effects are all over VAERS https://openvaers.com/covid-data
I have heard nothing coming under the category of misinformation from Joe Rogan on this topic, or his guests. Au contraire , he is a beacon of truth in a misinformation ocean. Surely you, who also fights misinformation which has been so expertly put out by the likes of Bayer Crop Science, do not agree with mandating experimental drugs? These unlawful mandates have cost millions of people in Australia their jobs ! Division and medical apartheid, all fueled by the lies of politicians and MSM. Right now silence on this issue is adding to the problem, even as little children are vaxinated with the GM device. Im so sad to hear this innuendo from you that “scientific misinformation ” was spread by Joe Rogan. I’m really happy you and Rob got on the show. Please make your stance clear and to hell with popularity. Kids are dying.
You owe no one an explanation. Neither does Joe. When they call what you have said “misinformation,” perhaps you will understand.
Thank you for not being a part of cancel culture 🙏
One does not have to agree with every single word Joe said neither with every single word you or I said in Order to resepectfully communicate with each other.
I completely agree with your perspective on meat, diet, and health, but I am disappointed that you felt it necessary to (essentially) apologize for going on the Joe Rogan Experience. On the one hand, you imply that he shouldn’t have had people on who disagreed with the mainstream thought on the pandemic and who had been locked out of media platforms, yet on the other hand, you went on the show, yet you go in the show for the very same reasons!!
Sorry, it seems disingenuous to me. Free speech reigns in his show, and if you don’t like that, don’t participate, then try to show your virtue. I’m disappointed. It does show that you don’t listen to the podcast, on that he has on guests of all perspectives and beliefs. (And I’m not at all referring to any racist or sexist remarks made years ago – only to the pandemic misinformation you spoke of.)
I actually do listen to his show. As you can see by the comments, many had issues so I decided to just issue a statement. I am not at all “implying” that he shouldn’t have people on who disagree with mainstream thought on the pandemic. THat’s not what I said, please read what I wrote again.
Congratulations! Great interview! Glad you were able to get the message out to such a wide audience! Thanks to you and Robb. Thank God for Joe Rogan!
How were those criticisms justified, when all he did was talk about that word was used and not used it himself?
Have you even listened to those podcasts?
It was always quote unquote, and in a specific context.
Your views on meat etc are valid but that “I don’t agree with Rogan bc he used racist slur blablabla” is quite pathetic and shows a weak mind.
I was really pleased to see you on Joe Rogan, I think he’s fantastic. And, particularly given your own experiences, I’d urge you to listen to those controversial episodes of his podcast that have been labelled by some as ‘Covid misinformation’. He’s giving a voice to experts who’ve been censored and smeared as they’re not following the mainstream narrative. Just as he did for you.
Hi Diane,
Appreciate you spreading the word on meat, sacred cow is a work of art.
With that said, I think you are being a bit harsh here, as having listened to many Joe Rogan podcasts, I’ve never thought of him as sexist or racist, and the recent racist accusations were from conversations taking out of context. If there was thousands of hours of conversations recorded of all of us, none of us would get out alive, especially when context is ignored.
Also regarding ‘misinformation’ during covid, he interviewed professionals with a differing viewpoint from the mainstream narrative, surely you of all people can see why this is important, whether you agree with them or not!
I realise you are most likely simply trying to keep your audience happy, as some of them may need justification for you having been on the show, it was a great opportunity and you would be crazy not to do it, that’s all that needs to be said, you shouldn’t feel the need to pander to those who judge without researching first.
Not sure why you had to qualify or make excuses for appearing on JRE. However,I found your information very valuable. John
I am grateful to hear your information and perspectives from the industry, science and facts. Thank you!
I’m so torn. I totally understand the desire and need to get the message out. But I literally cannot listen to Joe Rogan at this point without cringing. I watched a clip of the show, but he just sickens me. I fear that the very people who need to hear and understand the message on this important issue are the ones who won’t believe it *because* it’s now being pushed by Joe Rogan. Because of his previous statements about COVID, I am now prone to doubt anything he’s pushing. I truly hope your gamble of doing his show pays off and people learn that the meat story is not what is being pushed by the media. But I fear it is falling on the deaf ears that need to be listening the most. I don’t want the credibility of the regenerative ag movement to be hurt by Joe Rogan.
Great interview. I loved the movie and this was a great discussion. Makes me feel even better about raising meat for our family
justified criticism? really? … anybody who listens to Joe knows that he’s not hateful and is one of the most loving, giving and honest people on the internet. He has helped hundreds of artists, scientists, authors, fill in the blank you name it, with his abundance approach to life. No matter what color, race, sex or creed.
I am trying to simply acknowledge that some of his past comments are problematic (Joe even admitted to this and apologized). As you can see from some of the comments here, I have a wide range of followers and opinions on my appearance on the show, so I decided to make a statement.
I enjoyed your JRE podcast and learned a lot. Thanks for having the guts to take a contrarian position… which, ironically, many would label as “scientific misinformation”.
I’m also disappointed that you feel the need to justify having a conversation with Joe Rogan. I don’t know what the sexist or racist comments are in question (as a comedian, he does walk the edge or political correctness), but it seems clear to me that the accusations of ‘scientific misinformation’ are driven by one fact: mainstream media outlets are steaming with jealousy that more people are listening to his long nuanced conversations than to their ‘curated’ propaganda.
Perhaps your lack of appreciation for what he does was why you seemed tense and ill at ease during the interview. To me it lacked the kind of warmth and connection that characterizes many of his other sessions.
Thanks for the feedback, but you don’t seem to know any of the controversy that Joe himself acknowledged he was wrong and even apologized for. As for me seeming “tense and ill at ease” – you try being a guest for THREE HOURS on the largest media platform in the world. Please send me an interview you’ve done that is only eclipsed in viewership by the Super Bowl.