Joe Rogan, the popular comedian and podcast host, recently shared his experience of being publicly criticized by Prince Harry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rogan discussed the incident in his new Netflix comedy special, Burn the Boats, shedding light on his reaction to the unexpected call-out.
Joe Rogan and Prince Harry
In 2021, during an appearance on The Armchair Expert podcast, Prince Harry criticized Rogan for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
At the time, Rogan had suggested that healthy young people might not need to get vaccinated, a statement that sparked widespread backlash.
Harry, who was also signed to a podcast deal with Spotify, took issue with Rogan’s stance, stating that “with a platform comes responsibility” and that Rogan should “stay out of it.”
Rogan recounted the moment he first learned about Harry’s comments, saying he was lounging in his underwear when he turned on the TV to find the prince talking about him.
“It’s a surreal experience when a prince knows your name,” Rogan quipped. “I’m not even mad at Harry. If I was him, I would have said the same s***.
He humorously reflected on the situation, admitting that if he were in Harry’s shoes, he might have said the same thing.
Rogan even joked about wanting to have a drink with Harry, imagining a scenario where they could bond over their shared experiences.
“I get it. If I met that dude, I’d love to have a drink with him… I think, if I met that dude, I’d be, like, ‘I’m not mad at you; in fact, I think if I lived your life, I would be you, and I think, if you lived my life, you would be me. I think we’re all one. Let’s have a drink, relax, have a couple of cocktails, have a good time.’ Like most of us, right?”
In a light-hearted twist, Rogan then added the punchline, saying: “And the goal would be get him about three drinks deep and then go, ‘Hey, man, you ever do mushrooms?'”
Rogan went on to ask: “Could you imagine doing mushrooms with Prince Harry? You imagine if you could trick that guy into doing mushrooms with you.” He then said that, when the hypothetical trip hit the prince, he would “hover over him and say: ‘Are you sure vaccines are safe?” B****, you’re not a scientist.'”
This joke takes on added humor considering that Harry himself admitted in his memoir Spare to experimenting with mushrooms at a Hollywood party in 2016.
Harry described the experience as “delightful,” although it also generated some controversy for him in the United States, as there are questions about whether he had disclosed his drug use on his visa application.