I'm not sure his guests are paying to be on the program, I don't think I've seen too many shilling for some product on his show.
But, even if you consider it an infomercial, I don't see what the problem is. Don't like what they have to say? Don't watch. Not sure you can trust his guests? Don't watch.
You don't have to have a product to be shilling something, and it doesn't have to be a paid infomercial to be an infomercial.
I feel interviewers who push their guests to confront and address the rougher edges and ramifications of their beliefs are more valuable to their listeners, and will preferentially watch/listen them instead as a result. You're welcome to disagree if you like.
The Intercept's Mehdi Hasan is a good example of someone who won't let a guest dodge a tough issue - his interview of Erik Prince is a must-see for the benefits of a more confrontational approach, IMO. https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/mehdi-hasan-caught...
So, I said 'what's wrong with how he does what he does', you say 'because it's an infomercial', I dispute and then raise 'what difference does that make' and your answer is 'I don't like infomercials'.
So, because you don't like infomercials, Joe Rogan shouldn't do them?
> I feel interviewers who push their guests to confront and address the rougher edges and ramifications of their beliefs
I feel I'm smart enough to figure out for myself if someone's claims or beliefs have rougher edges and ramifications. I don't need someone to ask these questions, if they go unaddressed, I make a determination as to why.
For instance "Drink this koolaide and you'll go to heaven." I don't need someone to question that, I'll be sure to question it on my own. Did the person espousing such a belief do enough to substantiate their opinion during the interview or not?
"Infomercial" is a weasel word in this context. An actual infomercial is a paid promotion, often with a direct marketing avenue attached to it. Rogan's podcast is neither of those, regardless of one's issues with presentation and interview methodology.
Because at that point it's just an infomercial.
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