Joe Rogan Podcast Guest Calls Him Out Over LA Fires Remark

Joe Rogan was recently called out by a podcast guest who accused the comedian of repeating erroneous information surrounding the Los Angeles wildfires.

Since January 7, the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia and Kenneth fires have caused widespread devastation across Los Angeles County. More than 12,300 structures have been destroyed, per the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, with damages estimated at up to $150 billion.

The Palisades and Eaton fires are two of the worst blazes in Los Angeles County history, causing thousands of residents to lose their homes, while more have been forced to evacuate for their safety. At least 25 people are confirmed dead.

While the fires were worsened by dry conditions and high Santa Ana winds—leading to many pinning the blame on climate change—there have also been police investigations into allegations that arsonists are responsible.

Rogan, who has previously shared his belief that arsonists are responsible for the infernos, discussed the criminal activity that has occurred around Los Angeles County in the aftermath of the devastating fires.

Speaking on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience earlier this week, he told his guest, comedian Bryan Callen: "I don't know what happens to the entire city now, because people are looting like f****** crazy. Gigantic groups of 100 men—organized—are pulling into neighborhoods that are being evacuated, smashing through doors and pulling out TVs. There's film footage of them."

"There's also a bunch of people that have been caught setting fires," he added.

After Callen opined that such people "should be put to death" for their crimes, Rogan said: "One guy got caught setting fires, and he had a UN debit card... He had a bunch."

Media personality Rogan then called on podcast producer Jamie Vernon to pull up the relevant information, before telling his guest of the purported arson suspect: "He had five cell phones and the United Nations prepaid debit card."

"I'm skeptical. Is this conspiracy?" Callen asked. "I just don't want to be played. You know what I mean, though? I don't want to be played. I don't know what's true anymore."

After looking into whether a newspaper had published the allegations, Rogan said with a laugh that the information was shared by account on X, formerly Twitter, using the name "The Texas Patriot." Several accounts on the social media platform bear the name.

"You see?" Callen hit back, also laughing. "You see? I told you. I'm already like hmm, I don't know."

"You're spreading rumors, Joe Rogan. You got played," Callen added, before the pair continued their discussion.

Erroneous claims shared on X about an arson suspect being apprehended with a United Nations prepaid debit card and multiple phones appear to have since been deleted. There is no evidence that the United Nations issues prepaid debit cards.

Journalist Yashar Ali on Saturday shared a screenshot of one account making the claim, adding that it was disseminating "fake news."

Newsweek has contacted representatives of the United Nations via email for comment.

In November, New York City Hall announced the termination of its prepaid debit card program for migrants.

The program, in place since March, provided debit cards to migrants in city-funded hotels to help cover basic needs but was heavily criticized by conservatives. It was launched as part of a one-year pilot program to help migrants by providing them with limited financial assistance for essentials like food and baby clothing.

More than $3 million had been spent on the program, helping almost 3,000 migrant families living in hotels with limited resources to buy essential supplies. The cards provided about $350 for a family of four.

A New York City Hall spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement at the time that as "we move towards more competitive contracting for asylum seeker programs, we have chosen not to renew the emergency contract for this pilot program once the one-year term concludes."

The program replaced a boxed-meal delivery service, which is reported to have cost twice as much as the debit-card program, per ABC News. The debit card initiative was also credited with being a way to save money by not providing migrants with food items they would not eat and instead giving them autonomy to choose their products.

Financial tech company Mobility Capital Finance, or MoCaFi, was hired to run the program for a one-year term.