Comedian Chelsea Handler has publicly criticized Joe Rogan's reported $82 million salary, which placed him at the top of Forbes's list of highest-paid podcasters for 2026. Handler questioned the substantial compensation on Instagram, suggesting the funds could be better utilized for other purposes.
"WHO IS PAYING JOE ROGAN 82 million?" Handler wrote in a comment on Forbes's Instagram post. "Give that to our vets, or our children!!! 82 million to be completely uninformed and say ‘whoopsie doodle,’ every time he’s wrong, which is FREQUENT?"
Handler's comment received significant attention, with over 3,000 users liking her remark. Other social media users echoed her sentiment, with one commenting, "He’s one of those people who makes you scratch your head and say 'how did he get there?'" Another suggested, "@chelseahander for president! honestly no one on that list deserves all that while teachers can barely pay their bills!"
Rogan, a comedian and UFC broadcaster, launched "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast in 2009, making him an early adopter in the podcasting space. Handler, meanwhile, began her podcast "Dear Chelsea" in April 2021. She is also slated to launch a podcast network with iHeartMedia.
Rogan has previously faced public scrutiny. In January 2022, musicians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removed their music from Spotify, the distributor of Rogan's podcast, in protest of his COVID-19 pandemic theories. The following month, Rogan issued an apology after a montage surfaced showing him using the N-word multiple times. He stated that while he had not used the word in years and did not intend to be racist, he acknowledged his past usage was inappropriate.
Handler's recent remarks come as she prepares to resume her national "The High and Mighty Tour," which is scheduled to continue through the end of the year. She is also expanding her podcasting presence with a new network that will feature shows like "You’re the Problem… with Yamaneika."