The Golden Globes finally opening their doors to podcasts was supposed to be seen as validation. Instead, it fell clumsily, prompting more questions than applause. When the nominees were announced, they not only highlighted who made the cut but also underscored who didn’t. And that absence sparked a familiar tension between new media power and old cultural institutions, which were attempting to define relevance on their own terms. That’s where Joe Rogan‘s name continued coming up, even though the awards themselves didn’t highlight it.

The world’s most popular podcast, which has shaped conversations across politics, science, and culture for over a decade, was nowhere to be found. For some, it seemed like an oversight. Others felt it was purposeful. And for folks like Mike Perry and Bryan Callen, it was the clearest evidence yet of why conventional media still doesn’t get what Rogan represents.

Bryan Callen reveals the reason behind the Joe Rogan snub

When the topic came up on Mike Perry‘s podcast, the BKFC star did not shy away from questioning the Golden Globes. He questioned why the JRE host was not even considered for an award in a category apparently focused on impact and information. “The Golden Globes wouldn’t put Rogan on the list, why?”

Well, according to Bryan Callen, the answer wasn’t about quality or reach. It was about discomfort. “Of course they wouldn’t,” he replied. In his opinion, Joe Rogan is more than just a podcaster; he is a disruptor. Someone who helped demolish the traditional gatekeeping model, in which information flowed downhill from a small number of approved institutions.

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The comedian and actor stated that podcasting did more than just create a new format; it also reduced the importance of conventional media, emphasizing how movies and award programs have lost their cultural value. “Nobody cares about the Golden Globes or the Oscars anymore. Movies have lost their cultural significance,” he said on the Overdogs podcast.

However, Callen’s most pointed statement was not about politics. It was about curiosity. Joe Rogan, he explained, was not a polished intellectual voice. He was an ordinary guy who asked questions aloud. And by doing it publicly, he made complex ideas accessible.

Highlighting how the JRE host normalized intellectual interest outside of elite circles, Callen gave examples of welders in the north of England listening to podcasts about ancient Egypt or listening to the ideas of astrophysicists like Neil deGrasse Tyson.

That, more than anything, could be the threat. Rogan proved that you do not need permission to explore complex ideas, nor do you need institutional approval to matter. In that light, the Golden Globes snub does not feel coincidental. It feels like a dividing line between an old system trying to maintain authority and a new one that no longer requires it. After all, The Joe Rogan Experience still managed to reign supreme in 2025.

JRE tops the Spotify charts yet again

Awards can look away, but audiences just don’t. While the Golden Globes debated optics, listeners continued to push play. The Joe Rogan Experience was Spotify’s most popular podcast for the sixth consecutive year in 2025, silently undermining any argument about relevance.

If influence is measured by attention, the gap between recognition and reality keeps on growing. What has changed isn’t the JRE host’s position, but the format surrounding him. Video has taken over as the primary medium. Nearly half of Spotify’s top 50 podcasts now contain video, and Rogan’s long-form style complements this move seamlessly.

Viewers are no longer just listening; they are witnessing conversation unfold. That’s why hundreds of millions of people watched video podcasts this year, and companies are racing to adapt rather than redefine the sector, which brings us back to the tension at the heart of the snub.

Joe Rogan doesn’t need institutional clearance because his audience has already decided. Charts are just concerned with time spent, not politics or gatekeepers. And, once again, despite new shows and new platforms, the numbers landed in the same place: Joe Rogan continues to command the center, whether award bodies choose to admit it or not.