In the 2000+ episodes that Joe Rogan has released of his podcast, it might be hard to pick a favorite. He’s had the royalty of the public sphere, like POTUS Donald Trump and Elon Musk, to MMA royalty like Georges St-Pierre and Israel Adesanya on the show. Okay, so it might be difficult to pick a favorite from all those exhilarating conversations, but do you know what IS easy? Picking the bad ones. Yeah, you don’t easily forget the ones that leave a bad taste in your mouth, and Rogan confessed how he bit into something sour with this latest claim.

The JRE host recently confessed that one of his most popular episodes may also be his worst. The podcast in question received over a million views. On paper, it appeared to be a dream guest: Dr. Zahi Hawass, the former chairman of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and the “face of modern Egyptology.” However, the episode spiraled into one of the most frustrating experiences Rogan has ever had behind the microphone.

As a result, the UFC commentator didn’t hold back during his latest interview with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers on episode #2325. He said, “That might have been the worst podcast I’ve ever done. But maybe a good one too, just to see — okay, this is the guy. This closed-minded fellow that’s been in charge of gatekeeping all the knowledge.”

What caused such a strong reaction? It came down to one thing: Hawass’s persistent reluctance to accept any theories or technologies that contradicted his own worldview. When Rogan mentioned cutting-edge Doppler tomography and satellite radar results from Italian experts exploring the Osiris Shaft near the Great Pyramid, Hawass shut it down quickly.

He dismissed the findings as “lies” and asserted that only his team’s discoveries were real. No discussion. No curiosity. Just a quick dismissal. This approach irritated not just Joe Rogan but also shocked listeners. Many expected the podcast to be an open investigation of ancient mysteries, but it quickly became a demonstration of arrogance and gatekeeping.

It is worth noting that critics have long accused Hawass of wielding absolute power over Egyptian archaeology. Some claim he silences dissenting voices and prohibits other researchers from releasing discoveries without his permission, and his close ties to the former Mubarak administration haven’t helped his image.

While he did bring finance and international attention to Egyptian antiquities, many believe he also hindered the progress. Now, even Joe Rogan has called him his worst guest ever. But while he considers this to be his worst-ever episode, fans recently targeted another guest as the worst podcast appearance instead. Any guesses who it is?

Joe Rogan faces backlash from fans for a recent guest on the podcast

After expressing his dissatisfaction with Dr. Zahi Hawass in what he described as the “worst podcast I’ve ever done,” Joe Rogan is now facing criticism—this time for who he decided to feature next, rather than how the episode went down. Joe Rogan invited Amanda Knox back into the studio, and fans were not pleased.

The episode #2324 has received 328,000 views, although that figure does not fully reflect the backlash the UFC commentator has had for bringing her to the studio. While his conversation with Hawass left him disappointed, the Amanda Knox episode left his audience dissatisfied, loudly and clearly.

Knox spent her time on the program to discuss systemic problems in criminal justice. She discussed how erroneous convictions can result from misidentification, along with some other issues she felt law enforcement needed to address. Rogan, as usual, allowed the conversation to go long and wild. But, unlike most of his marathon episodes, this one did not appear to fascinate his normal audience. Despite the seriousness of Knox’s narrative and the broader points she made, something about the podcast did not resonate with listeners.

The reaction was quick, and for many, unforgiving. Fans who have followed Rogan through thousands of guests—scientists, comedians, fighters, and thinkers—have openly slammed the Knox show as a flop in the comments. And the general feeling was that this was a guest they would have rather avoided totally. But what do you think? What, according to you, is the worst JRE episode? Let us know in the comments.