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How Podcasts, Joe Rogan & Tucker Carlson Stream Holocaust Denial, the ‘Jewish Question’ & 9/11 Conspiracies to Millions

Joe Rogan, host of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify. Photo: Screenshot.

If the unstoppable rise of social media defined the 2000s and 2010s, then the 2020s belong to the podcast. Audio talk formats have existed since the advent of radio, but for years, they struggled to hold younger audiences’ attention, eclipsed by television, streaming platforms, and social media.

But talking is back. And this time, the listeners aren’t just middle-aged commuters or retirees pottering around the garden. Today, young people are tuning in en masse, eager to hear podcast hosts discuss everything from politics to pop culture and self-improvement.

Social media’s meteoric rise inevitably led to intense scrutiny. In its early days — a digital Wild West — platforms like Facebook and Twitter (now X) hosted everything from hardcore pornography to snuff videos. But as these companies grew, so did their moderation efforts. Today, giants like Meta and TikTok employ large teams to monitor and remove illegal or inciteful content. Case in point: HonestReporting’s successful campaign to get pro-Hamas influencer Jackson Hinkle de-platformed from Meta.

Yet, despite these efforts, antisemitic hate speech remains rampant on social media, particularly since Meta followed X’s lead under Elon Musk in loosening content moderation policies. The result? A documented surge in violent rhetoric and conspiracy theories targeting Jews.

Still, social media platforms at least pretend to enforce some level of oversight. In January, Meta once again mimicked X by introducing its own Community Notes feature, allowing approved users to add context to misleading posts. It’s far from perfect, but at least it’s something.

Podcasting, on the other hand, operates with virtually no scrutiny. Part of this is due to its relatively recent rise in popularity. But there’s also a lingering — and patently inaccurate — perception that podcasts, like traditional broadcast media, adhere to some level of fact-checking and editorial standards.

Podcast platforms today are closer to a free-for-all, where anything goes so long as it attracts enough listeners to be profitable. And young people are listening — a lot. According to Pew Research, nearly half (48%) of Americans aged 18 to 29 tune in to podcasts multiple times a week. More importantly, they don’t just passively consume content — they actively engage with it.

Listeners under 50 are far more likely to follow podcast hosts on social media, adopt new habits based on what they hear, and participate in online discussions about their favorite shows. Around 40% of listeners aged 18 to 49 say they’ve made lifestyle changes because of something they heard on a podcast.

For younger audiences, podcasts aren’t just background noise. They shape conversations, influence personal choices, and, as growing evidence indicates, are increasingly pulling listeners toward more extreme ideologies.

Spotify’s Cash Cow: Joe Rogan

With over 14 million listeners and the title of Spotify’s top podcaster in 2024, Joe Rogan is the undisputed king of the podcasting world. His guest list includes everyone from Donald Trump to Mark Zuckerberg, Bernie Sanders, and Edward Snowden — proof of both his influence and his ability to play host to just about anyone.

Controversy has always been Rogan’s currency. His media empire thrives on the outrage his show generates, and at this point, what once shocked no longer has the same impact. That may, at least in part, explain his latest choice of guest: Ian Carroll, a self-proclaimed journalist who has spent years trafficking in virulent antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Carroll checks all the usual modern-day antisemite boxes: blaming 9/11 on Israel, ranting about a “Zionist mafia” controlling the US, and recycling every tired trope about Jewish financial and political influence. Over the course of his nearly three-hour appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, he delivered an unfiltered torrent of conspiracy theories, offering little more than a jumble of well-worn antisemitic rhetoric.

Israel, he claimed, was founded by “organized crime figures in America” with ties to “the Jewish mob” and “the Rothschild banking family.” Jeffrey Epstein, he added in a particularly incoherent segment, “was clearly a Jewish organization working on behalf of Israel and other groups.”

And Rogan? He nodded along, offering words of encouragement, even musing at one point, “What’s interesting is you can talk about this now, post-Oct. 7, post-Gaza.”

It was a telling remark. The host who built his brand on “just asking questions” had stopped questioning entirely — and instead, provided a platform for undisguised Nazi propaganda.

Selling Holocaust Denial: Tucker Carlson & Candace Owens

Yet, Rogan isn’t leading the charge — he’s following a broader and deeply troubling trend of high-profile Western podcasters turning Holocaust revisionism into a profitable enterprise.

Among Rogan’s upcoming guests is Darryl Cooper, a Holocaust revisionist who has defended Hitler and blamed Winston Churchill for World War II. Cooper was previously given a prominent platform on former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s podcast, where he delivered an appalling revisionist take on the Holocaust.

During that interview, Cooper claimed that the US was on the “wrong side” in World War II and suggested that millions of Jews in concentration camps “ended up dead” only because the Nazis lacked the resources to care for them.

Not only did Carlson give Cooper an unchallenged platform to spread these lies to an audience of millions, but he also lavished him with praise, calling him “the most important popular historian in the United States.”

Carlson’s interview with Cooper appeared to be an attempt to disguise his guest’s modern-day Nazi views with a veneer of intellectual credibility. It was only a slightly more sophisticated repackaging of antisemitism than that offered by Candace Owens — one of the most influential podcasters in the world, with nearly 4 million subscribers — who has used her platform to defend Adolf Hitler, accuse Israel of enforcing apartheid against Muslims, and push the ever-reliable conspiracy that Hollywood is secretly controlled by Jewish elites.

Owens, perhaps, lacks the intellectual prowess to attempt subtlety. When Kanye West praised Hitler, Owens brushed it off as merely his opinion while mocking Jews who criticized him as overly “emotional” and insisting they “can’t take a joke.” When confronted, her response followed the predictable script of the intellectually dishonest — first doubling down, then claiming victimhood, and, when that failed, falling back on the old “I was just asking questions” line.

With figures like Carlson and Owens normalizing and laundering these ideas, Holocaust denial and antisemitic conspiracies are no longer confined to the fringes — they’re being streamed to millions, dressed up as “alternative perspectives” in the name of free speech.

 

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Mainstreaming the “Manosphere”: Myron Gaines

The online ecosystem known as the manosphere was once the niche domain of pick-up artists, incels, and self-styled “alpha males.” But thanks to figures like Nick Fuentes and Myron Gaines, it has metastasized into a mainstream movement — one built on a foundation of misogyny, racism, and antisemitism.

Gaines, a former Homeland Security agent turned dating guru (real name: Amrou Fudl), co-hosts the Fresh & Fit podcast, a show that masquerades as a men’s self-improvement program but in reality serves as a breeding ground for conspiracy theories and open admiration for fascism.

Fresh & Fit has repeatedly hosted Holocaust deniers, white nationalists, and far-right propagandists, including Nick Fuentes — who has used his multiple appearances to justify Nazi book burnings and deny the Holocaust. Gaines himself has bragged, “We’re the biggest platform that’s talking about the JQ. No one else will do it” — a reference to the so-called “Jewish Question,” the same phrase the Nazis used to justify genocide.

Myron Gaines and Andrew Tate, Fresh & Fit podcast

Podcaster Myron Gaines with alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate.

In another episode, Gaines defended Hitler, declaring, “Though he did things that were morally incorrect, he definitely did a bunch of things correct for his country. That’s a fact.” One of the show’s longest-running gags — if you can call it that — is playing a cash register sound effect whenever discussing Jewish people.

Despite this, Fresh & Fit remains wildly popular, drawing millions of views on Rumble and other platforms.

A Wall of Silence From Podcast Platforms

At the heart of all this are the podcast streaming platforms themselves: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Rumble — giants that make a healthy profit off the hate spewed by their most popular stars.

YouTube, to its credit, has been marginally more proactive, demonetizing Gaines’s Fresh & Fit podcast and banning Nick Fuentes entirely. But these measures are ultimately futile. Without a unified approach across all major platforms, these creators can simply migrate elsewhere, continuing to rake in millions of views and sponsorship dollars.

And even outright bans mean little when controversial figures can just appear as guests on someone else’s show. Case in point: Candace Owens’ most popular YouTube video isn’t even her own — it’s an interview with alleged sex trafficker and influencer Andrew Tate. That single episode has racked up nearly 7 million views, more than twice as many as her channel’s entire subscriber base.

Podcasting’s near-total lack of oversight is no longer just a fringe problem — it’s a mainstream industry failure. Given the enormous reach of these platforms, the question isn’t whether they should be scrutinized, but why they haven’t been already.

And if the platforms won’t take responsibility, perhaps their advertisers should. Does Coca-Cola want its brand associated with Holocaust denial? Should Nike, Pepsi, and Amazon be comfortable sponsoring content that jokes about Jews being murdered? Are they certain their ads aren’t playing next to a discussion about how “Hitler was right”?

It’s easy to dismiss podcasting as mere shock talk. But talk influences action. And right now, podcast platforms — and the brands funding them — are profiting from hate. The only question is: how long can they pretend not to notice?

The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.

The post How Podcasts, Joe Rogan & Tucker Carlson Stream Holocaust Denial, the ‘Jewish Question’ & 9/11 Conspiracies to Millions first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Surge of Antisemitic Incidents Rocks France Amid Growing Security Concerns

The Paris Holocaust Memorial, three synagogues, and a Jewish restaurant were all vandalized with green paint last weekend. Photo: Screenshot

France has been hit by a wave of antisemitic incidents in recent days, despite increased security at Jewish sites nationwide following last month’s antisemitic shooting in Washington, DC — prompting urgent calls from the country’s Jewish community for stronger government action amid growing fears of escalating violence.

On Friday, a French rabbi was violently assaulted by three drunken individuals in the town of Deauville, located in the Normandy region of northwestern France.

According to local police, Rabbi Eli Lemel — a prominent figure in French Jewry — was attacked around 3:30 pm by three men who approached him, repeatedly punched him in the stomach, and shouted antisemitic slurs.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the assault, but no arrests have been made so far.

After the incident, Lemel called on the Jewish community to draw spiritual strength amid the increasing hostility that Jews are facing across France.

“I’m deeply moved by the outpouring of support following the attack. Thank God, I’m okay,” the Jewish leader wrote in a post on X. “I was struck and verbally abused in a language I didn’t understand.”

In a separate incident, a 21-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after climbing a synagogue in the town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine in north-central France, removing an Israeli flag from its façade, and attempting to set it on fire.

According to local media, the suspect — who was already known to authorities for prior offenses — confessed to committing the attack and admitted to being intoxicated at the time.

French police confirmed that the man is being charged with trespassing in a place of worship, theft by climbing, and causing damage to property on religious grounds.

The local Jewish community has voiced deep concern following this incident, viewing it as part of a broader surge in hostility targeting Jewish institutions across France.

Sandrine Dos Santos, the city’s mayor, expressed “[her] solidarity, as well as that of the city, toward the Jewish community directly targeted by these unacceptable antisemitic acts.”

“Faced with the increase in violence, our commitment against discrimination remains unwavering and will not waver. We repeat it loud and clear: no form of racism or rejection of others has a place in Poissy,” the French leader said.

In a separate incident on Saturday, three Serbs were arrested near Antibes in southeastern France, suspected of painting several Jewish community buildings green in Paris — an act currently under investigation as possible foreign interference.

Last weekend, the Paris Holocaust Memorial, three synagogues, and a Jewish restaurant were all vandalized with green paint in an incident denounced by the French government.

On Monday, an elementary school in Lyon, east-central France, was set on fire and defaced with antisemitic and pro-Palestinian slogans, as well as swastikas, marking one of the latest antisemitic incidents to impact France in recent days.

As the school had no direct connections to the Jewish community, local police have launched an investigation to determine the motive behind the attack.

French authorities reported that the fire was limited to the outdoor bathrooms, causing no significant damage to the school. They also found antisemitic graffiti and swastikas in three classrooms.

Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), denounced the attack, saying that “the Palestinian cause is used as justification for burning down a school” and that the “Nazification of Israel serves as fuel for crass antisemitism.”

“When a populist pro-Palestinian narrative is allowed to take hold, it is French Jews who ultimately pay the price,” Arfi wrote in a post on X. “The twisted use of the Palestinian cause is turning into a rallying cry of hatred against both Jews and the Republic itself.”

Beyond France, other European countries have also experienced a surge in antisemitic incidents in recent weeks.

On Monday, several headstones were vandalized at a Jewish cemetery in a suburb of Belgrade, located in north-central Serbia, marking the second such incident in the country in recent weeks.

The post Surge of Antisemitic Incidents Rocks France Amid Growing Security Concerns first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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US Vetoes UN Security Council Demand for Gaza Ceasefire

Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from Israel, June 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council demand on Wednesday for an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the enclave.

“The United States has been clear we would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote.

“This resolution would undermine diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire that reflects the realities on the ground, and embolden Hamas,” she said of the text that was put forward by 10 countries on the 15-member council.

The remaining 14 council members voted in favor of the draft resolution.

Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. It has renewed its military offensive in Gaza – also seeking to free hostages held by Hamas – since ending a two-month ceasefire in March.

The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people in Israel in an Oct. 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave.

The post US Vetoes UN Security Council Demand for Gaza Ceasefire first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Trump Picks Lawyer Who Called Oct. 7 Attack a ‘Psyop’ to Lead Federal Watchdog Agency

Paul Ingrassia (Source: Youtube- AMAC - Association of Mature American Citizens)

Paul Ingrassia. Photo: Screenshot

Paul Ingrassia, a 29-year-old lawyer who was recently nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead a federal agency dedicated to combating corruption and protecting whistleblowers, seemingly dismissed the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2o23, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel as a “psyop,” or “psychological operation, in resurfaced social media posts. 

“This ‘war’ is yet another psyop to distract Americans from celebrating Columbus Day,” Ingrassia wrote on X/Twitter on Oct. 8, 2023. 

“I think we could all admit at this stage that Israel/Palestine, much like Ukraine before it, and BLM before that, and covid/vaccine before that, was another psyop,” he posted a week later. “But sadly, people fell for it. And they’ll fall for the next one too.”

On the actual day of the Oct. 7 massacre, Ingrassia compared illegal immigration into the US to the Hamas-led onslaught.

“The amount of energy everyone has put into condemning Hamas (and prior to that, the Ukraine conflict) over the past 24 hours should be the same amount of energy we put into condemning our wide open border, which is a war comparable to the attack on Israel in terms of bloodshed — but made worse by the fact that it’s occurring in our very own backyard,” he posted. “We shouldn’t be beating the war drum, however tragic the events may be overseas, until we resolve our domestic problems first.”

Trump announced last week that he picked Ingrassia to serve as head of the US Office of Special Counsel, a position that requires confirmation by the Senate.

The Office of Special Counsel is an independent federal ethics agency that works to ensure fairness and accountability within the government. Ingrassia’s role, if he is confirmed, would involve investigating claims of wrongdoing, such as retaliation against whistleblowers or improper political activity in the workplace. The official can recommend disciplinary action and reports serious findings to Congress, helping to protect federal employees and uphold the integrity of the civil service system.

Ingrassia also maintains a relationship with and defends alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate, who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media. Tate wrote on X/Twitter that he refuses to “listen to women, Mexicans, or Jews” and that Jewish people are “subverting Western populations into mass genetic suicide” by advancing what he described as misguided immigration policy. Tate has also accused Israel of committing a “genocide” in Gaza against Palestinians and engaged in Holocaust denialism. 

The furor surrounding Ingrassia is the latest dustup the Trump administration has had regarding controversial personnel and antisemitism.

The Trump administration’s appointment of Kingsley Wilson as deputy press secretary at the Department of Defense also sparked widespread criticism due to her history of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories and extremist views. Wilson, formerly associated with the Center for Renewing America, has a documented history of social media posts endorsing white supremacist ideologies, including claims about the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank — a Jewish man whose wrongful conviction and subsequent murder galvanized the founding of the Anti-Defamation League. In 2023, she tweeted that Frank “raped & murdered a 13-year-old girl,” a statement aligning with neo-Nazi narratives.

Late last month, the Pentagon announced that Wilson will be promoted and serve as the department’s new press secretary.

The post Trump Picks Lawyer Who Called Oct. 7 Attack a ‘Psyop’ to Lead Federal Watchdog Agency first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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