Joe Rogan challenges furious vaccine researcher to debate anti-vaxxer RFK Jr on his podcast for $100K charity donation – as Elon Musk piles on the doctor claiming he ‘knows he’s wrong’
- Joe Rogan and Elon Musk lashed out at pediatrician Peter Hotez on Twitter
- Hotez criticized Rogan’s recent interview with anti-vax RFK Jr as ‘nonsense’
- Rogan challenged Hotez to debate RFK Jr for a $100,000 donation to charity
Podcaster Joe Rogan and billionaire Elon Musk have lashed out at a vaccine researcher who dismissed Rogan’s recent interview with anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as ‘nonsense’.
Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, on Saturday tweeted his concerns about Rogan’s interview with Kennedy, a longshot Democratic presidential candidate.
Kennedy in the interview repeated his debunked claims that common childhood vaccines cause autism, which Hotez called ‘just awful’ as he lamented ‘it’s clear many actually believe this nonsense.’
Rogan fired back with a challenge: ‘Peter, if you claim what RFK jr is saying is “misinformation” I am offering you $100,000.00 to the charity of your choice if you’re willing to debate him on my show with no time limit.’
Musk quickly chimed in to goad on the drama on Twitter, which he owns, tweeting that Hotez ‘just hates charity’ and saying the scientist is ‘afraid of a public debate, because he knows he’s wrong.’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast this week, repeating his debunked claims that common childhood vaccines cause autism
Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, on Saturday tweeted his concerns about the Kennedy interview
However, in multiple tweets, Hotez indicated his willingness to appear on Rogan’s podcast, which reaches a massive audience of millions on Spotify.
‘I’m happy to come on and have a meaningful discussion. I respect you and your show and I don’t want an adversarial relationship. I think we can make some progress,’ tweeted Hotez.
‘And I’m open to a number of different options, but to be pressured to give you an answer on Twitter, now, with a “take it or leave it” demand that’s not how I work. Honestly, I don’t even think that would be in your best interests,’ he wrote.
Kennedy also indicated his willingness to engage, tweeting: ‘Peter. Let’s finally have the respectful, congenial, informative debate that the American people deserve.’
During his appearance on Rogan’s podcast on Thursday, Kennedy repeated his longstanding and debunked claims that common childhood vaccines cause autism.
‘Everybody will say, “There’s no study that shows autism and vaccines are connected.” That’s just just crazy. That’s people who are not looking at science. It’s part of the religion.’
The Democrat has made a name for himself by being a prominent anti-vaxxer, but his involvement in the anti-vaccine movement intensified after the pandemic and development of the Covid-19 vaccine.
His anti-vaccine charity, Children’s Health Defense, prospered at the time, with revenues more than doubling in 2020 to $6.8 million, according to filings made with charity regulators.
Rogan challenged Hotez to debate RFK Jr for a $100,000 donation to charity, while Musk quickly chimed in to goad on the drama on Twitter, which he owns
Rogan’s challenge sparked a frenzied back-and-forth on Twitter, but Hotez indicated in multiple tweets that he would be willing to appear on the podcast
Kennedy Jr released a book in 2021, The Real Anthony Fauci, in which he accused the U.S.´s top infectious disease doctor of assisting in ‘a historic coup d’etat against Western democracy’ and promoted unproven COVID-19 treatments such as ivermectin, which is meant to treat parasites, and the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine.
His push against the COVID-19 vaccine has linked him at times with anti-democratic figures and groups.
Kennedy Jr has appeared at events pushing the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and with people who cheered or downplayed the US Capitol riot.
Kennedy Jr has at times invoked his family’s legacy in his anti-vaccine work, including sometimes using images of President Kennedy.
His sister Kerry Kennedy, who runs Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the international rights group founded by their mother, Ethel, said her brother has at times removed some of the content at her request.
She told the Associated Press in a 2021 interview her brother is ‘completely wrong on this issue and very dangerous.’
After Kennedy announced his presidential bid as a Democratic candidate in April, he is polling at about 15 percent among potential primary voters, compared to 62 percent for President Joe Biden.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (left) waves to the crowd at his 2024 campaign kick-off alongside his wife actress Cheryl Hines (right), of Curb Your Enthusiasm fame
Since Kennedy announced his presidential bid as a Democratic candidate in April, he is polling at about 15 percent among potential primary voters
Kennedy Jr has refused to openly speculate on Biden’s mental fitness for office, but told Fox News that he jumped in the race because he is displeased with what Biden is ‘doing with this country.’
He pointed specifically to the president’s handling of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which he said should have been settled long ago.
The amount of American dollars that have been sent to Ukraine since the conflict began last year currently tops $130billion, a figure Kennedy pointed out far exceeds the budgets of many of the US alphabet agencies combined.
The candidate suggested that some of that money be spent stateside instead, citing the fact that 57 percent of Americans cannot afford a sudden $1,000 hardship expense.
Kennedy has also attracted a niche crowd of followers among conservatives for his vociferous COVID-19 vaccine skepticism, as well as his support for keeping biological males out of women’s sports.
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