A recent development left podcast giant Joe Rogan genuinely startled: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly decided not to pursue charges against the viral sensation known as “Hawk Tuah Girl” in connection with a controversial meme cryptocurrency.
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, comedian Kurt Metzger broke the news to a visibly surprised Rogan.
“Hawk Tuah has been pardoned,” Metzger said with his signature deadpan delivery.
“Are you joking?” Rogan questioned, clearly caught off guard.
“Nope. Not a pardon technically, but the SEC’s not pressing charges,” Metzger replied. “Which is crazy.”
The viral internet personality rose to fame earlier this year but got swept into controversy after her name and likeness were used to promote a meme coin that eventually tanked—leaving a trail of burned investors and lost money.
“This is why it’s so confusing,” Rogan said. “You have these meme coins, and people are genuinely making millions from them… but it still feels like bulls*it. It’s fake money. Anyone can spin one up and dump it.”
Metzger, never one to mince words, chimed in with some inside-baseball crypto commentary:
“The guys making these coins? They call the people buying them ‘degenerate gamblers.’ That’s what they think of them.”
In one of the episode’s most bizarre twists, Metzger claimed he’d heard “Howie Mandel’s son-in-law is behind Hawk Tuah Coin”, identifying the mystery man only as “DJ something.”
As the conversation shifted to whether the Hawk Tuah Girl herself had any actual involvement, Rogan seemed inclined to defend the 22-year-old:
“She’s like George Foreman with his grill,” Rogan said. “George Foreman didn’t design a grill.”
“That girl probably knows almost nothing,” he added. “She probably knows less than me.”
The SEC’s decision not to press charges adds yet another layer of ambiguity to the ever-blurring boundaries between internet fame, viral trends, and unregulated financial schemes. While meme coins continue to dominate headlines and social media feeds, financial experts warn they remain highly speculative—with little intrinsic value and a high risk of sudden collapse.