Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz have found themselves in the midst of a comedy civil war, and their defense strategy includes an unusual culprit: Chinese bots. Following widespread backlash over the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, where comedians including Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, and Bill Burr performed for substantial paydays, the comedy world has fractured into warring factions.
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Schulz and Rogan spent considerable time addressing their critics while simultaneously insisting they don’t care about the hate. When discussing the controversy surrounding the Saudi Arabia performances, Schulz suggested the negative response was “peculiar” and speculated that bots were involved in amplifying the criticism. Rogan eagerly agreed, noting that organized campaigns could be purchased to target public figures.
“I think a little bit. That’s what the comedy festival, the Riyadh thing was a little bit probably because it was so peculiar,” Schulz said, with Rogan suggesting Chinese or Russian bot farms might be responsible for stirring up dissent among American audiences.
The irony wasn’t lost on observers. These comedians, who position themselves as defenders of free speech and champions of saying whatever they want, appear unwilling to accept that genuine criticism might be coming from real people. Instead of addressing substantive concerns about performing for an authoritarian regime where free speech is heavily restricted and homosexuality remains illegal, they’ve dismissed their detractors as either jealous comedians who weren’t invited or automated bot accounts.
Schulz doubled down on his position that critics are simply bitter they didn’t receive invitations, claiming repeatedly that comedians who can’t “perform outside of Brooklyn” have no right to question his choices. He also took aim at Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino for not pushing back against Marc Maron when he appeared on their podcast, accusing them of distancing themselves from the “Rogan sphere.”
Meanwhile, Rogan has spent recent episodes attacking comedian Marc Maron, even blaming him for Theo Von‘s recent struggles, despite Von never mentioning Maron when discussing his issues. The grudge appears rooted in Maron’s criticism that Rogan has been promoting mediocre comedians for years—a sentiment echoed by Katt Williams.
The bot theory represents a convenient narrative for comedians facing accountability. Rather than engaging with legitimate questions about accepting money from oppressive regimes while claiming to champion free speech, they’ve constructed an alternative reality where foreign interference and automated accounts are responsible for tarnishing their reputations. It’s a defense mechanism that allows them to avoid introspection while maintaining their self-image as truth-telling rebels.