Joe Rogan Apologizes for Repeatedly Using N-Word in Past Podcast Episodes: 'Not My Word to Use'

"I can't go back in time and change what I've said. I wish I could, obviously, that's not possible," Joe Rogan said in an Instagram post on Saturday

Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty

Joe Rogan is apologizing for his use of a racial slur amid growing controversy over his podcast.

The Joe Rogan Experience host apologized for his past actions on Saturday, shortly after singer India Arie shared clips of him repeatedly using the N-word throughout many episodes of his popular podcast.

Sharing a video of himself on Instagram, Rogan, 54, called the clip "the most regretful and shameful thing I've ever had to talk about publicly" and said the videos that Arie, 46, shared were made up of "out of context" moments from "12 years of conversations" on his podcast.

"It looks f—— horrible. Even to me," he said. "I know that to most people, there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, never mind publicly on a podcast. And I agree with that now, I haven't said it in years."

Acknowledging that he did indeed say the word in years past, Rogan explained that he only used it when it "came up in conversation," pointing to past instances such as chatting about how comedians had used the word, or how Quentin Tarantino used the N-word "repeatedly" in Pulp Fiction.

"Instead of saying 'the N-word,' I would just say the word. I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing," he tried to explain.

Continuing his remarks, Rogan noted that the N-word is a "very unusual word," admitting, however, "it's not my word to use."

"I never used it to be racist, because I'm not racist. But whenever you're in a situation where you have to say, 'I'm not racist,' you've f—— up, and I clearly have f—— up," he added. "There's nothing I can do to take that back. I wish I could, obviously, that's not possible."

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Rogan then said that he hopes his mistakes can be a "teachable moment" for others. "I never thought it would ever be taken out of context and put in a video like that," he said.

"And now that it is, holy s— it looks bad," Rogan continued, before noting that he has said "a lot of f—— stupid s—" over the duration of his podcast that was fine, "but not when you're talking about race."

Rogan also addressed another clip in his video, which he claimed was from "11 years ago" and sees him referring to a Black neighborhood as "Planet of the Apes."

Explaining that he "got really high" with a group of friends, Rogan said they were in Philadelphia when they "got dropped off by a cab" and he was "trying to make the story entertaining" by referring to the neighborhood as such.

"I did not — nor would I ever — say that Black people are apes, but it sure f—— sounded like that," Rogan said. "And I immediately afterward said, 'That's a racist thing to say' ... I was just saying there's a lot of Black people there."

"But then I went on to talk about what a positive experience it was, and how much fun it was, to go to see this movie in a Black neighborhood. It wasn't a racist story, but it sounded terrible," Rogan continued.

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Concluding his post, Rogan said, "I can't go back in time and change what I've said. I wish I could."

Reiterating how he hopes his mistakes will teach others, the podcast host said the learning moment could be "for anybody that doesn't realize how offensive that word can be coming out of a white person's mouth — in context or out of context."

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Offering his "sincere and humble apologies," Rogan noted he "wished there was more I could say, but all of this is just me talking from the bottom of my heart."

"It makes me sick watching that video, but hopefully, at least some of you will accept this and understand where I'm coming from," he added.

In Arie's Instagram Story, which has since been saved to her Highlights, the musician explained why she "decided to ask my music be pulled off Spotify," citing Rogan as the main cause.

After sharing the juxtaposed clips of Rogan repeatedly using the N-word, Arie said she "sympathizes" with artists such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who have pulled their music from Spotify over Rogan's other controversial ties to COVID-19 misinformation, but said her main reasoning for removing her own music was tied to Rogan's comments about race.

"So we know how social media can be. Things can be doctored, people are taken out of context — it's happened to me, many times," Arie said. "However, I want to be clear, in no uncertain terms, where I stand on this is that [Rogan] shouldn't even be uttering the word."

"Don't even say it, under any context," Arie added. "Don't say it. That's where I stand, it's my right to stand there, I have always stood there ... he shouldn't even be saying it."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson chimed in with his own thoughts on social media, tweeting that he was unaware of Rogan's use of the N-word when he previously backed him up following scrutiny over his COVID vaccine stance.

After author Don Winslow wrote, "You're a hero to many people and using your platform to defend Joe Rogan, a guy that used and laughed about using the N word dozens of times, is a terrible use of your power," Johnson, 49, responded: "Thank you so much for this. I hear you as well as everyone here 100%."

Noting that he was "not aware of his N word use prior to my comments," the Jumanji star then clarified he has since "become educated to [Rogan's] complete narrative," adding that it was a "learning moment" for Johnson.