Joe Rogan in tears as he recounts evacuation from his California home
When it comes to people who aren't afraid to say exactly how they feel, Joe Rogan is no stranger to making his feelings clear. The controversial podcaster has a legion of loyal fans, and in the run-up to the November 2024 American election, he was praised as giving Donald Trump a major boost in the young male voter demographic.
It's no coincidence that The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast was the top podcast on Spotify in the United States for 2024, with guests from last year including Quentin Tarantino, Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk, and even President Trump (before he stepped back into the White House).
Subjects include everything from aliens to supposed proof of Jesus, New Jersey drones to revealing the JFK files, and it seems no topic is too big or too small for the media personality to tackle.
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In a rare moment of sensitivity, Rogan has broken down on the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience and explained what it was like to be evacuated during previous wildfires before Los Angeles was devastated in January 2025.
Los Angeles was ravaged as seven wildfires raged from January 7 to January 31, costing at least 29 people their lives and upward of $250 billion in economic costs.
Opening up about being evacuated three times during wildfires in the past, Rogan told Rick Caruso on episode 2268 that while he was relatively 'lucky' others weren't. Shedding a tear, Rogan cast his mind back to the 2018 California wildfires and explained: "Two of my neighbors lost their homes. And watching those folks cry in front of the rubble where they lived, it’s just, it’s just horrible."
Expanding on how some people have never returned, Rogan added: "They rebuilt some of them. Two of the houses are still gone in my old neighborhood. They never rebuilt, they just pulled out.
“It’s like, 'What am I going to do? I lost everything.' I mean, Mel Gibson lost books from the 1600s."
He goes on to say that the issue of wildfires is something that has plagued Los Angeles and California 'forever'. Describing it as a political issue, Rogan said that President Trump has changed the use of water in the area to try and hopefully stop wildfires being an issue.
Caruso previously headed up the Board of Water and Power in Los Angeles and similarly praised Trump for his handling of the recent wildfires.
As for seeing this softer side of Rogan, many thanked him for his honesty.
One supporter said: "To watch Rogan wipe his tears, talking about his friends that lost everything in the 🔥😢💔 he has such a good heart & soul ❤️."
Another added, "Guys like him keep things to themselves, so when they do show emotion, it speaks volumes about how much they truly care about."
Someone else concluded: "This interview was beautiful and really emotional for people that understand the struggle of homelessness and the tragedies in LA. Joe you are a Saint."
In the aftermath of the wildfires, Caruso has unveiled Steadfast LA, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to rebuilding and speeding up Los Angeles' recovery.