Hasan Piker Is Not the Enemy

After the 2024 elections, there was a panic among Democrats about the absence of a liberal Joe Rogan. Could one be found? Could one be created? It was an epic exercise in missing the point. You cannot have a liberal Joe Rogan because Rogan is not particularly political. His audience cohered around conversations with comedians, M.M.A. fighters, bodybuilders and psychonauts. That’s what made him politically influential: He could reach millions of people who were not otherwise interested in politics.