Podcaster Joe Rogan has apologized for repeatedly saying the n-word on his podcast for years, after a video montage of him saying the slur 24 times went viral. The montage was put together by singer India Arie, who announced earlier this week that she is pulling her music and podcast from Spotify over Rogan's "language around race" on his controversial podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience." Rogan responded in a five-minute video on Instagram on Friday, calling his use of the slur "the most regretful and shameful thing" he's ever had to discuss publicly, while also stating the clips were "taken out of context."
Rogan acknowledged he had a particular podcast episode removed in which he compared a visit to a Black neighborhood to being in the movie Planet of the Apes.
"My sincere and humble apologies," Rogan said in a nearly-six-minute Instagram post addressing what he called "the most regretful and shameful thing that I've ever had to talk about publicly."
Spotify's stock fell sharply Thursday amid controversy over Rogan's show, which garners up to 11 million listeners per episode. Rogan addressing his own incendiary language is the latest explosive development to roil Spotify and its flagship star, who have both faced a popular backlash over Covid-19 misinformation on his shows. Rogan and Spotify are yet to comment on why at least 70 of his episodes have been deleted.