Chelsea Handler had one immediate question after seeing Joe Rogan placed at the top of Forbes’ 2026 ranking of the highest-paid podcasters: who is paying him an estimated $82 million?
The comedian challenged the figure beneath an Instagram post promoting the list.
She argued that the money would be better directed toward veterans or children before criticizing the information Rogan shares with his enormous audience.
The $82 million figure is not a disclosed salary or a single payment from Spotify. It is Forbes’ estimate of the pretax podcast-related earnings generated by Rogan or his business between June 2025 and June 2026.
Handler Responded Directly to the Forbes Ranking
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“WHO IS PAYING JOE ROGAN 82 million?” Handler wrote beneath Forbes’ Instagram post. “Give that to our vets, or our children!!!” She then accused Rogan of being “completely uninformed” and mocked what she characterized as his habit of casually retreating from inaccurate statements.
“82 million to be completely uninformed and say ‘whoopsie doodle,’ every time he’s wrong, which is FREQUENT?” Handler wrote. Entertainment Weekly reported that it contacted Rogan for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Forbes estimated that The Joe Rogan Experience generated $82 million in pretax podcast-related earnings during the 12 months ending in June 2026.
Rogan Finished $12 Million Ahead of Second Place
Rogan’s estimated $82 million placed him $12 million ahead of the second-ranked show, TBPN, hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays, at $70 million.
Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO followed with an estimated $45 million. Ashley Flowers’ Crime Junkie reached $42 million, while Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes’ SmartLess business generated an estimated $37 million.
Mel Robbins and brothers Jason and Travis Kelce tied at $35 million with The Mel Robbins Podcast and New Heights, respectively. Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy followed with an estimated $32 million.
The list measures the businesses built around the shows, not simply the amount collected through conventional audio advertising. Live events, revenue-sharing agreements and major platform partnerships can all contribute to the totals.
Rogan’s Audience Helps Explain the Estimate
Forbes estimated that Rogan releases approximately 15 episodes each month and attracts more than 80 million monthly downloads and views. His long-form interviews regularly feature comedians, actors, scientists, athletes and political figures, with some conversations extending beyond three hours.
Spotify renewed its partnership with The Joe Rogan Experience in 2024 under a multiyear agreement reportedly capable of reaching as much as $250 million. Unlike Rogan’s earlier exclusive arrangement, the renewed deal allowed full episodes to return to platforms including YouTube and Apple Podcasts while Spotify continued handling distribution and advertising.