Joe Rogan has responded after Chelsea Handler questioned why he should make an estimated $82 million from his podcast, and his reaction was more confused than combative.
Handler, 51, criticized the Joe Rogan Experience host after Forbes ranked him as the world’s highest-paid podcaster of 2026. Commenting beneath the publication’s Instagram post, she asked who was paying Rogan that much money, suggested the money should go to veterans or children and called him “completely uninformed.”
Rogan, 58, was shown the comment during his August 5th episode with Andrew Wilson and initially laughed.
“That’s funny. She’s rich,” Rogan said. “That’s crazy. That’s what she said? I make too much? Is there a certain number I should make?”
Rogan Said Handler’s Criticism Caught Him Off Guard
The subject came up roughly an hour and 45 minutes into Rogan’s conversation with Wilson, after Handler’s comment was brought to his attention. “That’s funny. She’s rich,” he repeated, before asking whether there was some particular amount he was “supposed” to earn.
What seemed to surprise him more was that the criticism came from someone he considered friendly. “I can’t be bothered, but I know her,” Rogan said, according to BroBible. “I’ve known her forever. I wrote a blurb for one of her earlier books.”
Rogan said he had “never had a bad word to say about her publicly” and recalled greeting Handler warmly whenever they encountered each other. “So, I don’t know what’s going on,” he added. “But, it has nothing to do with me, you know, whatever it is. It’s zero to do with me.”
Handler Asked Why Rogan Was Making $82 Million
Handler’s criticism began July 30th after Forbes published its annual ranking of podcast earners. “WHO IS PAYING JOE ROGAN $82 Million?” she wrote beneath the publication’s Instagram post, according to PEOPLE. “Give that to our vets, or our children!!!”
Handler then turned her criticism toward Rogan’s commentary. “82 million to be completely uninformed and say ‘whoopsie doodle,’ every time he’s wrong, which is FREQUENT?” she wrote.
The $82 Million Is a Forbes Estimate, Not a Spotify Salary
Forbes ranked Rogan No. 1 with estimated podcast-related earnings of $82 million between June 2025 and June 2026. The publication says its ranking estimates money earned by podcast talent and/or their corporate entities through minimum guarantees, revenue sharing, platform fees and live events.
The figures are pretax estimates based on interviews with agents, managers, lawyers, executives and other industry experts. Representation fees are not deducted.
John Coogan and Jordi Hays of TBPN followed at an estimated $70 million, while Steven Bartlett was listed at $45 million, Ashley Flowers at $42 million and the SmartLess team of Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett at $37 million.
Rogan’s Podcast Business Remains Enormous
Forbes reported that the show attracts more than 80 million downloads and views while Rogan releases approximately 15 episodes per month. The podcast has also remained a centerpiece of Spotify’s audio business.
In 2024, Spotify announced a new multiyear partnership with Rogan after his previous exclusive arrangement with the platform. Under the newer deal, The Joe Rogan Experience expanded to additional platforms instead of remaining exclusive to Spotify.
Forbes reported that the three-year agreement could reach $250 million, though Spotify did not publicly disclose that figure in its own announcement.
Handler and Rogan Had Already Disagreed Over the Kevin Hart Roast
Earlier this year, Handler criticized material performed by Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe during Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart. During an appearance on Deon Cole’s Funny Knowing You, she described some of the roast material as racist, bigoted, sexist and “gross.”
The controversy included jokes involving George Floyd and Sheryl Underwood’s late husband. Rogan subsequently defended the boundaries of roast comedy and criticized professional comedians who treated deliberately offensive roast material as evidence that the performers themselves held racist beliefs.
“But comedians that are getting upset about these roast jokes, fuck all the way off,” Rogan said during a May episode of his podcast, according to Complex. “You know what this is. You know exactly what this is.” He argued that people were free to believe particular jokes went too far while rejecting the idea that performers should necessarily be judged as sharing the views expressed within a roast.