The Joe Rogan Experience: Epistemic Style Over Ideological Extremity in the Manosphere

Despite increasing prominence in the contemporary media ecosystem, podcasts have attracted limited scholarly attention. This study examines audience characteristics of the most popular podcast in the United States, The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), situating it within the broader cultural context of the “manosphere.” Leveraging two national probability samples collected in October 2022 (N = 2,907) and November 2023 (N = 1,000), this research explores the socio-demographic profile, information environment, epistemic orientations, identity, ideology, and trust of Rogan’s listeners. Across both studies, among the strongest correlates of JRE listening is conservative media consumption, with additional associations with skeptical epistemic orientations, conspiracism, political and institutional distrust, and being young and male. In contrast, partisanship is not significantly associated with JRE listening once these other factors are included in the models. Contrary to common portrayals, hostile sexism, authoritarianism, and racial attitudes do not reliably predict JRE listening once media diet is accounted for. This research underscores the importance of examining audiences’ deeper cultural values and epistemic orientations alongside traditional political variables, thereby clarifying our understanding of how influential media figures such as Rogan shape and reflect broader currents in an increasingly fragmented information environment.