AUSTIN, TEXAS: Twitter is currently abuzz with discussions and debates surrounding vaccine misinformation initiated by Joe Rogan and Peter Hotez. This online conversation has attracted the attention of notable figures such as Bill Ackman and Elon Musk, who are now urging Hotez to engage in a debate with prominent anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy Jr. Amidst these heated debates, a blast from the past has resurfaced – a video from 2020 featuring the hilarious Bill Burr shutting down Rogan with his witty Covid-19 logic. The video has gone viral, adding further fuel to the ongoing Covid-related debates.
Hotez, a vaccine scientist, criticized Rogan for hosting Robert F Kennedy Jr, a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, on his popular podcast. Hotez condemned Kennedy's false claims linking vaccines to autism and referred to the episode as "awful." In response, Rogan challenged Hotez to a debate with Kennedy, which rapidly garnered widespread attention. Rogan took to Twitter and offered a $100,000 donation to a charity of Hotez's choice as an incentive for agreeing to the debate on his show. The tweet gained significant traction, receiving over 50 million views.
‘I don’t wanna start this bulls**t’
During an episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience', Rogan and Burr engaged in a three-hour conversation covering various topics, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests. Out of the blue, Rogan asked Burr about his thoughts on wearing masks, and Burr delivered a hilarious response, saying, "Listen, let's not talk about this Joe, I don't wanna start this bullshit."
“I’m not gonna be sitting here with no medical degree listening to you with no medical degree… All I do is watch the news every two weeks. Mask or no mask? Still mask. Okay!" This uproarious banter has taken the internet by storm, keeping the online community buzzing with anticipation until showdown between Hotez and Kennedy finally takes place.
'He’s afraid of a public debate'
Rogan's response to Hotez's criticism took the form of a public challenge, quickly capturing immense attention. His tweet, which garnered over 50 million views, offered to donate $100,000 to a charity of Hotez's choice if he agreed to a debate on Rogan's show, without any time limit. This challenge sparked the interest of billionaires, who joined the conversation and pledged to contribute additional funds. Meanwhile, vaccine skeptics also chimed in to express their support. Even Elon Musk tweeted, suggesting that Hotez was "afraid of a public debate because he knows he's wrong."
Hotez disclosed that he faced an unsettling incident where anti-vaccine activists showed up at his residence uninvited. They harassed, taunted, and confronted him regarding Rogan's debate challenge to Kennedy. In a tweet, Hotez said that he was "stalked in front of my home by a couple of anti-vaxxers taunting me to debate RFKJr." These recent events have added further intensity to the ongoing debates surrounding vaccine misinformation and highlighted the urgency to address the issue directly.
