Gavin Newsom’s latest media tantrum — telling CNN’s Elex Michaelson that Joe Rogan is “too afraid” to have him on his podcast — reads less like a serious political reach and more like the flailing of a governor desperate for relevance beyond California’s collapsing policy record. Newsom went on to boast about his outreach and mock Rogan as a “snack-sized podcaster,” a spectacle designed to manufacture controversy rather than answer for real failures at home. The governor’s performance on Michaelson’s new show made clear this is about optics, not governance.
Meanwhile, Dave Rubin didn’t let the story die on cable; he pushed the clip into conservative circles, sharing a direct-message clip and giving the narrative staying power on the Rubin Report. Rubin’s segment framed Newsom’s comments as yet another example of a left-wing elite trying to weaponize media narratives instead of engaging in honest debate with the broader public. The move underscored how alternative platforms expose insider theatrics that legacy outlets prefer to smooth over.
Make no mistake: this is classic political theater from a man angling for higher office. Newsom’s public taunts — from rhetorical jabs to a social-media “chicken” shot — are transparent attempts to steal headlines and curry favor with donors while dodging scrutiny on homelessness, skyrocketing crime, and the exodus of taxpayers and businesses from his state. TheWrap and TMZ both documented Newsom’s chest-beating and his petulant online gestures, showing a politician more interested in celebrity scraps than serious solutions.
Joe Rogan, for his part, has not exactly been tender in his critiques of Newsom, calling him a “bulls—t artist” and questioning the governor’s real achievements, which suggests that Rogan’s skepticism is earned and audience-driven rather than cowardly. Rogan’s audience demands straight talk, not scripted PR appearances, and the podcaster has every right to choose his guests — especially when the invite smells like a staged ambush. That reality check is why Newsom’s claim that Rogan is “too afraid” rings hollow to anyone who actually values free, uncensored discussion.
This episode should remind patriotic Americans of a simple truth: Democrats like Newsom would rather manufacture outrage than solve problems. While Newsom gorges on publicity stunts, Californians are left to deal with the consequences of woke policies that made their cities unaffordable and their streets less safe. Real leadership looks like accountability and results, not viral DM clips and cable-ready insults.
Conservative media and independent podcasters are doing the country a service by refusing to let this kind of political theater pass unnoticed. Americans deserve conversations about policy and competence, not manufactured feuds and empty bravado — and it’s on us to keep calling out the performative politics until leaders stop treating the nation like a reality show.
