Howard Stern: ‘I Don’t Like Censorship,’ but Neil Young was Right to Push Blacklist Against Joe Rogan

Radio shock-jock Howard Stern speaks to the audience during the Howard Stern 2006 Film Fes
AP Photo/Hiroko Masuike

Howard Stern backed left-wing rocker Neil Young’s call for Spotify to blacklist Joe Rogan.

During his Wednesday SiriusXM radio show, Stern said that while he still does not support censorship, he believed that Neil Young had a point when he gave Spotify an ultimatum to remove his music or boot Joe Rogan for his anti-coronavirus vaccine position.

“I don’t think Neil Young is for censorship,” Stern argued. “I just think he’s saying, ‘Look, I don’t want to be part of this organization, because if my music is helping people bring people to the table, and then they’re spreading something as lethal as don’t take the vaccine, do this.'”

“I’m against any kind of censorship, really, you know, I really am. I don’t like censorship, but when you’re talking about life and death,” he added.

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Howard Sterns’s characterization of Neil Young’s position does not square with the fact that the musician not only asked to have his music taken off the platform but also for Spotify to blacklist Rogan.

“I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them,” he wrote. “Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule.”

“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” he continued. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”

Spotify ultimately respected Neil Young’s wishes and pulled his music from the platform in favor of keeping Joe Rogan.

As for Howard Stern, his rhetoric during the coronavirus pandemic has become more extreme, having previously criticized star athletes Kyrie Irving and Aaron Rodgers. Most recently, Stern suggested that unvaccinated Americans should be denied medical treatment.

“If you don’t get it, in my America, all hospitals would be closed to you. You’re going to go home and die. That is what you should get,” Stern said.

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