The world’s most popular podcast host and the world’s richest man teamed up this week to brainstorm how they could revamp MSNBC if it’s sold by its parent company.
Elon Musk, owner of X, joked about buying the liberal news network. Joe Rogan, host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” jumped in, offering to take over Rachel Maddow’s show while mimicking her style.
“If you buy MSNBC I would like Rachel Maddow’s job. I will wear the same outfit and glasses, and I will tell the same lies,” Rogan quipped on Friday, responding to Musk’s post.
Musk had poked fun at MSNBC earlier that day. He shared a report about Comcast possibly selling the network and added his own commentary.
On Wednesday, Comcast announced plans to spin off several NBCUniversal cable networks, including MSNBC. The decision marks a major shake-up for legacy media, severing MSNBC’s ties with NBC News.
Musk made light of the situation, writing, “The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely.” He joked about buying MSNBC and flipping it into a conservative news outlet.
Rogan replied to Musk’s post with his offer to replace Maddow. Musk responded, “Deal.”
Some conservatives found the exchange hilarious. Comedian Tim Young wrote, “Please God make this happen.” Conservative author Jim Hanson added, “Can you imagine the freak out level on the Left right now? They know Elon could do this on a whim.”
Author Carol Roth joined in, referencing “The View.” “I’d like to throw my hat in the ring for a panelist spot on ‘The Normal View,’” she joked.
Maddow, whose show airs on MSNBC Mondays, recently signed a new contract to stay with the network. This comes as ratings for her show have plummeted, particularly since President-elect Donald Trump’s win.
For years, Maddow’s show centered on fierce criticism of Trump and theories linking him to Russia. Since the election, her ratings have plunged. “The Rachel Maddow Show” has lost 41% of its viewers, averaging 1.4 million. Among adults aged 25-54, her numbers have halved, dropping to 118,000 in 2024.
Musk floated the idea of buying MSNBC in another post. “MSNBC is going up for sale. Should I buy it? I would like to fire Rachel Maddow (for fun) and then turn it into a channel that reports the top stories from X each day. Citizen reporting on cable news!”
On Sunday morning, Musk kept the joke alive. He shared a meme of himself battling the temptation to buy MSNBC, keeping fans entertained.