Joe Rogan opts out of Golden Globe after declining to pay entry fee for podcast award nomination

WASHINGTON, DC: Podcast host Joe Rogan said he declined to pursue a Golden Globe nomination for his show after being asked to pay a required entry fee, explaining his absence from the awards in comments on his podcast this week.

Rogan told listeners that he was eligible for the Golden Globes’ inaugural “Best Podcast” category but chose not to participate because of what he described as a $500 submission fee and his view that audience reach matters more than industry awards.

Speaking on his podcast, Rogan said organizers had asked him to formally submit his show for consideration, but that he had refused to pay the $500 application fee required to be nominated.

Joe Rogan says he intentionally didn’t submit

Rogan spoke about the decision during a recent episode of ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’, saying the fee was presented as covering administrative costs but ultimately influenced his decision not to submit the show for consideration.

"A lot of people say, ‘Why wasn’t Joe Rogan nominated for the Golden Globes? Why did Amy Poehler win? I didn’t submit," Rogan said.

"They asked me to submit to be nominated for the Golden Globes and you had to pay $500. And the $500 is like for paperwork or whatever. I said no," he added.

Rogan argued that audience reach matters more than industry awards, saying, "You can’t tell me I didn’t win. I’ve been No 1 for six years in a row."

"All of a sudden, you’re gonna have a contest in front of all these people wearing tuxedos, and you’re gonna say now I’m not No 1?"

‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ has remained one of the most listened-to podcasts in the world and was eligible for the category. The show has ranked No 1 on Spotify for several years and has also topped Apple Podcasts and YouTube rankings.

Joe Rogan defends Amy Poehler

The Golden Globes nominated its first slate of podcasts for its inaugural “Best Podcast” award in January, with nominees including popular shows like ‘Call Her Daddy,’ hosted by Alex Cooper, and ‘The Mel Robbins Podcast,’ hosted by the bestselling self-help author. 

Comedian Amy Poehler’s podcast ‘Good Hang’ won the award.

The decision drew criticism on social media, with users noting the podcast is less than a year old while other nominees have been on the air longer.

Rogan defended her win, saying, "I’m sure it’s good. It won. I’m sure someone must love it. If it sucked, they would give it to someone else, right?"

“So all of a sudden you have a contest to decide who’s really number one amongst us, that’s amongst you! You’re allowed to have your opinion. You like Amy Poehler better than me? That’s great.”

The Golden Globes’ Best Podcast category is new, and organizers have said they hope it will evolve as the medium continues to grow.