California Governor Gavin Newsom Responds to Joe Rogan's 'Cardboard Cutout of a Person' Remark
California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a stand against Joe Rogan, who recently labeled him a "cardboard cutout of a person." The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between the two public figures.
In a pointed response, Newsom utilized his "Governor Newsom Press Office" account on X, adopting a style reminiscent of former President Donald Trump to mock Rogan and other conservatives. "JOE 'LITTLE GUY' ROGAN IS TOO CHICKEN TO HAVE ME ON HIS FAILING PODCAST BECAUSE HE KNOW I'D CRUSH HIM," he declared. "ALL TALK, NO ACTION. I'M READY WHEN YOU ARE, 'LITTLE GUY.' OR KEEP HIDING!!!! — Governor GCN."
JOE "LITTLE GUY" ROGAN IS TOO CHICKEN TO HAVE ME ON HIS FAILING PODCAST BECAUSE HE KNOW I'D CRUSH HIM, SO HE TAKES CHEAP SHOTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY AS HE GETS RELEGATED TO IRRELEVANCY. ALL TALK, NO ACTION. I'M READY WHEN YOU ARE, "LITTLE GUY." OR KEEP HIDING!!!! — Governor GCN https://t.co/5JtafE9zE6
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 1, 2026
Rogan's podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, boasts 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 20.9 million subscribers on YouTube as of 2024. During a recent episode, he dismissed Newsom as a “stone cold, narrative-driven politician,” asserting that no one perceives him as a genuine individual.
"Whether you like Trump or not, whether you think he's corrupt, [he’s] a human being ... with Newsom, you've got like this construct, this cardboard cutout of a person," Rogan stated, further emphasizing his disdain for the governor.
Rogan's criticism of Newsom isn't new; he has expressed his discontent for years. After relocating from California to Austin, Texas in 2020, he cited the state's Covid-19 regulations as overly restrictive. “I started looking out here in May [of 2020], and I went to a restaurant with my kids and they were like, we don’t have to wear a mask? … we could eat at a restaurant?” he recounted in a 2023 podcast episode.
His family quickly fell in love with the more relaxed atmosphere. “Then we went to the lake, and people are playing music and jumping in the water and [my children] were like, we want to live here! That was it. Two months later, I lived here,” Rogan reminisced.
In an October episode of his podcast, comedian Andrew Schulz inquired about Rogan's plans to host Newsom. Rogan hesitated, labeling Newsom’s combative tweeting style as “stupid” and a “bad look.” He suggested that he might have considered having the governor on if it weren't for his social media demeanor.
“This is such a bad strategy. Like I probably would have had him on, but now I’m like ‘no, what are you doing?’” Rogan remarked. He predicted that if Newsom did appear on his show, he wouldn’t need to “cook him” because the governor would “cook himself.”
Newsom responded to this exchange by insinuating that Rogan was afraid to confront him directly. "Bawk, bawk @joerogan," he tweeted, accompanied by a chicken emoji.
Bawk, bawk @joerogan. 🐓 https://t.co/t5HtjaXaXA
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 19, 2025
The closest the two have come to an actual discussion occurred in 2025 when Newsom appeared on the Shawn Ryan Show. Ryan, who is friendly with Rogan, agreed to pose questions prepared by Rogan regarding California's Covid-19 policies, according to reports.
