Getty Dana White & Joe Rogan
The UFC’s president recently got into it with a reporter about COVID-19.
Dana White tested positive for the coronavirus late last year and at the time, he reached out to UFC color commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan for advice on treatment. Rogan, who also tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021, has been a big proponent of using means like monoclonal antibodies, vitamin drips and Ivermectin to fight COVID-19.
White followed suit and the UFC president said that he started having reduced symptoms around 24 hours after testing positive.
During the UFC Vegas 46 post-fight press conference on January 15, 2022, White was asked about the petition that was recently signed by doctors, health care workers and scientists. The petition is titled: “An Open Letter to Spotify: A call from the global scientific and medical communities to implement a misinformation policy,” and the main goal of the petition is to have Spotify “establish a clear and public policy to moderate misinformation on its platform.”
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The Petition Is Specifically About the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’
The writing takes aim at Joe Rogan’s “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, which streams exclusively on Spotify, in which the signees claim that the podcaster spreads “misinformation,” specifically about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By allowing the propagation of false and societally harmful assertions, Spotify is enabling its hosted media to damage public trust in scientific research and sow doubt in the credibility of data-driven guidance offered by medical professionals,” the petition reads.
The petition also outlines its major gripes with Rogan: “He has discouraged vaccination in young people and children, incorrectly claimed that mRNA vaccines are ‘gene therapy,’ promoted off-label use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 (contrary to FDA warnings), and spread a number of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.
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White Is Asked By Reported If He’s ‘A Doctor’
The UFC president responded with his take on the petition (h/t MMA Weekly):
“I made one phone call and was able to get it done,” White said about Ivermectin. “You can’t get monoclonal antibodies to save your life now. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve seen in my life. [Joe Rogan]’s been talking about it, I’ve been talking about it. These aren’t experimental drugs, a guy won a Nobel peace prize for it. I bet I can get some f****** pain pills before I get monoclonal antibodies.”
White continued, saying that “you can’t get those things (monoclonal antibodies and Ivermetic) to save your life now, literally.”
Another media member then asked White: “Are you a doctor?”
The UFC president then responded: “No. But, I took them and they both worked for me. So, why shouldn’t I be able to take them again? Or other people.”
“I won’t answer that,” the reporter answered.
“No, no, come on, dive in,” White responded. “Why shouldn’t we be able to take them? You want to know what’s scary? I bet I can get some f****** pain pills quicker than I can get monoclonal antibodies.”
“They f****** hand out pain pills like they’re Tic Tacs,” he continued.
“Nobody said that was right,” the media member answered.
“Monoclonal antibodies and Ivermectin isn’t going to do anything to you,” White continued. “Pain pills kill you. Fact. And I’m not a doctor, but that’s a fact.”
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