'So disappointing': Joe Rogan criticizes Trump's comments on Rob Reiner
What's the story
Popular podcaster Joe Rogan criticized US President Donald Trump's comments on the death of Hollywood director Rob Reiner. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, he said, "The Rob Reiner thing is not funny." "When you see it with no empathy, that's when it's hard to like. Listen, there's no justification for what he [Trump] did that makes any sense in a compassionate society. It's no different than people that were celebrating when Charlie Kirk got shot."
Disappointment
'If you say that privately that's one thing...'
He added, "Someone should've taken his [Trump's] f**king phone away from him when he decided to weigh in on Reiner's death." "It's so disappointing. It's like why... if you say that privately that's one thing, which is also crazy but it's so disappointing." Reiner and his wife-photographer Michele Singer were found dead at their home on December 14. Their youngest son, Nick, has been charged with their murders.
Controversy
Trump's controversial statement on Reiner's death
Trump had posted a lengthy statement on Truth Social, calling Reiner a "tortured and struggling" director who passed away due to "the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME." He added that Reiner was known to have driven people "crazy" with his obsession with Trump.
Defense
Trump defended his comments on Reiner
Trump defended his comments during a press conference, saying he wasn't a fan of Reiner and thought he was "very bad for our country." His statements were met with widespread condemnation from Hollywood. Actor Josh Gad called him a "f**king psychopath," while Jimmy Kimmel slammed him as "hateful and vile." Whoopi Goldberg on The View also condemned Trump and Republicans who remained silent on the matter. Many Republicans also slammed the President for his attack on the late filmmaker.