It's all about the long form interviews. Each week, he puts out several of these long conversations with a very diverse set of subjects. Without being a centrist, his politics are pretty close to the middle, and he interviews folks across the spectrum.

The conversations are very natural. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but his common-sense approach has a way of keeping things interesting and often unexpected. One time he interviewed James Hetfield, the lead singer of heavy metal band Metallica, and they spent 20 minutes talking about beekeeping. It's okay, it was fun, and it's the kind of thing you can get away with in a three hour interview.

As someone who doesn't like Joe Rogan's content, but has listened to a fair amount of it, I think this comparison is unfair. Rogan might be a little myopic, and perhaps a little credulous, especially when it comes to drugs, but he's far more rational than Jones.

How is he even comparable to Alex Jones? Have you ever watched a full, normal episode or are you just watching clips taken out of context with a clickbait title on youtube?

Alex Jones is also popular.

HN isn't going to like that comment but it's true.

I think it's because he welcomes everyone on the show, and just lets them talk. He's pro-gun but had a former Marine and cop explaining why guns are terrible, for example. He's also had Bernie Sanders on, and reaction to the video has been very good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O-iLk1G_ng . Dr Cornell West is one of his personal heroes, had him on the show recently too.

At the end of the day, I suspect most of his audience is US-libertarian, right-wing though.

That's a pretty bold condemnation to throw out there with nothing to back it up. He's nothing like Jones.

I am not a fan of Rogan, but I struggle to see how he is comparable to Alex Jones.