You don't have to have a product to be shilling something, and it doesn't have to be a paid infomercial to be an infomercial.

I feel interviewers who push their guests to confront and address the rougher edges and ramifications of their beliefs are more valuable to their listeners, and will preferentially watch/listen them instead as a result. You're welcome to disagree if you like.

The Intercept's Mehdi Hasan is a good example of someone who won't let a guest dodge a tough issue - his interview of Erik Prince is a must-see for the benefits of a more confrontational approach, IMO. https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/mehdi-hasan-caught...

"Infomercial" is a weasel word in this context. An actual infomercial is a paid promotion, often with a direct marketing avenue attached to it. Rogan's podcast is neither of those, regardless of one's issues with presentation and interview methodology.

So, I said 'what's wrong with how he does what he does', you say 'because it's an infomercial', I dispute and then raise 'what difference does that make' and your answer is 'I don't like infomercials'.

So, because you don't like infomercials, Joe Rogan shouldn't do them?

> I feel interviewers who push their guests to confront and address the rougher edges and ramifications of their beliefs

I feel I'm smart enough to figure out for myself if someone's claims or beliefs have rougher edges and ramifications. I don't need someone to ask these questions, if they go unaddressed, I make a determination as to why.

For instance "Drink this koolaide and you'll go to heaven." I don't need someone to question that, I'll be sure to question it on my own. Did the person espousing such a belief do enough to substantiate their opinion during the interview or not?

I think doing infomercials instead of an effective interview is a disservice to the listeners.

"I'm smart enough to figure out for myself" is sometimes true, but it's also what gets us anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists.

Joe Rogan can do whatever the fuck he wants, just like I can criticize his choices.