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Joe Rogan & Spotify Defend Hosting Alex Jones
Joe Rogan and Spotify have responded to the backlash from the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience featuring Alex Jones. Now, this wouldn’t be the first time Rogan has hosted Jones on his show but it is the first time Jones’ episode on the JRE has been uploaded to Spotify. Jones was previously banned on the platform in 2018 after violating their rules and regulations but apparently, Spotify’s willingness to bend the rules depends on the host. Well, at least that was the case.

Travis County Sheriff’s Office/Handout via Getty Images
Since the episode with Jones aired, people have been calling for a further boycott of both Rogan and Spotify. Neither has budged with both Rogan and the streaming giant issuing statements, defending the decision to host the far-right conspiracy theorist. Rogan shared a video of Bill Gates admitting that there have been side-effects to the vaccine during testing, with the caption reading:
“I knew people were going to criticize the content of the podcast without even listening and I was right. That’s why I fact checked every single crazy thing he said, and all of them were verified. People have said he spread “anti-covid vaccine conspiracy theories” because he said that 80% of the people who were given one of the vaccines got sick. Here’s the video of Bill Gates admitting it himself.
Now, I’m NOT anti vaccine, and if a safe and effective covid vaccine is created I’ll take it and encourage others to take it, but I wanted to put this video up to validate what he said.
He said a lot of crazy, but accurate things, and that’s what I’ve been saying about him for years. He’s most certainly fucked up in the past, but this episode and the subjects he exposed highlight why I chose to have him on.”
Ahead of the public statement, Spotify issued an email to managers regarding the episode, though they didn’t mention Alex Jones by name. The e-mail included instructions to employees on how to answer any questions regarding the content on the platform, the guests allowed, and generally, what is and isn’t acceptable.
“If a team member has concerns about any piece of content on our platform, you should encourage them to report it to Trust & Safety because they are the experts on our team charged with reviewing content,” an e-mail from Horacio Gutierrez, chief legal officer at Spotify, wrote to employees. “However, it’s important that they aren’t simply flagging a piece of content just because of something they’ve read online. It’s all too common that things are taken out of context.”
Despite previously barring Jones from their platform, it appears that they have since changed that policy. Gutierrez added that it’s important for Spotify to host “diverse voices and points of view on our platform.”
“We are not going to ban specific individuals from being guests on other people’s shows, as the episode/show complies with our content policies,” Gutierrez added.
Check out Joe Rogan’s full response below.
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Olivier Martinez Wants Halle Berry to Cover $240K in Legal Fees Amid Custody Dispute.
French actor Olivier Martinez is asking a Los Angeles judge to make his ex-wife, Halle Berry, pay $240,000 in legal fees as their custody battle continues. Martinez allegedly says he can no longer afford the mounting litigation costs, especially after years without landing an acting role.
The request comes less than a week after the former couple received a mixed ruling on custody of their 13-year-old son, Maceo. The latest legal dispute between them is now about Martinez’s finances, and the actor is asking Berry for help paying bills he says are hard to manage.
Court documents have been obtained, and the $240,000 request is made up of two different amounts. Martinez is seeking $176,522.58 for outstanding legal fees and an additional $63,477.42 for anticipated costs. The figures indicate he is asking the court to consider both the costs he has already incurred and the legal work he anticipates will be necessary as the case progresses.
The documents also detail Martinez’s reported financial situation. He says he makes around $776.34 a month in acting residuals, and his monthly expenses are estimated at $17,555.99. He also reported approximately $43,206 in different financial accounts. Martinez is using these figures to argue that he can no longer fund the custody litigation on his own.
One piece of financial information in the filing is his disclosed residual income, but this does not represent all income sources available to him. The documents as described are a snapshot of the financial information Martinez is relying on to make his request, not a full accounting of all possible earnings.
The request adds another financial issue to an ongoing custody dispute involving their son, Berry said. The ex-spouses recently received a mixed ruling, and Martinez’s latest filing indicates that legal fees remain a major concern as they work through issues involving Maceo.
That’s $240,000, which is a lot of money, but the request itself is not a court order. Martinez is asking a judge to make Berry pay for the costs, but the information provided does not indicate that the court has approved the request or decided how the fees should be split.
His filing also points to the financial strain that can come with drawn-out family court fights, especially when one party claims their resources are no longer adequate to cover the expenses. Martinez argues that, based on the income and expenses reported, he can’t keep paying the bills without help.
It is not known whether Berry will be asked to contribute. Martinez is now seeking a financial arrangement that will allow him to continue the legal process, and the court is due to consider his request as part of the ongoing legal dispute between the former couple.
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Cardi B Rips NYC Bullying After Death of Bronx Teen Javits Frimpong
Cardi B is speaking out on bullying in New York City after 15-year-old Bronx student Javits Frimpong was shot and killed. The rapper spoke out against the teen’s death and slammed what she called a bullying culture in the city on a livestream caught by “Hollywood Unlocked.”
Based on the information provided, Frimpong, a 15-year-old student from the Bronx, was shot and killed this week. Cardi B spoke about the case in a social media livestream, using the moment to highlight her concern about the environment young people face. She focused on bullying and what she thinks it does to life in New York City.
The rapper said the situation makes her reluctant to raise her children in the vicinity of a New York public school or in what she called the city’s ‘hoods’. She spoke out of concern about safety and the social pressures young people may feel. The information provided does not give any more details about the circumstances of Frimpong’s death or the investigation into the shooting.
Cardi B’s response also fits into her broader pattern of speaking freely on social media about personal matters and events around her. She is also talking about a tragedy involving a young student and what she sees as a larger issue facing the city. She spoke about bullying, which she said was a concern in the environment.
The account also said that A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie addressed Frimpong’s case. Details of his remarks are not included in the information, but his response adds another Bronx-connected artist to those reacting to the death of the teenager.
The incident has caught the attention of people in the music community, and Cardi B’s comments have sparked discussion about bullying and concerns for young people’s safety. She spoke emotionally and directly, in response to the death of a teen from her home borough.
The information released does not link bullying to the circumstances of the shooting, nor does it include any information on suspects, charges, or official findings. These are things outside the scope of the account given. Frimpong’s death has sparked public reaction, including Cardi B’s criticism of what she sees as a damaging culture for young people in New York.
The tragedy also prompted Cardi B to express concern about the environments children grow up in. Her comments about public schools and city neighborhoods revealed her fears as a parent. The public reaction to Frimpong’s death continues to attract attention, and her comments have brought wider discussion about bullying into the public response.
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