(Photo / Bill Pugliano and Christian Petersen)
Donald Trump will appear on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast Friday.
It’s a smart move, sure to reach millions of Rogan listeners; he runs the biggest podcast on Spotify, after all. And no one can say it’s preaching to choir: Rogan himself hasn’t endorsed a candidate, and while a plurality of “avid fans” are Republicans, he brings in a fairly even split of Democrats and Independents as well. Trump has a chance to reach millions of moderate, potentially undecided voters, answering questions from Rogan’s signature, unfiltered stream of consciousness.
Yet for all the power Rogan has to cut through corporate media gatekeepers, his audience is still made up of mostly young men — a demo that Trump seemingly has on lock. What Trump really needs to do to build an unbeatable coalition is bring more young women into the fold.
Trump can go on any conservative female podcaster’s show, but that’s too easy. Sitting down with Riley Gaines isn’t likely to reach many undecided women; he must meet them where they’re at. Too bad there isn’t a female version of Rogan …
The closest thing in terms of viewership is “Call Her Daddy,” Alex Cooper’s sex and lifestyle podcast that ranks number three on Spotify. Kamala Harris went on last month to give a 45-minute stump speech on abortion, so it’s likely not the best format or audience for Trump.
The next best thing is “Red Scare,” the influential indie podcast hosted by “bohemian layabouts” Anna Khachiyan and Dasha Nekrasova. There’s nothing else quite like it online. It’s a female-oriented show that covers culture and politics, with frequent “Loveline” episodes dedicated to answering audience questions about sex and dating. The show’s vibe feels lefty — and the audience, based on who calls in, seems to be mostly artsy young women and gays — but the hosts engage with all the right-wing thought of the day. Still, they remain intellectually independent and genuinely edgy, a rare currency in today’s cultural criticism.
Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson went on the show recently, and Khachiyan has publicly invited Trump on as well. It’s an offer he should undoubtedly take her up on.
Ok but I already shook your hand can you come on the pod now? pic.twitter.com/4R3mSZ28fR
— Anna Khachiyan (@annakhachiyan) October 21, 2024
If not “Red Scare,” then there are other options — not that Trump need limit it to one.
Former Real Housewife and businesswoman Bethenny Frankel hosts a show of her own, “Just B.” Frankel doesn’t seem too political herself, but she has respectably noted that she’d “rather be canceled than muzzled.” Even if she’s not voting for Trump, they’re fellow New York City elites who built a business empire from scratch; game recognizes game. They’ll surely have plenty of interesting things to talk about.
Whitney Cummings show, the “Good for You” podcast, is another good option. Cummings is a mainstream female comic who, even in the cringe-tastic era of woke comedy, has managed to stay funny with a new stand-up special currently on tour. Politically, she’s equal opportunity insult comic who doesn’t seem to have any particular animosity towards Trump, yet she took flack online this week for roasting Tim Walz’s connections to China. It also doesn’t hurt that the two go way back; Cummings served on the panel of Trump’s Comedy Central Roast in 2011.
And if Trump didn’t get enough earned media with the McDonald’s stunt, then he can always go on the Hawk Tuah Girl’s podcast, “Talk Tuah” with Hailey Welch. Really, the viral memes just write themselves.
