Joe Rogan mentioned in Jeffrey Epstein files, says he never met him

Podcaster Joe Rogan responded to his name appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein files in an episode of his podcast released Tuesday.

On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice released a batch of material from the investigation into Epstein — who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges — in which Rogan was mentioned. However, the files contained no evidence that Rogan communicated directly with Epstein, and none of those instances were in relation to sexual or illegal content.

The documents show Epstein unsuccessfully attempting to get an introduction to Rogan through physicist Lawrence Krauss after Krauss appeared on "The Joe Rogan Experience" in 2017.

“I’m in the files for not going,” Rogan said on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" featuring Cheryl Hines, the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress and wife of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

“I would have never went anyway, it’s not even a possibility that I would’ve ever went, especially after I Googled him,” he added.

Upon inquiry about meeting Rogan, Krauss told Epstein that Rogan “seems more timid than I would have thought.” No meeting or correspondence between Rogan and Epstein occurred, according to the documents. Other mentions involving Rogan are limited to Epstein’s personal interest in UFC events.

Being named in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing.

The Epstein files and ties to Austin

Rogan appears to be the least involved with Epstein among the high-profile Austin figures named in the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein documents.

Austin-based longevity physician Peter Attia, whose name appeared more than 1,700 times in the records, has publicly apologized for what he described as “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible” emails, while denying any involvement in criminal activity.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who relocated Tesla’s headquarters to Austin, was also included in the files through years-old email exchanges, though he has said he declined invitations to Epstein’s island and plane.

And former University of Texas classics professor Thomas K. Hubbard sought between $10,000 and $20,000 from Jeffrey Epstein’s foundation in 2015 to help fund a campus conference titled “Theorizing Consent: Educational and Legal Perspectives on Campus Rape.”