The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: How Joe Rogan and Ivermectin Broke the Matrix
Date: September 7, 2021
Host: Charlie Kirk, with producer Andrew

Episode Overview

This episode, recorded shortly after Charlie’s wisdom teeth surgery (leading to a “quieter, slower” delivery), focuses on the explosive media and political reaction to Joe Rogan's use of Ivermectin after testing positive for COVID-19. Charlie argues that Rogan's public embrace of Ivermectin not only challenged the mainstream medical and media narrative but exposed deep issues of control and disinformation perpetuated by the “medical industrial complex.” Alongside, the discussion expands into related stories about COVID treatments, the Afghanistan situation, Texas’s abortion law, and philosophical reflections on power and science.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Joe Rogan, Ivermectin, and the Media Backlash (04:00-13:00)

• Background on Rogan: Charlie notes Rogan’s massive podcast reach and willingness to discuss taboo topics (“a free speech crusader... willing to have conversations around Ivermectin and the Chinese coronavirus that almost no other platform has been willing to have” – 05:33).

• Rogan’s COVID Announcement: Rogan’s announcement of his illness and recovery involving “the kitchen sink” of treatments, including Ivermectin, went viral and caused a “complete meltdown” among mainstream journalists and the medical establishment.

• Media Reaction: Charlie and Andrew describe social media wishing for Rogan’s death and an overwhelming push to discredit Ivermectin, branding it as merely a “horse dewormer.”

  “As soon as he posted that video, the medical regime in charge of our country lost their collective mind.” (08:11 — Charlie Kirk) “They flooded the zone. They said, ‘You’re not allowed to say that.’” (09:07 — Charlie Kirk)

• Early Treatment and Empowerment: The hosts argue mainstream messaging discourages self-empowerment:

  “Has anything... told you over the last year and a half empowered you? Or does it feel as if they are on a disempowerment campaign to make you feel weak, afraid, scared, obedient and willing to be controlled?” (02:00 — Charlie Kirk)

2. Ivermectin Narrative, Disinformation, and Gatekeeping (13:00-23:00)

• Ivermectin’s Human Use: The show pushes back on the “horse dewormer” label by citing Ivermectin’s Nobel Prize and mentions CDC and NIH reports favorable to its (off-label) use in humans.

• Media Disinformation: Rolling Stone and other outlets are called out for spreading a debunked story about Oklahoma hospitals overwhelmed by Ivermectin overdoses, which Charlie labels a “total lie.”

  “Everything you’re about to hear is a lie that was allowed to be aired on television.” (12:35 — Charlie Kirk)

• Suppression Allegations: Charlie contends there’s a coordinated effort by elites, pharma companies, and regulatory agencies to suppress cheap treatments (like Ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine), which would “disempower the masters” and undermine calls for endless boosters and mandates.

• Pharmacist Discretion and Obstacles: Both share firsthand and listener-reported difficulties obtaining these drugs due to pharmacy refusals—even with physician prescriptions—underscoring a “collapse of medical ethics.”

  “Pharmacists can decide not to fill a script. And that’s the point, right Andrew?... But pharmacists are saying, ‘We’re not doing this.’ I’ve experienced this personally.” (21:25 — Charlie Kirk)

  “These pharmacists, they wrote millions of scripts for oxycodone, and yet they will not fill the script for ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. This is a real problem.” (21:51 — Charlie Kirk)

3. Power, Science, and Philosophical Roots (23:00-47:00)

• The Overton Window and Loss of Trust: Rogan’s actions are seen as expanding permissible COVID debate, much to the discomfort of the regime; the show asks why science, with endless data and communication, leaves people feeling more confused and less free.

• Philosophical Framing: Quoting Machiavelli and Hegel, Charlie frames issues of COVID policy, scientific inquiry, and institutional power as fundamentally philosophical—a contest over “who masters whom”:

  “The state is God walking on earth. We must worship the State.” (35:23 — Quoting Hegel) “Science unrestrained by... justice, of truth, of beauty and goodness, means that this was inevitable.” (34:24 — Charlie Kirk)

• Gain of Function Research:

  • Analysis of newly released documents (Intercept, FOIA) showing NIH-funded gain-of-function research in Wuhan, direct links between Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance and Anthony Fauci, and their roles in controlling the COVID origin narrative.
  • Highlights a 2019 Daszak clip about lab manipulation of coronaviruses (40:26).

4. The Texas Abortion Law as a Scientific and Moral Crisis (47:00-52:00)

• Abortion linked to Science and Power: The Texas law restricting abortion after six weeks is discussed as another showcase for the “cult of science as domination”—where scientific convenience (abortion) trumps virtue and life:

  “Abortion is an example of using power to eliminate human life to prioritize pleasure and convenience over virtue, justice and life.” (48:53 — Charlie Kirk)

• Call for Legislative Action: Charlie urges every GOP-controlled state to replicate Texas’s law.

5. Afghanistan Update – Taliban Government Formation (64:19-66:59)

• Summary: Quick, scathing overview of Afghanistan’s new “terrorist all-star team” government, the Biden administration's complicity, and ongoing confusion about stranded Americans:

  “So these are their equivalent of Hamilton, Madison, Jay, Adams, Washington, Jefferson. Instead they got Muhammad and Muhammad or whatever.” (64:34 — Charlie Kirk)

6. Australia, COVID Lockdown Tyranny, and Western Freedoms (54:00-63:00)

• Australia as Dystopian Example: The episode describes Australia’s stringent lockdowns and mandates as medical tyranny and a lesson in the dangers of not having constitutional protection for individual rights.

  “Australia is the premier example in the world... of a medical police state where they have a zero tolerance policy for any spread of COVID and basically everything is on the table.” (59:07 — Andrew)

• Civil Liberties Contrasts: Comparison between American and Australian traditions, citing the lack of a Bill of Rights in Australia.

• Vaccine Passport Irony: Points out the oddity that privacy laws protect sex offenders from identification but not unvaccinated citizens.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Joe Rogan came out and said that he got Covid... we immediately threw the kitchen sink at it. All kinds of meds, monoclonal antibodies, Ivermectin, Z Pak... and I feel great.” (07:45 — Joe Rogan, replayed by Charlie)
• “Joe Rogan just pulled the thread that might undo this entire regime.” (20:33 — Charlie Kirk)
• “This is an institutional cover up the likes of which we have not seen in the modern era.” (23:33 — Charlie Kirk, on suppression of cheap COVID treatments)
• “It’s science itself. Science unrestrained by the question of: what are we inquiring about? Are we trying to master the natural world? To what end?” (41:05 — Charlie Kirk)
• “As bad as it is in America, it's worse in another English-speaking country... Australia has become a Covid tyranny state.” (54:37 — Charlie Kirk)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Joe Rogan, Ivermectin coverage explosion: 04:00–13:00
• Disinformation/framing Ivermectin as “horse dewormer”: 13:00–16:00
• Pharmacy/gatekeeping stories: 20:16–22:31
• Philosophical analysis (Hegel, Machiavelli, Plato): 34:30–44:00
• Details on Fauci, Daszak, gain of function: 30:49–45:18
• Texas Abortion Law discussion: 47:00–52:00
• Australia as COVID Tyranny: 54:00–63:00
• Afghanistan/Taliban update: 64:19–66:59

Language and Tone

• The show is unapologetically direct, combative, philosophical, and skeptical of government and mainstream media narratives. Charlie intersperses political analysis with classical philosophy, humor, and a sense of urgency about defending personal freedom.

For Further Listening

• Extended discussions on COVID treatments with Dr. Lee Merritt (“the Medical Rebel”) are referenced.
• See also recent podcasts with Miranda Devine for more on Australia’s lockdowns.

Bottom Line

This episode argues that Joe Rogan’s recovery from COVID-19 using Ivermectin upended mainstream narratives and revealed efforts by elites to maintain social control through fear, censorship, and the suppression of alternative treatments. Broader cultural trends—be it medical gatekeeping, tech censorship, abortion, or COVID policy—are framed as philosophical struggles over the proper use of power, the role of science, and the defense of individual liberty.