Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Pulls Support From Joe Rogan After N-Word Clips Surface: “I’m Black/Samoan.”
Written by torresanz on February 6, 2022
A compilation of video clips featuring controversial podcaster Joe Rogan using the N-word has made Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson rescind his previous support of Rogan and his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Until Rogan’s racist comments surfaced, Johnson was one of the only mainstream figures to show Rogan support amid an exodus of artists from Spotify in protest of Rogan’s spread of COVID-19 misinformation.
Last week, Johnson commented on an Instagram video of Rogan addressing the controversy around his podcast, writing, “Great stuff here, brother. Perfectly articulated.” He even added that he looked forward to “breaking out the tequila” with Rogan and appearing on his podcast.
Johnson retracted his support of Rogan after singer India Arie shared several clips of Rogan using the N-word on his podcast, as well as one clip comparing predominantly Black neighborhoods to the “Planet of the Apes.” In a tweet responding to Don Winslow, Johnson wrote: “I was not aware of his N-word use before my comments, but now I’ve become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.”
Dear @donwinslow
Thank you so much for this
I hear you as well as everyone here 100%
I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I've become educated to his complete narrative.
Learning moment for me.Mahalo, brother and have a great & productive weekend.
DJ https://t.co/3mBf85wRoe— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 5, 2022
There has been a longstanding debate over the ethnicity of pro-wrestler-turned-acting sensation Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This week, he chimed in the middle of a Twitter debate setting the record straight about self identifying as Black and Samoan.
The conversation began as WWE fans criticized the programming where CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon intentionally sabotaged WWE superstar Kofi Kingston’s SmackDown Live performance because he’s Black. On the show, Kingston successfully defeated four opponents which earned him a spot at their biggest event of the year, WrestleMania. After coming out victorious, McMahon ordered him to fight current champion Daniel Bryan. Unfortunately, he lost.
WWE supporters took to Twitter questioning McMahon’s motives.
“This is a very believable storyline, in that it features Vince McMahon going to extraordinary lengths to stop a black man becoming champion,” one Twitter user said. Another wrote, “Ever heard of @TheRock?”
Things began to heat up as another commenters began to argue over what ethnicity Johnson identifies as.
Cool, he identifies as Samoan in WWE and was booked that way after Nation days. Was never booked, proclaimed, or titled as First black champion. And hardcore wrestling fans don't name him as such as well. Thus nobody calls him a black champion. Anoa'i family background angle
— My Ol' Lady NDH (@Audience__of1) March 20, 2019
He jumped into the growing conversation clearing up his race for once and for all. “Glad I came across this and I’ll give you guys some context & truth. I identify as exactly what I am – both. Equally proud. Black/Samoan,” Johnson wrote.
Hitting back at claims of being “booked” as a racially ambiguous, he added, “And my friend, let me expand your thoughts a bit here – I transcended race in wrestling so there was no “booked that way”. Thx guys.”
Glad I came across this and I’ll give you guys some context & truth.
I identify as exactly what I am – both. Equally proud. Black/Samoan.
And my friend, let me expand your thoughts a bit here – I transcended race in wrestling so there was no “booked that way”. Thx guys— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 20, 2019
His response eased the minds of the social media users who conceded, “Not gonna lie, when I made a facetious joke about how Smackdown ended, this was absolutely not how I saw it playing out,” the thread’s initiator wrote.
Not gonna lie, when I made a facetious joke about how Smackdown ended, this was absolutely not how I saw it playing out.
— Adam – https://twitch.tv/gingerpimpernel (@GingerPimpernel) March 20, 2019
Another one said, “Welp, guess that settles that.”
No stranger to talking about race, Johnson faced backlash after reports of him starring as Black folklore legend John Henry in Netflix’s John Henry and The Statesmen surfaced in October 2018.
He addressed the importance of roles highlighting characters like John Henry. “These diverse characters speak to a legacy of storytelling that is more relevant than ever and span across a worldwide audience regardless of age, gender, race, or geography,” Johnson said to Variety.
During his stint in the WWE, Johnson was a member of The Nation of Domination (N.O.D.). Founded in 1996, N.O.D was inspired by the Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam, N.O.D. They “saluted with fists in the air, swearing to get the job done by any means necessary,” reports The Sportster.
