Podcast host Joe Rogan and commentator Andrew Wilson criticized what they described as deliberate image manipulation by major media outlets during a recent exchange, accusing networks of altering appearances to shape public perception.

The discussion centered on a comparison between how MSNBC allegedly edited an image of a man involved in a controversial shooting and how CNN portrayed Rogan himself during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Did you see what MSNBC did to his image?” Rogan asked.

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“Yeah. Where they gussied it up,” Wilson replied.

Rogan argued that MSNBC’s treatment of the image stood in stark contrast to his own experience with CNN, which he said altered his appearance in an unflattering way during coverage related to COVID.

“Basically they did the opposite of what CNN did to me. You know, CNN during the covid times, turned me green, and they made me ugly and look like I was dying, and they made him handsome. So people would be more sympathetic to him getting shot, which is kind of wild, like, are ugly people less valuable to MSNBC?” Rogan said.

Wilson responded dryly, “Less marketable.”

Rogan said the comparison illustrated how visual framing can be used to influence viewers emotionally, adding that the edits appeared intentional and detailed.

“That is crazy to me. Like, look at the difference. ook at the difference. They shortened up his face. They gave him a little bit of a tan. They widened his face a little bit. It seems like they just made him a little handsomer. A little hotter,” Rogan said.

Wilson pointed to what he saw as exaggerated masculine features added to the edited image.

“They gave him, gave him a bit of that Chad jaw, didn’t they?” he said.

Rogan agreed and continued breaking down what he believed were specific alterations.

“They shrunk his nose a little too, didn’t they? Yeah, they did. They shrunk his nose. Gave him a little bit of a handsome jaw,” Rogan said.

Wilson added that the changes were not limited to facial features. “If you look at the shoulders, it even looks like they, they may have plumped up the shoulders there a bit,” he said.

“Little bit, yeah, the one on the right looks like, looks like he’s a little plumper. They changed the tone of the color, wild. I mean, they look at they changed his f**king teeth,” Rogan responded.

Wilson mocked CNN by name, saying, “Communist News Network.”

Rogan concluded the exchange by suggesting the edits went so far that the subject looked like a different person entirely.

“They gave him veneers. Look, look at the difference in his teeth. He’s a much more handsome guy. Like that one on the right is like, the handsome brother, and the one on the left is like, F**k, why couldn’t I look like my God damn brother?”