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Controversial podcaster Joe Rogan expressed his astonishment on Tuesday over the political backlash the recently released “Barbie” movie has received, despite its light-hearted plot that revolves around dolls coming to life.
Speaking on his popular podcast with guest Post Malone, Rogan was quite open about his confusion surrounding the outrage. “The entire narrative seems blown out of proportion. People have turned a fun, whimsical movie about animated dolls into a political statement,” Rogan commented.
He noted that while the film did carry undertones about the patriarchy and has comedic elements, it was primarily about dolls attempting to navigate the real world.
Rogan Debunks Anti-Men Claims
He expressed his bewilderment, saying, “I genuinely laughed during the film and left the theater wondering how it could possibly stir such strong emotions among certain audiences”.
He shared that he personally knew individuals who felt the film was anti-men. “It's ludicrous to suggest the film targets men. It’s clearly poking fun at stereotypes, not making a serious commentary on gender relations,” Rogan pointed out.
One of the main criticisms Rogan tackled was the perception that the film demeaned male characters, implying they represented the broader male population. Rogan questioned, “When did we start lumping all men together instead of judging individuals on their own merits?” Further dissecting the movie, Rogan touched upon the dynamics between the Barbie dolls and their Ken counterparts.
He posited that this relationship in the movie mirrors the actual consumer dynamics in the toy market. “Everyone is familiar with Barbie; Ken has always been somewhat of an accessory to her. When you translate these characters into a cinematic universe like 'Barbieland', the representation has to align with the real-world dynamics,” he explained.
He also mentioned a plot point where characters venture out of Barbieland to discover a male-dominated “real world”. He sighed, “It's scenes like these that have led some to label the film as 'anti-man', which is a huge stretch”.
Despite the varied opinions on the film, Rogan felt particularly disheartened by the intense negativity surrounding it. “It’s disappointing to see people get so riled up over a movie clearly not meant for them.
The degree of outrage is just disproportionate to the film's intent,” he concluded, emphasizing that many detractors might not even be the intended audience.
