Bad Takes, Episode 3: How Joe Rogan bullied Matt into losing weight

Matt Yglesias went on Joe Rogan’s hit podcast a few years ago to talk about his new book and ended up talking about his weight, too.

Rogan suggested that Matt, who was heavy for his height at the time, should exercise and eat better to shed some pounds.

For Matt, the exchange stung, though it wasn’t the first time he’d thought about his weight. In fact, he’d been researching how to get to a healthy weight for a while. Two years later, he’s almost 60 pounds lighter, but not because he took Rogan’s advice.

Matt’s experience represents the debate over obesity in America that he and Laura McGann try to crack in this week’s episode.

Rogan’s view is on one side of the obesity argument, which pushes diet and exercise. The fat positivity movement is on the other, claiming that health has nothing to do with weight.

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