HOUSTON – Vaccine expert, Dr. Peter Hotez, claimed in a social media post that he was stalked outside his home following a heated Twitter exchange with podcaster Joe Rogan.
Hotez has a long history in medical research and teaching. He is currently a Professor at Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology as well as the Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine. He is also the co-director for Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development.
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Hotez has been at the forefront of discussion over world health and vaccines, proving vaccines’ significance and efficacy, and utilizing tried-and-true technology to create low-cost vaccines for developing countries with a particular focus on neglected tropical diseases and even COVID-19.
Over the weekend, Rogan invited the Houston-based scientist to his podcast to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine controversy with environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, who has made many claims against the vaccine.
The 69-year-old comes from arguably the most famous political family in American history, as he is the nephew of President John. F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated 55 years ago while running for president in 1968.
In April, Kennedy declared that he was running for president in 2024.
How the Twitter beef begins
The exchange began over Hotez sharing and supporting a Vice article that called out Spotify over vaccine misinformation on Rogan’s podcast show.
“Spotify Has Stopped Even Sort of Trying to Stem Joe Rogan’s Vaccine Misinformation. It’s really true @annamerlan just awful. And from all the online attacks I’m receiving after this absurd podcast, it’s clear many actually believe this nonsense,” Hotez tweeted.
Once Rogan caught wind of what Hotez tweeted, he replied to him by offering to donate $100,000 to a charity of Hotez’s choice if he would debate RFK Jr. on his show.
“Peter, if you claim what RFKjr is saying is “misinformation” I am offering you $100,000.00 to the charity of your choice if you’re willing to debate him on my show with no time limit,” Rogan tweeted.
Hotez replied to Rogan, stating that he had his contact information.
“Joe, you have my cell, my email, I’m always willing to speak with you,” the tweet read.
Billionaires jump into the mix
But things took a quick turn once Twitter’s CEO and owner of Tesla, Elon Musk, jumped into the exchange, saying that Hotez is afraid to face a public debate.
“He’s afraid of a public debate, because he knows he’s wrong,” Musk tweeted.
Following Musk’s tweet, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman replied to Rogan’s tweet, stating, “I will add $150,000 to @joerogan‘s wager so now $250,000 can go to charity and the public can hear an open debate on an important topic.”
Investor Mark Cuban came to Hotez’s defense by jumping in the Twitter debate.
“Trying to bully Dr Hotez is ridiculous. You have producers that will prepare you and you get to control the conversation. @RobertKennedyJr also has a staff ready to prepare him, and these topics are what he talks about in every speech. You both do this on a daily basis. Dr Hotez works every day to try to find ways to help people.”
Hotez doubled down, stating that he would appear on the Rogan’s podcast but will not go toe-to-toe with Kennedy in a debate.
“I offered to go on Joe Rogan but not to turn it into the Jerry Springer show with having RFK Jr. on,” Hotez said in an interview on MSNBC Sunday.
This is not Hotez’s first rodeo in being harassed over his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine. In 2018, he wrote a book about his daughter, “Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism,” when he first received major backlash from anti-vaxxers.