CBS Eyes Joe Rogan for '60 Minutes' Shake-Up After Anderson Cooper Exit — As 'Anti-Woke' Boss Bari Weiss Is Desperate for More 'Alpha Males' at Troubled Network
Joe Rogan has reportedly caught the eye of CBS News brass for his global 'reach.'
Feb. 20 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
CBS News chief Bari Weiss has her eye on the ultimate "outsider" and "alpha male" Joe Rogan after Anderson Cooper's upcoming departure from 60 Minutes, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The network is reportedly impressed with the world's most popular podcaster's "reach" and his status as an alternative voice in the vastly left-leaning, Donald Trump-hating echo chamber that the current state of broadcast television news is accused of being.
'They're Looking for Reach'
Weiss has been shaking up all areas of CBS News since her arrival in October 2025.
"They want oxygen in the room," one network source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who wrote about it on Substack.
"Not someone preaching to the choir. They're looking for reach," the source explained about how Rogan's name came up.
Weiss is reportedly impressed by how the stand-up comedian and UFC color commentator has built such a massive platform on his own, spending hours each week talking to a wide range of guests.
"Bari respects disruptors," a media source noted. "Joe built a global platform without legacy media. That matters to her."
CBS Interested In Joe Rogan's 'Influence'
Rogan started his podcast from his home in 2009 after serving as the host of 'Fear Factor.'
While CBS may have its eye on Rogan, he has frequently made it clear he is his own boss and will never be anyone's paid employee again.
"He makes more from podcasting than CBS could realistically offer,” one insider pointed out. "This wouldn’t be about money. It would be about influence."
Rogan works out of a studio he had built in Austin, Texas, after fleeing LA during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He's repeatedly said it was one of the best things he ever did, moving to the Lone Star State, where he has also opened his own successful comedy club in downtown Austin.
Joe Rogan Doesn't Trust Mainstream Media
Rogan has self-depreciatingly called himself a 'moron' and 'knucklehead.'
Rogan has frequently blasted the mainstream media for having an "agenda" and wanting to "push a narrative."
"They're trying to influence you. They're trying to bend your mind into whatever their narrative is, and it's not just the information, it's in editorialized information, almost always," he complained to guest Howie Mandel in 2023.
Rogan has also made sure to push back against allegations he's speaking for anyone other than himself, especially when it comes to his opinions on politics, medicine, and other subjects.
He's frequently called himself a "knucklehead" and "moron," and during a comedy show joked, "If you want my advice, don’t take my advice."
'CBS Isn't Looking for Gentlemen Anymore'
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Anderson Cooper will be leaving '60 Minutes' at the end of the news magazine's current season.
Cooper is leaving 60 Minutes after almost 20 years, having joined the show in a rare talent-sharing agreement with his longtime home base, CNN, in 2007.
"CBS isn’t looking for gentlemen anymore. They want someone who commands the room, projects dominance," a network source previously told Shuter before the Anderson Cooper 360 host bailed from CBS. "Anderson? He's calm, thoughtful, precise. That doesn’t cut it under the new regime."
"(They) want alpha. Anderson’s a talented gentleman. That’s no longer enough."
Ever since Weiss took over CBS News in October 2025 with a mandate to steer it away from going "woke" and bring a more centrist approach to stories, she's been hands-on with all elements of the brand.
"Bari made it clear she wanted a different tone," one insider revealed about 60 Minutes. "Every script was scrutinized. Every edit questioned. It stopped feeling like trust and started feeling like a test."
Another source spilled Cooper "didn’t quit. He was pushed. When management makes it that uncomfortable, walking away is the only option left."
