'Are Ugly People Less Valuable?': Joe Rogan Mocks AI-Altered Image of ICE Shooting Victim Alex Pretti Used During MS NOW Segment
Joe Rogan has mocked an AI-altered image of ICE victim Alex Pretti on the latest episode of his podcast.
Jan. 29 2026, Updated 11:57 a.m. ET
Joe Rogan has mocked an AI-altered image of ICE victim Alex Pretti on his new podcast episode, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The AI-altered picture of Pretti was featured on an MS NOW segment, and it appeared to be altered to make Pretti look more "handsome."
Joe Rogan Wrongfully Assumed MS NOW Edited Alex Pretti's Photo
Joe Rogan said MS NOW did to Alex Pretti 'the opposite' of what CNN had done to him.
On Wednesday's episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan was discussing Pretti's shooting with conservative commentator Andrew Wilson.
"Did you see what MSNBC did to his image?" Rogan stated, wrongfully assuming that they had changed the image of Pretti.
"Yeah," Wilson answered. "Where they gussied it up?"
Joe Rogan Called an Altered Photo of Alex Pretti 'Crazy' to Him
Joe Rogan said the AI-altered photo of Alex Pretti 'shortened' his face.
Rogan went on to note they "did the opposite of what CNN did to me."
"You know, CNN during the COVID times turned me green, made me look ugly and 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?" he asked.
He continued discussing the altered photo, calling it "crazy" to him.
"Look at the difference," he added. "They shortened his face. They gave him a little bit of a tan. They widened his face a little bit. They just made him a little handsomer."
MS NOW Added an Editor's Note to Claim the Image Was Altered By AI
Andrew Wilson said the AI-altered pic of Alex Pretti gave him 'a bit of that Chad jaw.'
Wilson claimed whoever changed the photo gave Pretti "a bit of that Chad jaw."
When they looked at the photos next to one another, they noted Pretti's nose was changed to be smaller and his shoulders were broadened.
"They changed the tone of the color," Rogan said. "Wild. I mean, they changed his teeth. … They gave him veneers."
The changed photo of Pretti was used in at least one MS NOW segment during Monday's episode of Deadline: White House.
In an editor's note, the network admitted the photo was an altered one.
"EDITOR’S NOTE: MS NOW swapped out the original thumbnail image for this video. The previous thumbnail used was an AI-enhanced image of Alex Pretti," they wrote on YouTube.
Alex Pretti's Death
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Alex Pretti was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 24.
As Radar previously reported, Pretti was killed on January 24 after a situation got heated when he taped ICE agents with his phone and stood in between an officer and a woman the agent had pushed to the ground.
Pretti was then pepper-sprayed, wrestled to the ground, and fatally shot.
Reports noted Pretti was possibly carrying a gun on him, although there has been no concrete evidence he intended to harm any of the officers.
His family released a statement, sharing they were "heartbroken but also very angry."
"The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand, and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper-sprayed," they added.
"Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you."
