(CNN) — Vice President JD Vance said in a podcast episode that aired Wednesday that the backlash to a UFC fighter’s false and offensive remark about former first lady Michelle Obama was “totally disproportionate” to the comment itself.
Speaking on “The Joe Rogan Experience” in an episode that taped Tuesday, Vance recalled attending his first live UFC event last month and was marveling at the submission holds. Rogan asked if Vance was more surprised by the so-called armbars or by fighter Josh Hokit referring to the former first lady as a man during his victory remarks at the White House.
“Definitely the armbar part,” Vance responded. “I work in politics. People say crazy stuff all the time, man.”
Rogan pushed back on the vice president, noting the context was different for an event hosted at the White House. He added that Hokit makes similar remarks as part of a persona he has cultivated.
“He’s a very good fighter, first of all, but sometimes it’s not enough to get attention,” Rogan said. “What Josh has done is created this persona, like this pro wrestling bad-guy persona.”
“Again, not the best thing to say at the White House. ‘Michelle Obama is a man’ is not the best thing to say,” he added.
“Fair,” Vance replied. “But the reaction to it to me was still totally disproportionate.” He later continued that “people lost their minds about it.”
He brought up comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who opened a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in October 2024 with a set replete with racial tropes, including calling Puerto Rico a “floating pile of garbage.” At the time, even many Trump allies criticized the joke.
Vance said people had similarly overreacted to those remarks. “I’m like, ‘He told a joke,’ and the person’s response is, ‘Well, it’s not a very funny joke.’ And my response to that is, ‘You know, what happens when somebody tells me a joke that’s not funny? I don’t laugh, and then I move on with my life.’ This whole industry around outrage, especially getting outraged around humor, I think is actually really hurting the country.”
Earlier in the interview, Rogan asked whether Vance would host a UFC event at the White House if he were ever elected president. Vance demurred, saying, “I don’t know, man.”
Hokit made the false and offensive comment while thanking President Donald Trump after his victory at the White House-hosted UFC event, saying, “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The comment drew criticism, including from some Trump supporters who had defended the White House-hosted event — which was billed as part of the administration’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
UFC CEO and President Dana White called the remark “nasty and false,” dismissing it as “nonsense.” The White House did not follow suit. In response to an inquiry from CNN’s Jake Tapper about Hokit’s comments, White House communications director Steven Cheung said the UFC fighter “had a great win last night. He showed toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground.”
Trump himself has ridiculed Obama. Earlier this year, the president refused to apologize after posting and then deleting a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and the former first lady as apes in a jungle, insisting he hadn’t seen the final frames containing the offensive content and blaming an unnamed staffer for the mistake.
The Democratic Party’s X account posted an image of Obama smiling, writing: “Michelle Obama lives in their heads rent-free.”
At the time, CNN reached out to the former first lady’s office for comment and did not receive a response.
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
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