Joe Rogan and Shane Gillis launch unscripted park-preservation podcast

When comedian Ari Shaffir alerted Joe Rogan and Shane Gillis to New York City’s proposal to raze and rebuild East River Park, the four comedians launched the YouTube panel “Protect Our Parks.” The show, featuring Shaffir, Rogan, Gillis and Mark Normand, critiques the city’s plan to add eight feet of dirt to the 57-acre waterfront space for flood mitigation, arguing it restricts local access. Unscripted and uncensored, the episodes have amassed between 2 million and 5 million views each, giving the conversation a reach that rivals traditional news outlets.

Topics have expanded beyond the park to include immigration policy, transgender athletes, and historical subjects such as Ulysses S. Grant. Critics accuse the hosts of providing a platform for controversial statements, while supporters claim the format offers a rare, unfiltered public debate. The city’s reconstruction project, begun in 2021, remains incomplete, keeping the park controversy alive.