Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of State for Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and has stirred a heated debate on social media, especially in Egypt. The episode focused on the origins of the pyramids and included discussion of fringe theories claiming alien involvement.
The conversation quickly went viral, with strong opinions from both supporters and critics of Hawass. While some praised him for defending Egypt’s ancient history, others criticized his tone and handling of the discussion.
Joe Rogan, the host of one of the most influential podcasts online, later described the episode as “the worst podcast he has ever produced.” He said he felt uncomfortable during the conversation. Rogan’s confrontational style, known for challenging guests on controversial topics, was on full display throughout the episode.
Hawass, who has spent decades promoting and preserving Egypt’s archaeological heritage, accepted Rogan’s invitation after more than a year.
Responding to criticism that he dominates the conversation on ancient Egypt, he pointed to his regular appearances on American television. “The truth is that I used to go to their channels and discuss them in their own territory, on American television itself,” he said.
Zahi Hawass on why pyramid construction challenges our assumptions
“The pyramid was a national project. The three millions who lived in Egypt had to build the pyramid for the king to be a god.” pic.twitter.com/lF3BcX20uO— PowerfulJRE (@Rogan_Clips) May 19, 2025
During the episode, Hawass said he directly confronted suggestions that Egyptians did not truly build the pyramids. “The Joe Rogan episode aimed to promote an agenda that Egyptians are not the builders of the pyramids, and I confronted that,” he said.
He presented both written records and archaeological findings as proof, including the tombs of workers buried near the pyramids. “I told him if I had one piece of evidence that the builders of the pyramid were not Egyptians, I would admit it immediately,” he added.
Reactions online were sharply divided. Supporters applauded Hawass’s firm stance against false narratives. “Agree or disagree with Zahi Hawass, but what he did in Joe Rogan’s podcast was a respectable stand against the myths they are trying to promote about our pyramids,” one user wrote on X.
تختلف او تتفق على زاهي حواس لكن متقدرش تنكر ان زاهي من أشرس المدافعين عن حضارة مصر وتاريخ أجدادنا
هو اللي طحن رموز الافروسنترك حرفيا وجو روجان بتاع الفضائيين مقدرش ياخد منه جملة واحدة تثبت ان اللي بنى الهرم حد تاني غير المصريين
عشان كده كل الدعم لزاهي حواس ابن مصرpic.twitter.com/TLYJiIvGbr
— SIR Z 𓆎 𓅓𓏏 𓊖
(@zhabib185) May 28, 2025
Others criticized his approach, saying the conversation felt tense and disorganized. “Zahi Hawass was very harsh, and Joe Rogan lost his temper. Both were not at their best,” a viewer commented.
Hawass pushed back strongly against theories that aliens built the Egyptian pyramids. He said Rogan appeared influenced by author Graham Hancock, who promotes the idea that the pyramid stones came from another continent and were not crafted by Egyptians.
“Joe Rogan was waiting for any signal from me that extraterrestrial beings built the pyramids,” Hawass told Al-Masry Al-Youm. “But I presented him with all the scientific evidence that denies that completely.”
After the episode aired, Hawass trended on X, and many Egyptians expressed pride in his appearance on a global platform. He remains a prominent figure in Egypt’s cultural heritage efforts, having helped recover numerous artifacts from abroad.
