Actor Mel Gibson and podcast host Joe Rogan didn’t hold back criticism of California Governor Gavin Newsom over the state’s mismanagement of wildfires raging across Los Angeles.
The 69-year-old “Braveheart” star appeared on Rogan’s popular podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” where the two immediately addressed their frustration over California’s spending priorities.
While billions of taxpayer dollars reportedly went to address homelessness, Gibson and Rogan claimed the state allocated “zip” for fire prevention measures.
“We were just talking about the wildfire situation and how crazy it is that they spent $24 billion last year on the homeless, and what did they spend on preventing these wildfires?” Rogan questioned during the episode.
NEW: Joe Rogan and Mel Gibson blast California Governor Gavin Newsom for failing to prepare Los Angeles for the devastating wildfires.
“They spent $24 billion last year on the homeless, and what did they spend on preventing these wildfires?”
“In 2019, Newsom said he would take… pic.twitter.com/xJaQeDVMIA
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) January 9, 2025
“Zero,” Gibson responded curtly. “Zip.”
The “Lethal Weapon” actor targeted Newsom, accusing the governor of failing to deliver on promises made when he first took office.
According to Gibson, Newsom had pledged to undertake forest maintenance and adopt preventive strategies to combat wildfires but allegedly did little to follow through.
“In 2019, I think Newsom said, you know, ‘I’m going to take care of the forest and maintain the forest’ and do all that kind of stuff,” Gibson remarked. “He didn’t do anything.”
Rogan chimed in, alleging that efforts to combat the wildfires were complicated further by water shortages.
“And on top of that, they cut the water off,” Rogan said, referring to reports of dwindling water supplies faced by California firefighters as they struggled against worsening wildfires.
“I think all our tax dollars probably went for Gavin’s hair gel,” Gibson quipped, adding a dose of sarcasm to the critique. “It’s sad. The place is just on fire.”
The discussion then broadened to include a stinging critique of California’s general governance.
Rogan and Gibson took turns highlighting what they perceived as poor management and flawed leadership, portraying the state’s political decisions as both incomprehensible and frustrating.
“You’re out of your f—king mind, dude. You’ve ruined this state. Personally ruined it,” Rogan said, venting his frustration toward the 40th governor of California.
Rogan later questioned Gibson about whether the wildfire disaster might finally convince him to leave California—a decision Rogan himself made back in 2020, relocating to Austin, Texas, during the pandemic.
“Yeah, maybe,” Gibson conceded, mentioning that he owns a property in Costa Rica.
Earlier in the podcast, Gibson shared a personal anecdote that hit closer to home—literally. His son Milo, who serves as a volunteer firefighter in Malibu, had warned his father about raging fires nearing Gibson’s California neighborhood. Milo even sent his father a video clip showing the inferno that had consumed the area.
Gibson, however, returned from filming the podcast to find the unthinkable—his home had been destroyed by the fire.
“I was kind of ill at ease while we were talking because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, ‘I wonder if my place is still there,’” Gibson revealed during an interview Thursday with NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”
“But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there.”
The Malibu property Gibson had called home for 15 years was reduced to ashes. “I have never seen a place so perfectly burnt,” he stated, describing the scene.
“There was a dozen places or so that were just non-existent. I mean, nothing but a chimney and a few roof tiles, and you dare not walk around for the nails and the whole deal. The vehicles were gone, everything,” he explained.
“It was a real, it was completely toasted. I’ve never seen such a complete burn. It’s like someone did it on purpose to really destroy every aspect of it.”
“My place looked like Dresden,” Gibson remarked, referring to the infamous firebombing of Dresden, Germany, during World War II.
“It’s emotional. You know, I lived there for about 14, 15 years, so it was home to me, and I had a lot of personal things there that, you know, I can’t get back. All kinds of stuff. Everything from photographs to files to, you know, just personal things that I had from over the years, and clothing, and you know, cool stuff.”
Despite the tremendous loss, Gibson maintained a level-headed perspective. “But you know, hey, and that can all be replaced, these are only things, and the good news is that those in my family and those I love are all well and we’re all happy and healthy and out of harm’s way.”
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke out during a press event where he joined other Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday.
“If Newsom were a Republican, you guys would have him nailed to a wall.”
“When we had the Surfside tower collapse, I had people from the Washington Post trying to blame me for it.”
“That Mayor of L.A. ..you know the fires are at high risk and you try to go to Africa?”– DeSantis pic.twitter.com/MICYxZkTTn
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) January 10, 2025
DeSantis turned his attention to how media coverage of California wildfires has been framed, accusing journalists of bias in their reporting.
Responding to a question about whether President-elect Donald Trump critiquing Newsom was “appropriate,” DeSantis was quick to snap back.
“Is it appropriate for people in your industry to try to create division and to try to create narratives anytime these things happen?” DeSantis shot back at the reporter. He claimed the media’s criticism of Newsom had been minimal because the governor is a Democrat.
“Now, you’re not as interested in doing that because Newsom is a D. If Newsom was a Republican, you guys would have him nailed to the wall for what they’re doing over there,” DeSantis alleged.
DeSantis went on to draw parallels to media treatment of Florida politicians, as he’s “dealt with it” himself.
“We just assume in Florida, anytime something happens, it’s going to be politicized by the media. So you guys sitting in judgment of Donald Trump, I mean, excuse me, I think your track record of politicizing these things is very, very bad,” he stated.
The Florida governor also looked west, targeting Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for leaving the city to travel to Africa even while fires posed imminent risks to her constituents.
“That mayor of LA, if that were a Republican mayor, I could only imagine what that would do,” he remarked.
“I mean, you know, the fires are at high risk and you try to go to Africa or wherever she was to go on some type of voyage? You should have been there preparing and doing that. And yet I don’t see a lot of heat being directed on that thing.”
Watch the full episode of Gibson’s appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” here: