Austin, Texas – A stark contrast played out in January as actor Mel Gibson’s $14 million Malibu home burned in the Palisades wildfire while he casually dismissed climate science during a podcast interview with Joe Rogan. The conversation foreshadowed a year marked by escalating climate disasters and persistent denial.
The Disconnect Between Disaster and Doubt
A growing number of people seem to double down on disbelief even when directly impacted by climate change.
- Gibson’s home was ablaze as he questioned climate science on a podcast.
- California wildfires in January were made significantly more likely by climate breakdown.
- Rogan and Gibson promoted misinformation about climate change and unproven medical treatments.
- The incident highlights a growing trend of dismissing facts in favor of partisan beliefs.
Gibson learned his home was on fire via a video from his son, describing the scene as “an inferno.” According to World Weather Attribution, the January fires in California were significantly more likely due to climate change, fueled by extreme drought and stronger winds.
The belief that personal experience will awaken people to climate change is widespread, yet often inaccurate. As Siegfried Sassoon wrote, even in the trenches of World War I, faith persisted. For some, disaster seems to reinforce existing beliefs, leading to a doubling down on denial. When core worldviews are challenged, it’s tempting to blame the events themselves.
Midway through the lengthy interview, Gibson attacked the scientific method while questioning evolution, stating, “Yeah, well, there’s a lot of money in, you know, claims, and I don’t know.” He then questioned the significance of climate change, reciting a common denialist trope: “Ever have a glass full of ice and watch it melt? Did you ever see the glass flow over?” “No.” “Takes up less room, you know.” Sea levels are actually rising due to the thermal expansion of seawater and melting land ice, not simply melting sea ice.
Rogan echoed this sentiment, claiming, “Well, there’s a lot of horseshit that’s involved in climate change for sure … a narrative gets established and then there’s a profit attached to the solution.” He referenced a study he has repeatedly cited, falsely claiming it shows “the temperature on Earth is plummeting.” The study’s authors consistently point out that it demonstrates the opposite.
The blame for the fires largely fell on California Governor Gavin Newsom. Rogan remarked, “How crazy it is that they spent $24bn last year on the homeless, and what do they spend on preventing these wildfires?” “Zero.” “Zip.” “He didn’t do anything.” This claim is false; California tripled its wildfire resilience spending between 2016 and 2024, allocating $2.5bn to homelessness in 2024-25. However, facts often take a backseat to partisan narratives.
The conversation then turned to Anthony Fauci, the former US chief medical adviser, who has been unfairly blamed by some for a range of issues, from Aids deaths to the Covid pandemic. Rogan suggested Fauci’s actions were “evil.” Gibson added, to an audience of tens of millions, a threatening question: “Well, I don’t know why Fauci’s still walking around.” “How is that guy still walking around?” Rogan echoed.
This led to a discussion of Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s wildly inaccurate book, The Real Anthony Fauci. Rogan claimed the book was suppressed, stating, “They kept that book off bestseller lists … they hid it. That’s when you find out that bestseller lists are actually curated.” Gibson agreed, saying, “it’s censored. It’s all censored. Everything’s censored.” In reality, Kennedy’s book spent 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Alongside the dismissal of science, the pair promoted unproven remedies. Gibson claimed to have “holes” in his head, potentially from PTSD, and found relief through “a very miraculous and great remedy for it which was to eat a bunch of fish oil, vitamin B complex and get into a hyperbaric chamber for 40 sessions.” Rogan asserted hyperbaric chambers are “phenomenal for … everything,” and can “decrease your biological age,” without mentioning the potential dangers. They also promoted ivermectin, fenbendazole, “hydrochloride something or other” and methylene blue as cancer cures – premature claims that could cause harm.
When asked about rebuilding after a potential loss, Gibson responded, “Oh, I don’t know… I got a place in Costa Rica. I love it there … it’s in a real nice spot.” For the wealthy, consequences often seem distant.
Gibson has since decided to rebuild his home. While a loss is unfortunate, his ability to rebuild contrasts with the plight of many lower-income California residents displaced by fire, some of whom have joined the ranks of the homeless. Gibson appeared to agree with Rogan that the state should not be spending so much on aiding them.
Ultimately, those with resources have options. They can rebuild or relocate, while others face increasingly dire circumstances. Those who cause harm often avoid the consequences, and those who spread misinformation freeload on the rest of society.
Gibson did offer one poignant observation, dismissing evolution and claiming everything is “ordered” by God: “I think anything left to itself without some kind of intelligence behind it will devolve into chaos.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with the challenges of our times.
