tbf, there's also a lot of immensely powerful corporations and political propagandists who invested heavily in Rogan over the years into him becoming a huge success.
it wasn't all organic popularity, media platforms, Spotify, advertisers and a whole slew of griftosphere talking heads made sure his brand of braindead 'just a regular guy asking questions' shtick was beamed directly into the brains of males age 25-50 who self identity as 'independent thinkers'.
it's easy to manipulate marginally stupid/normal people when you know precisely what topics get them riled up and tuned in to your disinformation machine.