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One of the best things to come out of election season was America’s introduction to Gov. Tim Walz and the Walz family. As heartbroken and sickened as I still am over the outcome, I am still so grateful that we got to know the governor, his wife Gwen and their children Hope and Gus. Hope, 23, has always been featured in her dad’s social media videos. If you haven’t seen the video of them at the Minnesota State Fair, here you go. It’s a delight, just like this video of them trying to keep people from texting while driving.
Hope also maintains her own social media accounts. On a recent TikTok video, Hope shared that when it comes to dating, she and her friends have developed a “litmus test” to identify any red flags. That red flag? It’s whether or not a potential love interest is a fan of Joe Rogan. This includes listening to his podcast or following him on social media platforms like Instagram. This simple standard has not failed them yet.
Hope Walz said guys who are fans of podcaster Joe Rogan are a “red flag” and should be avoided. Walz, the 23-year-old daughter of Tim Walz, the Democratic Minnesota governor and recent vice presidential candidate, issued her tip for meeting men online to almost 200,000 followers on TikTok recently.
“A litmus test for me and my friends for like years now has been if the guy we’re talking to follows Joe Rogan on Instagram, they’re a red flag and we should probably stop talking to them,” Hope Walz said. “And the times when they do follow him on Instagram and we haven’t stopped talking to them … it’s never ended well.”
The massively popular Rogan gave President-elect Donald Trump a final boost at the polls with an election-eve endorsement. He later mocked Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee who tabbed Tim Walz as her running mate, for allegedly insisting that Rogan not bring up her stance on marijuana for an interview that ultimately didn’t happen.
And Rogan is apparently a nonstarter for potential romance, according to the younger Walz, a social worker and ski instructor.
“I just want to say that I stand by that. … It’s literally never failed us and, at this point, it’s like the first thing we do when someone starts talking to a new person,” she continued. “If they follow him we’re like, yeah, this person probably isn’t a great person and probably our values don’t align so we’re gonna move on from that. And honestly it’s worked out well for all of us.”
Hope Walz didn’t offer evidence of her claims, but her personal testimonial sure sounded convincing.
“There’s been some heartbreak in there because of it, or at least some disappointment, but it truly is a litmus test and I got you, ladies,” she assured. “You should start doing it.”
“The Joe Rogan Experience” has millions of followers on Spotify ― 80% of whom are men.
I know that Joe Rogan’s podcast did not start out as being politically divisive, but it sure has ended up as a way to identify a potential douchebag or anti-science nut. If I were single, being a Republican would absolutely be my dealbreaker, but Hope and her friends are smart. The Rogan test casts a wider net because it not only identifies the likely Elon Musk fanboys, but also the apolitical ones who blindly believe that vaccines are bad and raw milk is good.
Hope’s litmus test kinda reminds me of Olivia Rodrigo’s super random first-date filter question about whether or not a guy wants to go to space. Hey, I get it. Obviously some losers may slip through the douchebag filter, but you gotta weed out the super annoying ones in any way you can. Every woman has her own set of standards and ways to figure out if she’s compatible with someone or not. I just feel bad for these women who are dealing with such a seemingly terrible dating pool right now.
“A litmus test for years now, for me & my friends when chatting to a guy is, does he follow Joe Rogan on instagram”
– Hope Walz, daughter of Tim Walz pic.twitter.com/dqMqiqd6G4
— X Analyst (@topic_flow) December 8, 2024