Jordan Peterson stirred up controversy in March when he went on X to call Candace Owens a “Pharisaical pretender” and to criticize her for using her notoriety for self-promotion, and not for sincere belief.
He furthered his criticism in an appearance on the Joe Rogan Podcast this week, using the term again in a manner that was obviously intended to refer to Owens.
The attack obviously didn’t go down well with Owens who released a video response the next day where she took on Peterson, shedding light on his tactics and personal obsessions, firmly defending herself.
Peterson’s first X post in March was a direct call-out to Owens, accusing her of “vociferously proclaims her devotion to Christ for no other reason than to elevate her perceived status.” He offered no evidence to support his accusation, instead leaving it as a sweeping, biting insult.
A month later, when he went on Rogan’s podcast, Peterson mentioned the “Pharisee” label again, this time in the context of what he calls public figures who are using their platforms only for their gain. As well as using the term 'Parasitic Parasite' in the same reference.
He never mentioned Owens by name on the podcast, but his repeated use of the expression was a giant clue that’s who he was referring to, coming back to his original post. His critique made her sound insincere, but absent specifics, he came across as more petulant than persuasive.
Owens wasn’t going to stand for that. She put out a video on April 24, 2025, showing why she’s not one to back down from a challenge. She blamed Peterson of employing unscrupulous "Soviet tactics", referring to the report Psychiatry as a Tool for Coersion in Post-Soviet Russia as an example of the abuses that he practiced.
Owens maintained that Peterson’s psychological tactics are really all about control, rather than organic conversation, dismantling his thoughtful intellectual facade. She even likened his modus operandi to Sigmund Freud’s, arguing that he cares more about playing mind games and less about providing any actual knowledge.
She also delved into Peterson’s strange obsession with Russia, pointing out that the Canadian named his daughter Mikhaila after the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
To illustrate her argument, Owens threw to a clip of Mikhaila Peterson discussing how their home was congested with Soviet-era paintings, so many paintings, in fact, that one even collapsed on her while she was sleeping.
Owens employed this to demonstrate the extent of Peterson’s obsession with Soviet culture and inspire legitimate questions about how deeply it influences his worldview.
For someone who so frequently touts Western principles, this obsession seems incongruous, and Owens doesn’t shy away from letting her audience see the contradiction.
Jordan Peterson: "How do you identify the psychopathic parasites who are clothed in your clothing and waving your flags?" pic.twitter.com/hpZqRfUMiv
— SlightlyOffensive (@SlightlyOffens) April 23, 2025
Owens continued, noting Peterson’s apparent preoccupation with Nick Fuentes, a far-right figure who is notorious for causing controversy. Fuentes has “gotten under his skin,” she said, stressing Peterson’s emotional response as evidence he’s not as unflappable as he may want people to believe.
This jab reinforces her argument that Peterson’s personal vulnerabilities undermine his credibility, especially when he’s quick to throw around labels like "Pharisaical pretender" without backing them up.
This fight comes after Owens has fought many battles of her own. She departed The Daily Wire in March of 2024 after the outlet labeled her statements as antisemitic; a term she has consistently denied as mischaracterization.
