Forbes’ "Highest-Paid Podcasters of 2026" names Joe Rogan the top earner at $82 million and lists South Carolina native Charlamagne tha God among the top 10 with about $27 million. In Charleston, a $391,425 default judgment was entered in a collection case tied to investors behind Rodney Scott’s BBQ as Pihakis Restaurant Group faces multiple creditor suits. Healthcare Realty Trust plans to buy four medical-office properties for $111 million, the Army Corps awarded a $28.2 million dredging contract for the Port of Charleston, and pastry chef Jordan Snider led the U.S. team to victory in the Pastry World Cup Americas selection.
Charlamagne Tha God Makes Forbes Top 10; Charleston Sees Major Legal, Real Estate and Port Moves
Charlamagne tha God hails from Moncks Corner. File
Forbes has released its "Highest-Paid Podcasters of 2026," with Joe Rogan leading the rankings after an estimated $82 million in earnings. One notable entry from South Carolina: Charlamagne tha God, a Moncks Corner native, landed in the magazine’s top 10 with estimated podcast-related earnings of about $27 million.
Charlamagne’s Rise
Born Lenard McKelvey, Charlamagne tha God is best known for co-hosting the syndicated show and podcast "The Breakfast Club," produced in New York City. Forbes highlighted the podcast industry's rapid growth—"A decade ago, the industry generated less than $100 million in annual revenue. Today, it's a $9 billion business"—and noted how top hosts now sign blockbuster licensing deals, retain intellectual-property rights and expand into larger media businesses.
Charleston Business and Legal Developments
A Charleston judge has marked disposed a six-figure collection case brought by Itria Ventures after the lender obtained a default judgment of $391,425 on July 20. The suit targeted investors tied to Rodney Scott’s BBQ on Upper King Street and other troubled dining ventures run by Pihakis Restaurant Group of Birmingham, Ala.; the defendants did not file a formal response.
Pihakis Restaurant Group abruptly closed Rodney Scott’s BBQ in May. The restaurant’s namesake pitmaster, Rodney Scott of Hemingway, was not named in the Itria complaint. Founder Nick Pihakis became involved as a financial partner about a decade ago, and earlier this year the company also shuttered Charleston and Nashville locations of Joyland, a fast-food–inspired concept by former Husk chef Sean Brock.
Reporting from AL.com indicates Pihakis Restaurant Group is named in roughly a dozen creditor lawsuits across Alabama and South Carolina alleging more than $23 million in owed debts. Separately, Greenville-based Southern First Bank filed a Charleston County complaint last month seeking about $83,000; that case remains active. Pihakis also recently closed its final Joyland location in Birmingham.
Commercial Real Estate: Healthcare Realty Trust Expands
Healthcare Realty Trust Inc., a Tennessee-based REIT that leases medical-office space, announced in its latest quarterly update plans to acquire four properties, including at least one in the Charleston area, for a combined $111 million by Sept. 30. The company said the assets are "in attractive sub-markets adjacent to existing company properties." These would be the firm’s first local acquisitions since entering the Charleston market in 2022 via a large corporate buyout.
That 2022 transaction involved the acquisition of a publicly traded rival and brought Healthcare Realty Trust nearly a dozen medical office buildings and condominium-style medical properties near hospitals in North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. The firm’s only recent local disposition was Cannon Park Place at 261 Calhoun St., which the Medical University of South Carolina purchased for roughly $14.5 million about two years ago.
Port Maintenance: Dredging Contract Awarded
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ local office awarded a nearly $28.2 million fixed-price contract to the Durta Group of San Rafael, Calif., for maintenance dredging in the lower reaches of the Port of Charleston’s 52-foot shipping channel. The work aims to remove accumulated sediment and tidal shoaling that can restrict navigation and is expected to be completed before October 2027. The Corps said it received four competitive bids and emphasized the need for specialized dredges to work safely in busy shipping lanes without disrupting commerce.
Culinary Achievement: Pastry Team USA Victory
On the culinary front, Jordan Snider, executive pastry chef at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, captained the U.S. team to first place at the Pastry World Cup (Americas Selection) in New Orleans. The U.S. entry, a dinosaur-themed display titled "Jurassic Relics," won gold and secured a berth in the 2027 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (World Pastry Cup) in Lyon, France. Snider has been involved with Pastry Team USA for the past decade, and the Lyon competition is widely regarded as one of the highest honors in the pastry profession.
What This Means: The stories underscore a mix of national cultural prominence—highlighted by podcasting’s growing economic footprint—and local business shifts in Charleston, from restaurant legal troubles to strategic commercial real estate acquisitions and infrastructure investment at the Port of Charleston. They also celebrate local culinary talent gaining international recognition.
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