🎯 All Moments (54)
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The Disappointment of Fake Brick Walls
Joe and Ian discuss the prevalence of fake brick walls, from pool halls to comedy clubs, and their shared disappointment with inauthentic backdrops. This clip highlights a humorous critique of design choices in performance spaces.
Performing Comedy in Europe: Different Audiences, Different Expectations
Joe Rogan shares his experience taking Tony Hinchcliffe to perform comedy in Sweden, highlighting the differences in European audiences. He explains that their English proficiency might lead to a slight delay in understanding jokes and that they often attend shows to see a 'famous' person rather than a traditional comedy club experience.
The Headliner Bedroom Incident: A Tale of Bitterness
Ian recounts a tense incident where an older, established comedian (dubbed 'Bling') displayed extreme bitterness when Ian was booked to headline over him. The story illustrates the cutthroat nature of comedy and Ian's resolve to never let that level of bitterness consume him.
Why Comedians Lose Their Edge and the 'Juice' to Reignite
Joe and Ian discuss why many comedians from a past era, accustomed to not writing new material and often engaging in substance abuse, eventually lose their enthusiasm and the 'juice' to reignite their comedic spark. This clip offers a critical look at the factors contributing to career decline in comedy.
The Power of Massive Stage Time for Flow State
Ian expresses his desire to reach a 'stream of consciousness' flow state on stage, and Joe explains that this comes from 'massive stage time.' They discuss the grueling New York club circuit where comedians perform multiple sets a night to hone their craft and achieve peak performance.
How Joe Rogan Got His First Cellar Spot
Joe Rogan shares an anecdote about how he got his first opportunity to perform at The Comedy Cellar in New York. He describes how a comic working as a 'barker' for another club offered him a last-minute spot when someone was missing, leading to regular bookings.
The Unbeatable 'Hang' of the New York Comedy Scene
Ian explains why, despite better-paying gigs elsewhere, he always preferred to stay in New York City for the 'hang' – the camaraderie and shared laughter with other comedians after shows. This clip highlights the invaluable role of community and connection in a demanding career.
The Dark Side of Comedy: Bit Stealing and Cutthroat Competition
Joe and Ian expose the darker side of the comedy world, detailing how some middle acts would intentionally steal bits from headliners, especially in smaller towns. This clip sheds light on the fierce, sometimes unethical, competition faced by comedians outside major comedy hubs.
Brutal Honesty: The New York Comedy Scene's Unfiltered Feedback
Ian praises the New York comedy scene for its 'brutally honest' feedback, recalling instances where Patrice O'Neal was confronted about 'hacky' material and Ian himself was called out for too many 'black and white jokes.' This clip highlights the value of direct, unfiltered criticism for comedic growth.
The Challenge of Expanding a 5-Minute Set to 20 Minutes
Ian explains the common struggle comedians face when trying to expand a killer 5-minute set into a longer 10 or 15-minute performance. He highlights how this often 'waters down' the solid material and reveals the early dependence on regional jokes that don't translate to wider audiences.
From VCR Scam to Iraq War: Learning to Spot the 'Trick'
Ian recounts a personal story from his youth where he was scammed into buying a 'VCR' that turned out to be a brick. He explains how this $100 loss made him perpetually wary and always looking for 'the trick' in life. He then draws a powerful parallel, comparing this personal deception to the national deception surrounding the Iraq War, highlighting how he, like many others, fell for the propaganda.
Shane Gillis Discovers James McCann: From Quitting Comedy to the Mothership
Joe Rogan shares the inspiring story of James McCann, an Australian comedian Shane Gillis discovered and convinced to move to America, eventually bringing him to the Mothership. McCann was on the verge of quitting comedy in Australia, highlighting the impact of talent recognition and opportunity.
The 'Redpilled' Phenomenon: Why Politicians Switch Sides
The hosts discuss the phenomenon of politicians and public figures switching political parties, often moving from liberal to an extreme conservative, or 'redpilled,' stance. They suggest this often involves going 'overboard' to aggressively prove their newfound loyalty to their new base, making it difficult to take such a dramatic ideological shift seriously, highlighting the performative aspect of political allegiance.
The Edinburgh Fringe vs. American Stand-Up: Story-Based vs. Punchline-Driven
Joe and Ian discuss the distinct differences between European/Australian festival-based comedy, like the Edinburgh Fringe, where comedians often create new, subject-specific hours annually, and traditional American stand-up. They highlight the story-based nature of the former and how it would likely 'get steamrolled' in America's punchline-driven scene.
LA Area Codes & Brody Stevens' Valley Pride
The hosts discuss the social hierarchy and snobbery associated with Los Angeles area codes, where those from the '818' (the Valley) were often looked down upon compared to '310' or '213.' Joe praises late comedian Brody Stevens for defiantly embracing his 818 identity, highlighting a unique comedic stance on local pride and challenging social norms.
Comedy for Fun vs. Education: The Purpose of Stand-Up
Joe Rogan articulates his philosophy of comedy: saying ridiculous things for fun and making people laugh, without necessarily believing them. He contrasts this with the idea of comedy as an 'educational experience' or a journey of self-discovery, suggesting that stand-up can simply be silly and entertaining.
Kevin Hart's Genius Social Media Strategy
Ian Edwards and Joe Rogan discuss Kevin Hart's early career, highlighting his foresight in treating his social media as a separate, valuable business asset. Kevin famously refused to grant free access for project promotion, setting a precedent for artist control.
Ian's Struggle with On-Stage Freedom and the Power of Phone-Free Shows
Ian expresses his desire to take more risks on stage and achieve a 'flow state,' noting he holds back. Joe encourages this, emphasizing the importance of treating the audience like friends and highlights how phone-free shows create a safe space for comedians to ' [__] around' and develop new, potentially offensive, material.
Ian Edwards' 'Untitled' Special: Comedy for a Cause
Ian Edwards announces his new comedy special, 'Untitled,' available on YouTube. He shares that all proceeds from views and AdSense will be donated to victims of the LA Fire, showcasing a philanthropic approach to releasing his independent content.
The Dark Side of Streaming: Artists Not Getting Paid
Joe Rogan and Ian Edwards discuss the current state of the music industry where artists struggle to get paid from streaming platforms like Spotify. They highlight how record labels often take a huge cut, even from touring revenue, and question the value of labels for upcoming artists in an era where records aren't being bought.
Eddie Murphy's SNL Tenure and Age Revelation
Ian Edwards recounts watching SNL because of Eddie Murphy after moving to America, which Joe Rogan uses to humorously try and deduce Ian's age. The playful exchange highlights the impact of iconic comedians and the lighthearted banter between friends.
The 'Gear Left in Me': Taking Risks Without a Paper Trail
Ian admits he has a 'gear left' in him for taking more creative risks on stage, despite his personal rules about avoiding a 'paper trail' of apologies. This clip delves into the internal struggle of a comedian balancing the desire to antagonize and be fearless with the need for self-preservation in the modern comedic landscape.
The Evolution of a Comedian: From Open Mics to TV
Ian Edwards shares his journey from realizing he wanted to do comedy for life to understanding the need to move to Manhattan to be seen on TV. This clip offers insight into the early career challenges and strategic decisions aspiring comedians face.
Never Forget Your Best Jokes: The Power of Recording Your Stand-Up Sets
Comedians often have spontaneous, brilliant lines during a set that they immediately forget. This clip emphasizes the crucial advice for comedians to record all their sets to capture these moments, which could become the best parts of their bits or new taglines, transforming their material.
The Vanishing Prodigy: When Raw Talent Isn't Enough
Ian Edwards shares a compelling story of a naturally gifted comedian who, from his very first open mic, was undeniably hilarious. Despite his immense raw talent, he eventually disappeared from the scene, highlighting that natural ability alone doesn't guarantee sustained success in comedy.
The 'Comedy Cheat': When Personality Makes Anything Funny
Joe and Ian discuss comedians like William Montgomery, Cat Williams, and Joey Diaz, whose unique personalities and fearless delivery make almost anything they say funny. This clip explores the concept of 'walking comedy' where a performer's essence is inherently humorous.
Joey Diaz, Theo Von, and Brody Stevens: Walking Comedy
Expanding on the idea of inherent comedic talent, Joe and Ian celebrate Joey Diaz as the 'ultimate' example of 'walking comedy,' and discuss Theo Von's development of a unique, drifting style, and Brody Stevens' infectious, inexplicable humor. This clip offers a fascinating look into distinct comedic voices.
Two Kinds of Rich People: Makers vs. Money-Makers
Ian questions the endless desire for money among the wealthy, leading Joe to distinguish between two types of rich people: those who make money by *making things* (like Elon Musk with Starlink, electric cars, spaceships) and those who are *only trying to make money* through deals and numbers. Joe argues that the latter group becomes increasingly 'sociopathic' as they prioritize numbers over human well-being.
The Bitterness of Vanished Comedians
Joe and Ian discuss the phenomenon of talented comedians who vanish from the scene, get regular jobs, and often become 'weirdly bitter.' This clip serves as a cautionary tale and a motivation to stay committed to one's craft.
What Black People Knew: Institutions You Can't Trust
Ian Edwards shares a perspective, attributed to Chris Rock or Neil Brennan, that many white people are only now realizing truths about institutions (like cops, FBI, pharmaceutical companies) that black people have known for a long time. He connects this to the idea of drugs and guns being intentionally dropped in neighborhoods, highlighting a long-standing distrust in systemic power.
Turning Heartbreak into Hilarity: The Comedian's Mindset
Joe and Ian discuss how comedians transform painful experiences, like bad dates and broken hearts, into comedic material. Ian shares his unique internal process of viewing every negative event as future stage content, highlighting the resilience and dedication required for the craft, referencing legends like Sam Kinison.
The 2,000-Person Bomb: Ian Edwards' Regional Joke Disaster
Ian recounts a devastating experience performing his New York-centric Jamaican jokes to a 2,000-person audience at Temple, where he bombed spectacularly. This story is a powerful lesson on the limitations of regional humor and the necessity of developing 'universal truths of comedy' for broader appeal.
Spotting Raw Talent: Cam Patterson and the Manager Story
Ian recounts the first time he saw Cam Patterson perform, recognized his immense talent, and even gave him a tag that he knew would accelerate his career. The story culminates in a humorous twist involving Ian's own manager, illustrating the competitive yet admiring nature of the comedy world.
Patrice O'Neal on Bad Jokes and Chris Rock's Iconic Bit
Joe shares Patrice O'Neal's insight that both offensive and great jokes stem from the same intention to make people laugh. He then uses Chris Rock's 'I love black people, I hate...' bit as an example of material that bombed for a year before becoming iconic, emphasizing the risk and persistence required in joke development.
Training Like a Fighter: Achieving Comedy's Flow State
Joe Rogan compares a comedian's rigorous practice to a fighter's training camp, emphasizing the need for intense periods of stage time (doing 'numbers') followed by recovery to achieve peak performance. He explains how this process helps overcome 'tension' and 'fear,' which are major roadblocks to a relaxed, loose comedic delivery.
Why Fighters Hug Before Entering the Ring: A Somber Reality
This moment reveals the deep emotional significance behind fighters hugging their crew before entering the ring. It explains that this gesture is often a "goodbye," acknowledging the extreme danger and the possibility that they might not exit the ring the same way they entered, or even at all.
The Unseen Dangers: Brendan Schaub's Concussions Beyond the Fights
Joe Rogan discusses the hidden toll of concussions on fighters, using Brendan Schaub as an example. He reveals that Schaub suffered numerous concussions not just in fights, but regularly during sparring sessions with heavyweights like Shane Carwin, highlighting the pervasive risk of brain damage in the sport and the importance of knowing when to retire for long-term health.
Was the Vietnam War About Opium? Joe Rogan on Geopolitical Motives
This clip presents a controversial historical perspective, suggesting that a major factor behind the Vietnam War, and later the Afghanistan war, was the control of the opium trade. It highlights the vast increase in heroin production from Afghanistan after US involvement and links it to the opiate crisis, questioning the stated motivations for military intervention.
Reagan's 'I Don't Recall' & Alzheimer's as a 'Blessing'
The hosts discuss Ronald Reagan's infamous 'I don't recall' defense during the Iran-Contra affair, referencing a comedian's joke about jotting down selling arms to enemies. This leads to a darkly humorous observation about Reagan's eventual dementia and the idea that Alzheimer's could be a 'blessing' for leaders like George W. Bush, allowing them to forget controversial decisions like the Iraq War.
Duped into the Iraq War: How Dumb Can We Go?
Ian expresses anger over being 'duped' into supporting the Iraq War, believing the WMD narrative. Joe then shares a comedic bit about how leaders test public intelligence by putting a 'dumb guy' in as president, suggesting that the public's re-election of Bush after the Iraq War showed those in power they 'could go dumber,' offering a cynical take on political manipulation and public gullibility.
COVID-19: The Biggest Wealth Transfer in Modern History
The hosts explain how the COVID-19 pandemic led to 'the biggest transfer of wealth ever.' They detail how government mandates forced mom-and-pop businesses to close, funneling money to major chains like Walmart and Target. This, combined with huge stimulus checks for big corporations, boosted corporate wealth while crushing smaller economies, revealing a systemic mechanism for wealth consolidation.
Peace vs. War Profits: The Military-Industrial Complex
The hosts question if peace can be more profitable than war, concluding that war is the 'easiest way' to make money, especially for military defense contractors. They illustrate how these companies benefit immensely from conflict, constantly innovating weapons and needing to use up old stock, driving demand for war and highlighting the inherent conflicts of interest.
The Shift in Public Trust: From JFK to 'They Framed Nixon'
Joe discusses a recent cultural shift where people are more open to questioning official narratives, contrasting it with 20 years ago when such discussions were dismissed as 'crazy.' He then shares a fascinating anecdote from Bill Murray, who, after reading a seemingly fabricated book about John Belushi by Bob Woodward, concluded, 'Oh my god, they framed Nixon,' highlighting a growing skepticism towards established historical accounts.
Nixon, Psychedelics, and Bob Woodward's Intelligence Ties
The discussion delves into Nixon's 'catastrophic' psychedelics act, designed to suppress anti-war and civil rights movements. The hosts then question Bob Woodward's role in Watergate, revealing he was a naval intelligence officer whose first major story was the scandal, implying deeper intelligence agency involvement. This connects to modern mass surveillance exposed by Edward Snowden, suggesting a long history of government overreach and manipulation.
NASA Becomes a Spy Agency: Space Exploration to National Security
Joe reveals a recent Trump executive order that quietly declared NASA a spy agency, shifting its primary function to intelligence and national security work and excluding it from collective bargaining. The hosts ponder the implications, suggesting it might be due to private space companies surpassing NASA's capabilities, or simply making official what was already happening with satellite surveillance, joking that NASA 'can't be Blockbuster forever.'
Raw Milk vs. Glyphosate: Corporate Lies and Public Health
The hosts discuss the inversion of public perception, where 'bad' things are promoted as good and vice-versa, citing raw milk being illegal while harmful substances like glyphosate (Roundup) are legal. They delve into glyphosate's dangers, its link to Alzheimer's, and how corporations prioritize profit over public health, using lies, lawsuits, and fear-based 'brainwashing' to sell products and distort the truth for financial gain.
A New York Perspective: 9/11 and the Cost of Overseas Actions
Ian shares his vivid personal experience of being in the World Trade Center the day before 9/11 and then watching the towers fall from Long Island, describing the profound fear and feeling of being under attack. He connects this to a concern about future terrorist attacks and the crucial need for people to understand that the consequences of foreign policy decisions overseas directly impact life at home, emphasizing that 'evil is a real thing' requiring genuine 'good' to combat it.
War is a Racket: The 1933 Business Plot to Overthrow FDR
Joe introduces Major General Smedley Butler's 1933 book 'War is a Racket,' where Butler realized he was protecting corporate interests, not people. This leads to a startling revelation about the 'Business Plot' of 1933, a conspiracy by wealthy businessmen to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt and install Butler as a dictator. This moment exposes deep-seated historical corruption and how 'confusion is the greatest weapon' in political manipulation.
NYC vs. Long Island: The Fight for Street Cred
Ian humorously details the struggle of Long Islanders trying to gain 'street cred' like Brooklyn or Bronx residents, and how people from outside Boston claim to be 'from Boston' but are quickly called out by true city dwellers. This clip highlights the fierce pride and territoriality associated with urban identities and the comedic tension between city and suburban claims.
Joe Rogan: Why Downtime is Crucial for Good Decisions
Joe Rogan explains his personal philosophy on the importance of downtime and quiet for clear thinking. He argues that constantly operating on momentum, without reflection, inevitably leads to making poor decisions in life.
The Battle for Social Media Control: Arsenio Hall & Joe Rogan's Experience
Joe Rogan reveals how major networks often demand control over artists' social media as part of deals, recounting Arsenio Hall's struggle to regain his accounts. Joe shares his own refusal to surrender social media control during 'Joe Rogan Questions Everything,' emphasizing the importance of owning one's brand and voice.
Toxic Relationships: The Ultimate Distraction from Success
Joe Rogan gives a blunt warning about toxic relationships, labeling them a 'gigantic distraction' from achieving life's goals. He cautions against compounding problems by finding someone else with issues, leading to a cycle of mutual destruction instead of personal growth.
The First 'High' on Stage: Ian Edwards' Out-of-Body Comedy Experience
Ian recounts the first time he truly 'killed' on stage, describing it as an 'out-of-body experience' and feeling 'addicted' to the feeling, comparing it to drugs. Joe elaborates on this as the 'passenger ride' – a zen state where the comedian is so in sync with their act that they're not getting in their own way, leading to ultimate creative freedom.
Kill Tony: How One Minute Can Change Your Entire Life
This clip vividly describes Kill Tony as the number one platform for comedians to break out in America. It narrates the journey of an aspiring comedian, struggling in a bad scene, who risks everything to go to Austin for a single minute on stage, highlighting how a successful performance can instantly launch a professional career and touring life.