Get Your Weekly Digest

Receive the best podcast summaries and insights delivered to your inbox every week.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

The Joe Rogan Experience

#2409 - Brian Redban

with Brian Redban

Published November 11, 2025
Visit Podcast Website

About This Episode

Joe Rogan and Brian Redban have a wide-ranging conversation about emerging technologies, politics, media manipulation, culture, comedy, and everyday life. They discuss quantum computing, AI, phones, drones, surveillance, and SpaceX, alongside U.S. politics, media bias around Donald Trump, war in Ukraine, drugs, gambling, porn and OnlyFans, and the future social impact of AI and virtual reality. They also talk about cars and racing, simulation theory, AIDS/AZT controversies, aging pets, and Redban's current creative projects using VR and AI-generated music.

Topics Covered

Artificial intelligence Quantum computing Smartphones and mobile technology Data privacy and surveillance Drones and military technology Media trust and propaganda U.S. politics and elections SpaceX and rocketry Online pornography and OnlyFans Simulation theory Stand-up comedy

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • Rogan and Redban discuss claims about new quantum computers that can solve problems unimaginably faster than classical supercomputers, and Rogan notes that some people use this to speculate about the multiverse.
  • They trace the evolution from early devices like the Newton, Palm Pilots, and BlackBerry to modern foldable phones, noting how mobile email and apps helped create today's always-online, surveilled culture.
  • Both criticize the commodification of personal data, widespread digital scams, and how email lists and sign-ups are resold, leading to constant spam texts, calls, and targeted fraud.
  • Rogan argues that the power grid is already fragile and that widespread AI and electrification will greatly increase power demand, while battery-based green solutions depend on ethically troubling mineral extraction in places like Congo.
  • They examine how Chinese drones and phones are technologically ahead in some ways, and how U.S. bans on companies like DJI intersect with national security concerns and potential political or financial conflicts of interest.
  • Rogan spends time on media manipulation around Donald Trump, including a BBC edit of his January 6th speech and the "very fine people" Charlottesville clip, arguing major outlets have acted as partisan propagandists.
  • The conversation covers how drones and jamming are transforming modern warfare, with examples from Ukraine where fiber-optic-tethered drones have been used to evade electronic defenses for high-value strikes.
  • Rogan describes seeing SpaceX operations up close, emphasizing the scale of rocket production, the deliberate testing-to-failure philosophy, and the novel "PEZ dispenser" method for deploying satellites.
  • The two speculate about the social impact of ubiquitous AI, VR headsets, and hyper-realistic porn or companion experiences, suggesting this could deepen isolation and reduce real-world relationships and sex.
  • They revisit the AIDS/AZT controversy, reading from a Spin magazine preface by Bob Guccione Jr. about AZT's toxicity and profit motives, and Rogan notes the parallels he sees with Anthony Fauci's role in COVID and vaccines.

Podcast Notes

Opening and Quantum Computing Discussion

China and extreme quantum computing claims

Rogan mentions a reported Chinese quantum computer that can solve an equation in 4 minutes that would take all the world's supercomputers 2.6 billion years[0:28]
• He repeatedly stresses he doesn't know if it's real and has trouble understanding quantum computing despite having it explained multiple times
Mark Andreessen's quantum example[1:01]
• Rogan recalls Mark Andreessen describing a quantum computation so complex that even if all atoms in the universe were converted into a supercomputer, the universe would suffer heat death before solving it
• The described quantum computer allegedly solved that problem in minutes

Multiverse speculation from quantum performance

Rogan says some people claim this performance is evidence of a multiverse[1:40]
• He explains the idea as quantum computers computing in concert with versions of themselves in other dimensions or universes, and that the sheer number of those would explain the speed
Questions about who actually understands these machines[2:33]
• Rogan wonders how many people on earth could really recreate a quantum computer from scratch, guessing roughly 30-100 scientists worldwide out of 8 billion people
• He imagines a scenario where those few experts are assassinated, leaving godlike machines no one knows how to restart, underscoring how fragile such knowledge could be

Smartphones, Tech Nostalgia, and Always-On Culture

Foldable phones and device evolution

Redban shows Rogan a new Samsung foldable phone[4:25]
• Rogan describes it as feeling like a regular thin phone, slightly smaller than his iPhone when folded, and like a small iPad when unfolded
They note reports that Apple is rumored to be working on foldables but tends to wait until others "get it right"[4:47]

Early PDAs and skepticism

Rogan recalls the Apple Newton in the 1990s and his skepticism[4:55]
• He remembers a studio executive in 1994 proudly carrying a Newton, and Rogan thought it was huge and impractical compared to a simple paper address book
Palm Pilots, Trios, and early smartphones[5:54]
• Rogan says he felt like a "wizard" using a Palm Pilot with a keyboard and screen, and remembers resisting BlackBerrys at first
• He jokes those with BlackBerrys seemed serious and "getting things done" because they could answer emails on the fly

Email, smartphones, and time theft

Rogan's early concern about mobile email[6:44]
• He recalls seeing colleagues constantly on their BlackBerrys and felt it meant email would steal even more of their time, making them reachable and obligated to respond 24/7
They connect this to current doomscrolling habits and say now "we're doomed" by smartphone addiction[7:14]

Location tracking and digital evidence

Phone surveillance in court cases[7:14]
• Rogan describes seeing a court case where authorities used phone data to show exactly what someone browsed on Instagram, down to timestamps and how long a photo was viewed
• He concludes that authorities effectively know everything people do on their phones, including web searches like "how to get rid of a dead body"

AI Chatbots, Erotic AI, and Content Filters

Trying to bypass AI safeguards

Bomb-making queries and book excuses[8:23]
• They joke about people asking ChatGPT how to make bombs and using excuses like "I'm writing a book and need it to be accurate" to try to bypass safety filters
Grandmother ransom and nuclear bomb hypotheticals[8:23]
• Rogan and Redban imagine people framing malicious requests as emergencies, such as needing to build a nuclear bomb to save a kidnapped grandmother

AI image erotica and filter limits

Using Grok images for sexual content[8:28]
• Redban describes trying to generate semi-nude images using Grok image tools with prompts like "clear bikini" and "milk falling from the sky" and notes that all systems eventually "catch on" and stop

AI Deepfakes, Fake Influencers, and Spam Texts

AI porn and deepfake celebrity content

China-based apps generating explicit content[11:21]
• Redban says there are Chinese apps where users can generate explicit images or porn using any celebrity or person's face, including humorous extremes like "Kanye West with huge tits"
• They question the legality of such tools and assume many operate from China, outside U.S. legal constraints

AI-generated influencers and male simplicity

Fake AI girls with millions of followers[12:45]
• Rogan says he follows some Instagram accounts of AI-generated women who have millions of followers, and that men are "so simple"-big breasts and a pretty face easily grab attention and can be used to sell products or harvest data

Spam texts and data as a commodity

Spam targeting former phone number owners[13:24]
• Both describe getting spam texts directed at previous owners of their phone numbers, speculating that replying "wrong number" confirms a live line to spammers
Data resale and email lists[13:56]
• Rogan explains that people did not originally consider their email or interest data a sellable commodity, but now companies collect sign-ups for newsletters and then resell those lists, leading to international scam messages and spam

Physical junk mail as an older version of spam

Rogan recalls that physical mail used to be filled with unsolicited ads, similar to digital spam today[15:00]

Energy Grid, Solar, and Battery Ethics

Grid strain and EV contradictions

California EV mandates vs. grid capacity[15:35]
• Rogan notes California passed a law for all new cars to be electric by around 2035, then soon after asked residents not to charge EVs because the grid couldn't handle it, calling it "so California"
Past brownouts and limited power windows[16:39]
• He recalls scheduled brownouts where power would be cut for certain hours to prevent total grid failure, with advice to keep fridges closed so food wouldn't spoil

Texas freeze and backup power

Texas deep freeze experience[16:54]
• Rogan describes the major Texas freeze after he moved there, with people losing heat for a week in 20-degree weather; some died from smoke inhalation after burning things indoors or from generators in garages
He notes he now has battery backup and likes it[17:33]

Solar dependence on batteries and cobalt mining

Battery degradation and replacement[17:33]
• Rogan points out that solar power relies heavily on batteries that degrade and must be replaced, creating ongoing demand for battery materials
Cobalt mining in Congo and "conflict minerals"[17:59]
• He references Siddharth Kara's book describing cobalt mining in Congo, including videos of people mining by hand under brutal conditions, calling it barbaric and likening it to slavery
• Rogan emphasizes the irony that the most advanced device people own-a smartphone-is built on minerals extracted in the most barbaric way by people living in extreme poverty
Question of battery recycling[19:01]
• Rogan wonders if battery minerals can be recycled and suggests it should be legally mandated if valuable material remains, given the human cost of extraction

Chinese Tech, DJI Ban, and U.S. Politics with Trump

Chinese phone and battery tech vs. Samsung

High-capacity batteries in Chinese phones[20:02]
• Redban mentions a Chinese phone with a 7200 mAh battery and brighter screen, yet in testing it only outlasted an iPhone by about 35 minutes despite ~40% more capacity, which Rogan attributes to Apple's superior optimization
Samsung and Sony staying conservative[21:10]
• They say Samsung has been cautious, making only small annual changes, and praise Sony phones for still offering headphone jacks and better audio options than current flagships

DJI drone bans and U.S. policy

DJI dominance and U.S. bans[21:29]
• Redban says DJI makes the best drones but has been banned, forcing reliance on inferior alternatives and setting U.S. drone technology back about 10 years in his view
U.S. review of DJI's government ties[23:52]
• He mentions U.S. departments were given a deadline to determine if DJI was tied to the Chinese government, but several agencies have reportedly done nothing with only weeks left before a full ban

Trump's negotiation style and foreign policy

Trump threatening nuclear tests with China and Xi Jinping[24:30]
• Rogan notes Trump publicly threatened to resume nuclear testing if China was testing, and says that after such threats, Trump and Xi had more "fruitful" conversations
Rogan's mixed view of Trump[24:20]
• He acknowledges Trump's involvement in brokering some peace deals in African conflicts and says that shows a part of Trump genuinely trying to prevent deaths, while also calling Trump's crypto coin "sketchy as fuck"

Russia, Authoritarianism, and U.S. Media Manipulation

Putin as a dictator and comparative politics

Putin's tight grip on Russia[26:11]
• Rogan calls Putin a legit dictator who has run Russia for a long time and has the system locked so tightly that he would win even if elections were open
U.S. as uniquely open to outsiders[26:32]
• He argues the U.S. is unusual in that power is genuinely "up for grabs," citing Trump's outsider election as evidence

BBC's Trump January 6th edit

BBC head resigns over deceptive edit[27:04]
• Rogan describes how the BBC edited Trump's January 6th rally speech by placing a "fight like hell" line immediately after an earlier segment, omitting that it was said 54 minutes later after Trump had called for cheering on senators and congresspeople
• He views this as clear evidence of partisan manipulation against a sitting president and says it shows how "woke shit" rotted media brains

Other media examples and erosion of trust

60 Minutes edit of Kamala Harris answer[33:32]
• Rogan says 60 Minutes edited a Kamala Harris interview to make an answer look better, which he sees as further evidence of major outlets acting like propaganda arms
PBS executive's "truth gets in the way" comment[33:49]
• He recounts a PBS figure saying "sometimes truth gets in the way of good," which he calls crazy, and criticizes her evasive interview answers about political leanings

Polarization, Violence, and Civil War Fears

Overcorrection and ideological backlash

From progressive overreach to far-right reaction[33:53]
• Rogan worries America might overcorrect from left-wing excesses into extreme right-wing nationalism, describing a possible shift toward white nationalism and aggressive anti-immigrant stances

Reaction to the shooting of Charlie Kirk

People celebrating political violence[35:20]
• Rogan is disturbed that ordinary people on social media celebrated Charlie Kirk being shot in front of his family, saying it's dark territory when people want opponents to die merely for saying things they dislike
Amphetamines, mood, and online hostility[36:33]
• He speculates many high-productivity professionals are on amphetamines like Adderall and suggests that, unlike cannabis users, amphetamine users tend to be meaner, which he loosely connects to online cruelty

Elections, Dominion, and Political Incentives

Election fraud claims and lack of solid evidence

Rogan's benchmark for serious fraud claims[37:31]
• He argues that if someone claims an election was stolen, they must provide a detailed, well-documented, peer-reviewed-style explanation; he notes no such definitive documentary or paper has emerged about 2020 despite four years of claims

Dominion sale and bipartisan disinterest in reform

Dominion's ownership by a Republican-run company[38:37]
• Rogan notes a GOP-linked group bought Dominion voting systems, raising questions about both parties' incentives around voting tech
Rep. Luna's point about not fixing problems[39:17]
• He cites Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's claim that politicians intentionally leave problems unfixed so they can constantly campaign and fundraise against them

Drones, JD Vance, and Modern Warfare

JD Vance's defense-tech investments

Perplexity-sourced summary of Vance's ties[41:06]
• They read that before entering office, JD Vance co-founded and managed venture funds investing in defense-tech startups like Anduril, and maintained those investments while serving as vice president, subject to ethics rules
Vance's public stance on Chinese drones[41:56]
• Per the AI summary they read, Vance has argued Chinese drones pose security risks and advocated for U.S.-made autonomous systems in military and civilian sectors

Chinese state-capitalist model and drone shows

China's government-corporate fusion[42:27]
• Rogan says in China corporations and government work hand-in-hand; businesses can make money but ultimately must follow state directives, including in strategic sectors like drones
Enormous Chinese drone light shows[44:19]
• They watch and react to video of a 10,000-drone show in China forming dragons, flowers, and spinning moons in the sky, calling it like a DMT trip or Avatar scene
• Rogan imagines a future where trillions of tiny drones act as pixels to project movies in the sky, replacing traditional screens, though he notes drones can be jammed and sometimes fall from the sky

Ukraine's fiber-optic-tethered drones

Circumventing jammers in warfare[45:30]
• They describe reports that in Ukraine, drones are connected via long monofilament/fiber-optic lines to avoid electronic jamming, enabling strikes like the one that destroyed jets on a runway and causing birds to build nests with the discarded line

SpaceX Rockets, Manufacturing, and Testing Philosophy

Visiting SpaceX and observing launches

Rogan's first-hand launch experience[46:56]
• Rogan describes watching a SpaceX launch from two miles away, thinking it was much closer because of the immense sound, and then watching in the control room as the rocket landed in Australia 35 minutes later

Deliberate destruction and heat-shield testing

Removing heat shields to test tolerances[46:47]
• He relays Elon Musk's explanation that some rockets are intentionally flown with heat shields removed in critical areas to see what they can withstand, so explosions are expected outcomes of specific tests, not random failures
Pressure loss over Australia and landing odds[48:16]
• Rogan says one flight lost pressure over Australia and only had a 30% chance of touching down, yet managed to do so, demonstrating robustness and giving engineers abundant data

Mass production and satellite "PEZ dispenser"

Scale of rocket construction at SpaceX[48:57]
• He was surprised SpaceX wasn't building just one rocket but hundreds in a massive factory, with skyscraper-sized garage doors and rockets rolling out, aiming for several launches per week
PEZ-style satellite deployment mechanism[49:40]
• Rogan describes SpaceX's method of stacking satellites like candies in a PEZ dispenser, then opening a long slot in the rocket to eject them into orbit

Saudi Arabia Comedy Debate and Role of Stand-up

Offers to U.S. comedians and moral trade-offs

Big money offers and turning them down[52:36]
• Rogan says Saudi organizers offered Shane Gillis a huge payday, then doubled it when he declined, but he still said no, and Rogan himself doesn't want to go despite acknowledging U.S. hypocrisy on human rights
Schulz's argument for performing there[52:17]
• He relays Andrew Schulz's point that U.S. has done terrible things abroad (Yemen, Iraq) and that going is about seeing fans, not endorsing governments, though Rogan remains uncomfortable

Comedy's unique power in polarized societies

Laughter allows people to hear opposing ideas[52:56]
• Rogan argues comedy is one of the few mediums where you can present opinions people disagree with, and if it's funny they'll still appreciate it and see nuance, which could be valuable in places like Saudi Arabia
Constraints on speech abroad[53:35]
• He notes that in Saudi Arabia you can face severe legal consequences for joking about royals or government, which makes him reluctant to perform where he can't speak freely

UK Crime, Immigration, and Digital ID Concerns

Censorship and immigration-linked crime in the UK

Complaints about crime and censorship[54:35]
• Rogan says Americans are largely unaware how bad crime and censorship have become in the UK, claiming authorities censor complaints about immigrants involved in crimes like pickpocketing
Refugees from countries bombed by the West[55:18]
• He criticizes the West for bombing countries, creating refugees, then importing them without proper vetting, calling it insane and suggesting it's damaging major cities like London

Conspiracy of chaos and AI-driven control

George Soros and others allegedly engineering chaos[55:57]
• Rogan suspects elites like George Soros and unnamed others are deliberately fostering chaos under the guise of empathy/kindness to justify harsh control measures later
Digital ID, AI, and carbon allotments[56:35]
• He predicts that when AI runs key systems, authorities will push mandatory digital IDs and carbon allotments, restricting travel and purchases, and argues that creating disorder is the pretext for citizens to accept such controls

Guns, Drugs, Gambling, and Fentanyl

Online gambling and prohibition analogies

Rogan's view on banning sports betting apps[57:55]
• He argues that if legal online sports betting is banned, people won't stop gambling; instead they'll turn to illegal games hosted by criminals, similar to how Prohibition created illegal alcohol markets

War on drugs, fentanyl, and blown-up boats

Trump administration and drug-runner boats[58:56]
• They reference reports of Trump ordering the destruction of suspected drug-smuggling boats and joke about how rival fishermen could falsely tip off authorities to eliminate competition
Illegal drugs filling the demand vacuum[1:00:06]
• Rogan links fentanyl's spread to drug prohibition, arguing that because drugs are illegal yet demand is high, dangerous substances like fentanyl flood in, destroying cities like Portland with pervasive addiction and homelessness

AIDS, AZT, Peter Duesberg, and Fauci Parallels

AIDS fears in the 1980s-90s

Rogan's personal anxiety about HIV tests[1:01:25]
• He recalls being terrified awaiting his first HIV test in the early 1990s, reflecting on risky behavior and fearing he might unknowingly have AIDS, and says many people felt the same
Magic Johnson diagnosis as cultural shock[1:02:26]
• Rogan remembers the moment he heard Magic Johnson was HIV-positive, saying if a superstar like Magic could get it, everyone felt vulnerable, especially after alarmist public-health messaging

Peter Duesberg's dissenting view and media backlash

Duesberg's argument about drug use and AIDS[1:03:26]
• Rogan summarizes Duesberg's claim that AIDS correlated strongly with hardcore drug use (e.g., amyl nitrite among gay men) and that HIV might be a symptom of immune collapse rather than its cause, a view that outraged the medical establishment
Professional consequences and censorship[1:04:25]
• He notes Duesberg, a previously respected cancer researcher, became persona non grata, lost funding, and was widely denounced, drawing parallels to how COVID dissenters were treated

Spin magazine, AZT toxicity, and profit motives

Bob Guccione Jr.'s preface about AZT[1:05:25]
• They read Guccione Jr.'s preface describing AZT as a discarded cancer drug resurrected for AIDS, allegedly fatally toxic, pushed on patients including asymptomatic HIV-positives, and enormously profitable for Burroughs Wellcome
• Guccione claims Spin's reporting exposed AZT's dangers, helped shift media perception, and led to AZT being shelved again, with some readers later telling him the article saved their lives by making them stop or avoid the drug
Dallas Buyers Club and Fauci[1:06:55]
• Rogan states that in the film "Dallas Buyers Club" the antagonist blocking alternative treatments and pushing AZT represents Anthony Fauci, and he plays an old clip where Fauci describes AZT as "safe and effective", noting the same phrase was used for COVID vaccines
Biden's pardon of Fauci[1:07:55]
• Rogan says Biden gave Fauci a pardon when leaving office and calls it brazen, tying it to his perception of widespread, in-your-face corruption

Cars, Racing, and High-Performance EVs

Gun purchase tangent leading into cars (brief)

Redban buying his first gun in Texas[1:09:45]
• He describes how easy it was to buy a Shadow Systems War Poet 9mm pistol after a background check, noting you don't register the gun and can even gift guns freely in Texas

Hummer EV, Tesla Plaid, and driving dynamics

Hummer EV acceleration and body motion[1:11:07]
• Redban says his Hummer EV does 0-60 in about 2.8 seconds and that under hard acceleration the front lifts like a boat, making it feel wild and fun
Tesla Model S Plaid and unplugged performance build[1:11:57]
• Rogan's Plaid does 0-60 in 1.9 seconds, and he describes his unplugged performance-modified Plaid with wide body, huge tires, and massive brakes as feeling like a car from the future that outclasses his other "fast" gas cars

Corvette ZR1 and Nürburgring times

Driving the 1000-hp Corvette at Circuit of the Americas[1:12:56]
• Rogan says the new 1000-horsepower mid-engine Corvette ZR1 he drove at COTA is the best car he's ever driven, extremely planted and balanced, and he is certain he'll buy one
Comparing Nürburgring lap records[1:13:56]
• They read stats showing the AMG One, a racecar-like hybrid, holds the Nürburgring record around 6:30, while the Corvette ZR1 laps in 6:49 with an engineer driving, nearly matching the Porsche GT3 RS driven by a pro, implying more performance is possible

VR, Apple Vision Pro, Spatial Media, and AI Art

Apple Vision Pro and Samsung XR experiences

Using Vision Pro for movies, TikTok, and editing[1:15:57]
• Redban says he mainly uses the Apple Vision Pro to watch movies, TikTok, and edit video on a giant virtual screen, calling it the best way to watch films, even better than theaters, especially with 3D content
VR on planes and privacy[1:16:55]
• He notes headsets are great for airplanes, allowing multiple screens and private viewing; they joke you could even watch porn without nearby passengers knowing, aside from obvious physical reactions

Cosm, Sphere, and AI-augmented classic films

Wizard of Oz at Cosm with environmental effects[1:17:55]
• They discuss the Cosm venue where The Wizard of Oz is shown on a central screen surrounded by giant added visuals like huge tornadoes and debris, with fans blowing and effects that make it immersive
Complaints about AI enhancements[1:18:56]
• Rogan finds it odd some fans complain the added AI-generated visuals "ruin" the original, arguing you can still watch the classic version elsewhere and should simply enjoy the spectacle

AI image generation with Conan and Frazetta style

Using Perplexity to create Conan-like art[1:19:55]
• They prompt Perplexity to generate Frank Frazetta-style images of Conan the Barbarian fighting skeletons, iteratively refining hair color, age, scarring, and enemy armor, and marvel at the results
Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer and fantasy art[1:20:55]
• Redban says he was obsessed with Frazetta's Death Dealer art and novels as a kid, which led him to Conan books; Rogan notes Conan stories were originally written in the 1930s by Robert E. Howard

OnlyFans, Porn, Sex Rates, and Future of AI Intimacy

OnlyFans revenues and user statistics

Rapid revenue growth after 2019[1:22:55]
• Reading from Perplexity, they state OnlyFans revenue was about $238 million in 2019, jumped to $1.7 billion in 2020, and around $7.8 billion recently, with hundreds of millions of user accounts
High U.S. participation estimates[1:23:56]
• They see a figure that OnlyFans has roughly 377 million user accounts worldwide, with about 55% in the U.S., and react to how that implies a huge share of the U.S. population uses the platform

Impact on relationships and incels

Men choosing porn over pursuing partners[1:24:55]
• Rogan suggests pervasive porn and OnlyFans reduce men's incentive to pursue real relationships, since they can satisfy urges alone, leading to many young men opting out of dating and sex
Future AI/VR sex experiences[1:25:57]
• He predicts AI and VR will soon offer highly immersive, customizable sexual experiences on demand-like virtual maids visiting hotel rooms-without exploiting real women, which could further displace real relationships

Gender differences in porn consumption

Women preferring written erotica vs. visual porn[1:26:55]
• Rogan claims women tend to prefer erotic novels and mental imagery, while men want visual stimuli and physical experience, and jokes that future immersive porn will force many women into "real jobs" instead of sex work

Public Masturbation, Gender, and Anecdotes

Arrest cases and male vs. female behavior

Examples of women arrested for public masturbation[1:27:55]
• They read Perplexity summaries of women arrested in various states (e.g., masturbating on a beach with a vibrator, naked in a car, or in public while on drugs), noting such cases are rare but do occur
Austin repeat offender case[1:28:56]
• They look up an Austin woman who has been arrested multiple times over years for public masturbation, with a dramatic change in her appearance over time, and note she is a known local figure downtown

Chronic male theater masturbator story

Redban's experience as a theater manager[1:29:55]
• Redban recounts managing a movie theater where an older, professor-looking man would repeatedly sit behind people, place a newspaper on his lap, and masturbate; they banned him multiple times but he kept returning and was later seen at a different chain
• Rogan and Redban joke the man's "sport" was masturbating in theaters and getting caught, contrasting this with how extremely uncommon it is for women to do similar things

Dogs, Aging Pets, and Grief

Rogan's dogs: Marshall and new Cavalier

New King Charles Cavalier puppy[1:32:58]
• Rogan enthusiastically describes his new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, Charlie, as incredibly sweet and affectionate, barking with excitement while licking people and wagging his whole body
Marshall's gentle behavior toward the puppy[1:32:55]
• He says his nine-year-old Golden Retriever, Marshall, is extremely kind to Charlie, bringing him toys like an octopus and gently placing a paw on him, and notes Marshall has never had a "cunty" moment in his life

Redban's elderly dog and cataract dilemma

Blind, deaf dog and surgery question[1:33:55]
• Redban describes his 13-14-year-old dog who is now blind and deaf, constantly bumping into walls, and wonders if it's worth the cost and risk of cataract surgery for perhaps only one extra year of sight
Rogan's experience with Johnny's final year[1:34:09]
• Rogan recalls his large dog Johnny's final year, having to carry him outside because he could barely walk or squat to defecate, and says the last year was rough and sad

Love, loss, and the cost of attachment

Grief as inseparable from deep love[1:36:00]
• Rogan reflects that grief is the price of loving something, especially dogs who are "little love machines" with short lifespans, and that love and loss are inherently connected

Simulation Theory and Event-Building Civilization

Redban's increasing belief in simulation theory

AI baby steps leading to future simulations[1:36:55]
• Redban says the visible progression from today's AI chatbots and games to far more advanced systems makes him more convinced we are AI or entities inside someone else's simulation

Rogan's speculative simulation design

Designing a chaotic, confusing world[1:37:55]
• Rogan imagines that if he designed a simulation, he'd include maximum chaos-wars, technological contradictions, cultural insanity-to confuse participants, and jokes that our world's bizarre events resemble that design
Quantum computers as possible simulation engines[1:39:00]
• He ties this to quantum computing's claimed capabilities, wondering what kind of rendered experiences such machines could generate for human brains and likening it to massive, never-ending procedural games

Closing: Redban's Projects and Use of AI

Cap Red AI music project

Using AI vocalists instead of his own voice[1:39:19]
• Redban explains he used to record joke songs himself (e.g., about Olive Garden or "Butthole"), but now writes music and uses AI to sing in a female voice under the project name Cap Red, with videos on YouTube and songs on Spotify

VR comedy and streaming

Virtual Redban shows[1:40:35]
• He mentions doing "Virtual Redban" in VR once or twice a week, streaming via his YouTube channel, and says he posts updates via Twitter and Instagram when he goes live

Rogan's affectionate sign-off

Mutual appreciation and goodbye[1:41:15]
• Rogan tells Redban he loves him, they say they love each other, and Rogan ends the show with a friendly goodbye to listeners

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

When someone makes an extraordinary claim-whether about politics, technology, or fraud-you need demand clear, detailed, verifiable evidence rather than relying on edits, soundbites, or partisan narratives.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What controversial belief do I currently hold that I've mostly based on clips, headlines, or second-hand opinions instead of primary sources?
  • • How could I better structure my own evaluation of big claims so that I look for underlying data, full context, and plausible mechanisms before deciding what I think?
  • • What is one highly charged issue this month where I could deliberately seek out a full speech, long-form article, or original document rather than relying on summaries?
2

Technological convenience-smartphones, social media, AI, and VR-almost always comes packaged with new forms of surveillance, addiction, and loss of control, so you should adopt these tools with explicit boundaries and awareness.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in my daily tech use (phone, apps, platforms) am I acting on autopilot instead of consciously deciding how and why I use a tool?
  • • How might setting hard rules around notifications, email checking, or screen time change my ability to focus and feel less surveilled or overwhelmed?
  • • What specific data am I giving away regularly (email sign-ups, GPS, browsing history), and what one step could I take this week to reduce or better control that exposure?
3

Large-scale problems like drug abuse, gambling, or energy demand rarely disappear through prohibition; they tend to move into darker, less regulated corners, so effective policy has to account for the underlying demand and incentives.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Which harmful behavior in my own life or organization have I tried to "ban" instead of understanding why it happens and designing a better alternative?
  • • How could I reframe a current problem I'm facing (at work, in my community, or personally) in terms of supply and demand, incentives, and trade-offs instead of simple rules?
  • • What's one area where I could replace a rigid prohibition or avoidance strategy with a more honest, harm-reduction or channeling approach?
4

Media outlets, institutions, and even experts can be captured by ideology or financial incentives, so cultivating independent critical thinking and cross-checking sources is essential if you don't want your worldview manufactured for you.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Which single news source or commentator do I rely on most, and what are their likely blind spots or incentives that I'm overlooking?
  • • How would my perspective on a hot-button issue shift if I intentionally consumed long-form content from people I strongly disagree with for a week?
  • • What practical routine (e.g., checking original transcripts, comparing multiple outlets) could I adopt to make it harder for someone else's editing choices to shape my beliefs?
5

Loving deeply-whether a pet, a person, or a project-comes with the unavoidable cost of eventual loss or failure, and accepting that cost upfront lets you engage more fully instead of holding back out of fear.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where am I currently holding back emotionally or creatively because I'm afraid of eventual loss, disappointment, or grief?
  • • How might my behavior change if I treated grief and endings as part of the full arc of love or commitment rather than as proof I made a mistake?
  • • What is one relationship or meaningful pursuit where I could consciously lean in more, despite knowing it will one day end or change?

Episode Summary - Notes by Jamie

#2409 - Brian Redban
0:00 0:00