#2418 - Chris Williamson
Joe Rogan and Chris Williamson discuss how smartphones, social media and emerging AR technologies shape attention, mental health and groupthink, and contrast that with the value of time, presence and physical experience. They debate climate change activism, pollution, perverse incentives around green funding and why some protest tactics may backfire, then broaden into existential risks like AI, engineered pandemics and nuclear war alongside concerns about censorship and the UK online safety regime. The conversation also covers trans athletes and fairness in women's sports, high‑stakes boxing matchmaking, hypnosis and memory reliability, and what it means to pursue greatness while trying to remain happy and authentic in an AI‑mediated world.
#2415 - Adam Ray
Joe Rogan talks with comedian and impressionist Adam Ray about his character work, including his Dr. Phil act, playing Joe Biden opposite Shane Gillis as Trump, and impersonating Tony Hinchcliffe on Kill Tony. They veer into wide-ranging topics like lottery odds and payout structures, private investigator stories from Rogan's past, performance-enhancing drugs in sports, MMA talent pipelines, VR and active gaming, reality TV, religion, sociopathy, and how stand-up careers are shaped today by clips and social media. Adam also shares early experiences with impressions, an early-career firing for doing an off-color joke on a "clean" weekend, and plans for new characters and his touring.
We react to Bill Ackman's advice to young men
Two co-hosts discuss Bill Ackman's formal pickup line "May I meet you?" and share their own dating and pickup line stories before pivoting into examples of bold young entrepreneurs building "man-on-the-street" content businesses. They then dive into the origin story of MTV and its creative leadership, using it to explore the importance of planting a clear strategic flag, underestimating upside, and taking simple ideas very seriously. The conversation broadens into creative careers in animation, the power of curiosity and observational sensitivity in comedy, investing, and AI, and ends with a Jerry Seinfeld quote on proportion and knowing when to stop.
Kevin Hart: They're Lying To You About How To Become A Millionaire! I Was Doing 28 Sets A Weekend!
The host interviews Kevin about his journey from an unfocused teenager in North Philadelphia to a globally successful stand-up comic, actor, and entrepreneur. Kevin describes how his strict mother, his father's failures, and his own 'dummy moments' taught him to finish what he starts, persist through a 13-year grind before his big break, and later learn the worlds of business and investing by admitting ignorance and asking questions. They also explore the costs of relentless ambition, his approach to fatherhood and masculinity, setting boundaries to manage stress, and his evolving perspective as reflected in his stand-up special "Acting My Age."
#2414 - Brian Simpson
Joe Rogan and comedian Bryan Simpson discuss recent UFC fights, Dagestani training culture, and why elite wrestlers and fighters develop such unusual levels of discipline and resilience. They dive into the realities of weight cutting, diet and self-discipline, the comedy industry's gatekeeping and diversity debates, and strange internet subcultures like furries and bronies. The conversation also covers government overreach in events such as Waco, Ruby Ridge, and the Tulsa massacre, as well as debates over Epstein files transparency, wealth taxes, political corruption, and how charities and institutions often mismanage funds.
"RE-RELEASE: Jenny Slate"
The hosts talk with Jenny Slate about her life split between Los Angeles and a small coastal town in Massachusetts, where her husband owns a general store and she records voice work from various closets due to poor internet. She discusses her need for tidiness rooted in a messy childhood, stories of extreme mess-related consequences, quitting weed after an accidental massive THC overdose, and adjusting to motherhood while navigating performance anxiety in stand-up comedy. The conversation also covers the long creative process behind Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, from its improvised origins to the seven-year production of the stop-motion feature film.
#2410 - Jeff Dye
Joe Rogan talks with comedian Jeff Dye about social media, stand-up comedy, MMA, politics, and the future of work. They discuss Ronda Rousey's legacy, how fame and distraction affect elite fighters, and why maintaining focus is critical for high performance. The conversation also covers culture-war polarization, media manipulation, assisted suicide policy in Canada, skepticism toward certain health practices, sports gambling scandals, AI-driven automation, and why doing work you genuinely love matters more than chasing status.
#2409 - Brian Redban
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.
#2407 - Billy Bob Thornton
Joe Rogan talks with Billy Bob Thornton about aging, nostalgia, and growing up in the American South, along with the violence and roughness that shaped his early life. They dig into Southern stereotypes, Hollywood prejudice, and Thornton's philosophy of acting, music, and fame, including the creation of "Sling Blade" and his band The Boxmasters. The conversation also explores social media, critics, awards, the impact of technology on attention and culture, and how to stay grounded and sane while navigating fame and modern life.
#622 - Miles Teller
Theo Von sits down with actor Miles Teller for a wide-ranging conversation about his life, career, and new film "Eternity." They talk about growing up in Florida and moving frequently as a kid, his family background and early injuries, and how experiences with illness and loss in his family shaped his empathy and outlook. They also dive into the themes of love, mortality, and the afterlife in "Eternity," discuss military service and veterans' mental health, and reflect on prioritizing relationships and normal life over constant work.
#2405 - Luis J Gomez & Big Jay Oakerson
Joe Rogan talks with comedians Big Jay and Louis J. Gomez in a wide‑ranging, comedic conversation that spans stand‑up comedy, mosh pits, drugs, porn, plastic surgery, crime, and artificial intelligence. They trade stories about clean vs. dirty comedy, chaotic metal shows, being secretly dosed with LSD, New York City politics and drug laws, and the realities of prison life. The discussion eventually turns to the rapid advancement of AI, its implications for media and warfare, and what that could mean for the future of humanity.
#2396 - Andrew Schulz
Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz discuss AI-generated music, internet outrage dynamics, stand-up comedy culture, and the political climate in the U.S. and abroad. They explore topics ranging from pool hustling, parenting, and child stardom to free speech, immigration policy, and the possibility of alien contact as hinted in ancient religious texts. The conversation also covers MMA matchups, the psychology of cancel culture, and the importance of having humbling, skill-based hobbies outside of work.
#2393 - Bryan Callen
Joe Rogan and Bryan Callen talk about aging while staying extremely physically active, emphasizing meticulous warm-ups, strength work, and recovery so they can still wrestle, kick, and train hard in their late 50s. They range into addiction and channeling obsessive tendencies into positive pursuits, debates over trans inclusion in sports and culture, government surveillance and censorship, war and Middle East politics, Jeffrey Epstein and intelligence agencies, drug policy and cartels, and inside-baseball comedy topics including personal beefs and the Austin comedy scene. Callen also plugs his new stand-up special "False Gods" and describes a live "acting competition" show he runs in Austin.
#617 - Aziz Ansari
Theo Von talks with Aziz Ansari about his new film "Good Fortune," the challenges of writing, directing, and acting in a feature, and how movie production differs from stand-up comedy. Aziz shares personal stories from growing up as the only Indian kid in a small South Carolina town, including the death of his younger sister and the kindness of the women who helped raise him. They also discuss burnout, avoiding ego, living abroad in London, and the importance of early gatekeepers and mentors in their stand-up careers.
#2389 - Sal Vulcano
Joe Rogan and Sal Vulcano talk about getting older, becoming parents, and reworking their lifestyles around health, training, and stand-up touring. They swap stories about humiliating youth sports experiences, dangerous stunts and punishments from Sal's show, brushes with possible ghosts, and the terror of the ocean and tsunamis. The conversation also ranges into archery and bowhunting, modern art and alleged CIA influence, UFO-like drone swarms, AI tools, and how energy, mindset, and the people you spend time with shape your life.
#614 - New York Circus
Theo Von reflects on changes in the circus from his childhood to the present and uses that as a segue into describing a "circus" surrounding his recent comedy special taping in New York City. He explains how going off antidepressants, a viral Department of Homeland Security immigration video using an old joke clip of his, heightened security concerns, and performance struggles all contributed to a stressful night and a later viral clip of him joking about suicide. He clarifies that he is not suicidal, shares a personal story about a friend's sister who took her life, takes emotional calls from listeners about losing a son to suicide and a three‑year‑old finishing chemotherapy, offers prayer and encouragement, and notes that he is back on his medication and planning to rest while remaining hopeful about the future.
#2383 - Ian Edwards
Joe Rogan and Ian Edwards reflect on three decades in stand-up comedy, from New York and Boston club days to the current Austin and Kill Tony scene, breaking down how comics develop, sustain, or lose their edge. They also dive into boxing and MMA, brain damage and fighter longevity, historical boxing greats like Muhammad Ali, and broader issues of war, government deception, corporate greed, social media control, and how individuals can maintain independence and purpose in a corrupt system.
#612 - Pete Davidson
Comedian and actor Pete Davidson sits down for a long-form conversation about his life, from losing his firefighter father in the 9/11 attacks and how that shaped his childhood, to his struggles with depression, suicidality, addiction, and eventual decision to get sober. He discusses the emotional toll of fame and tabloid culture, his tendency toward self-sabotage and people-pleasing, and how therapy, recovery, and supportive relationships-especially with his mother and older comic friends-have helped him. Pete also talks about gearing up for his first international tour, reflecting on a previous Amish guest, and his excitement and fears around becoming a father for the first time.
#2382 - Andrew Santino
Joe Rogan and Andrew Santino discuss the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, from AI-generated music and art to the looming impact on jobs, the economy, and social structures, including potential moves toward universal basic income. They examine recent political controversies around Jimmy Kimmel, Donald Trump, and the fictional assassination of Charlie Kirk, focusing on censorship, media manipulation, bot farms, and how social media inflames division. They also explore broader themes like quantum computing and a "new god" of superintelligent AI, government overreach, crime and civil unrest, conspiracy-laden shootings, wildlife management and mountain lions, overlooked musical talents, and the importance of generosity, community, and keeping perspective amid escalating chaos.