Joe Rogan and his predictable, astonishing rise to A-list fame
Joe Rogan is used to being the biggest pussy in the room. In the UFC, you'll have that. Yes, Rogan is most definitely Alpha, but there are levels to this shit. However, since the start of the pandemic the comedian has had less exposure to these types of situations and in fact finds himself to be both the strongest and richest person around. Has it changed his mindset and, by association, the Joe Rogan Experience?
To dig deeper into why Rogan and his podcast have become so successful we need to look at his roots and upbringing. Quick timeline:
1970's - Young Rogan, blue collar, possible Masshole.
1980's - Taekwondo champ Rogan, first inklings of a comedy career
1990's - Open Mic/LA/NYC/C-List Actor/UFC Commentator Rogan
2000's - Fear Factor Rogan, first episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience
A blue collar comedian with a deep-seated interest in violent sport and an abundant amount of exposure to the visceral dares people will accept for a bit of money and fame. That sentence alone is enough to make one say "well yeah, that guy's podcast is gonna take off".
The public is driven to the Joe Rogan Experience for it's often wild entertainment, but the humbleness and critical thought is what retains fans. That humbleness stems from being in those rooms with those killers (in fighting and comedy) so often.
The JRE started in 2009 and it's essence was just filming funny people in a room having a conversation and talking shit. In most ways the quality was terrible - Rogan had yet to perfect the art of moderating a conversation, also the lighting, cameras and audio weren't doing the show much justice - but the core was terrific. One could say Rogan bet that people would be interested in this form of entertainment back before it ever really existed, but he really had nothing to lose. So he put a bunch of people he liked in a room, sometimes provided their drug of choice, and let the good times roll.
As the years went on, the Experience gained notoriety. The lighting improved. The guest list became more recognizable. It was actually making decent coin. Sometimes he sat down with people he vehemently disagreed with. Most of the time conversations were civil, a lot of times they were uncomfortable. Sometimes Rogan and his guest would be completely blitzed out of their minds. Other times they could not be more sober. Politics, religion, gender, stepsister porn - no topics were off limits. Rogan had truly created not just a show but an experience and it was beautiful.
A subtle shift of the Experience began around the time Trump was elected. Rogan was filming a live End of the World podcast when the election results came in. One could almost see the disbelief in the air that night. That podcast was closed out with some "on the bright side" jokes and nervous laughter. Since that point, Rogan has made a concerted effort to make sure those people that voted for Trump had their voice heard. He wanted to understand them. To newer listeners some of these podcasts might come off as conservative or even hard-right. To the more entrenched fans Rogan seemed to be reaching, giving the benefit of the doubt where it ought not be, and sometimes outright spreading misinformation - the facts muddled by an explosion of fake or misleading journalism.
Rogan apologizes for spreading Portland Wildfire misinformation
Then the pandemic hit. And Rogan had just signed a licensing deal with Spotify for $100 million. The quality of the Experience took a clear and obvious hit with Zoom-style conversations and content that never steered far from the dismay experienced by all during this time. Around this time the JRE also ceased to be live, one of the more exciting components of the podcast. The UFC and Comedy Store were shut down and Rogan's mindset, not unlike most of us, was frustrated. The city of Los Angeles took the brunt of that frustration, as Rogan quickly packed up and moved the podcast to Texas in search of freedom and a better-run society. The studio went from a comfortable brick wall/american flag backdrop to intimidating dark reds, blacks, and an alloy feel.
With the Spotify deal Rogan began getting more press than ever. It seems most of this press has been negative. For longtime viewers it's clear to see that the off-the-cuff shit-talking that created such a hardcore base is struggling to survive; not only has Rogan began to mince his words more often but he finds himself having to clarify statements in almost every podcast out of concern for the viewers feelings.
Which brings us to today. Time will tell if the pandemic petering out will bring the Old JRE back. Maybe he decides it's not worth it, shuts the podcast down after getting his Texas comedy club up and running and retires into the sunset. Hopefully, for his core's sake, he keeps it going, stands up to this weird new adversity and someday soon looks around and realizes he's the biggest pussy in the room.