The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #1143 - Candice Thompson
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:52
Chasing truly scary movies (and why most horror doesn’t work)
Joe and Candice open by comparing notes on horror movies and what it takes to actually feel scared. Candice explains she loves suspense but rarely finds films that deliver genuine fear beyond childhood memories.
- •Candice sees horror hoping to be scared, but usually finds it anticlimactic
- •Poltergeist as a formative childhood scare; lingering fear of clowns
- •Jump scares vs. “real” fear and suspense
- •The Strangers as a rare movie that bothered her a bit
- 1:52 – 7:11
A real-life scare: the Peeping Tom whispering through her window
The conversation turns from movie horror to something far more unsettling: Candice’s late-night encounter with a man whispering sexually explicit comments through her cracked window. She recounts the setup, her initial disbelief, and how the incident changed her sense of safety.
- •Late-night Mulholland Drive viewing makes the whispering seem like part of the film at first
- •She mutes the TV and hears explicit remarks from outside her first-floor window
- •Bars on the windows reduce fear of break-in but not the violation of being watched
- •She calls on Ian Edwards for backup; joking about who’s “protective”
- •She channels the experience into comedy as a coping mechanism
- 7:11 – 8:55
Vegan/vegetarian living, supplements, and Candice’s podcast ‘The Struggle’
After joking about Ian Edwards’ ability to defend anyone, they pivot into diet—veganism, discipline, and supplementation. Candice introduces her podcast concept: candid conversations about what people struggle with, including dating and daily life in LA.
- •Joe argues vegan diets can work but require strict discipline and supplementation
- •Candice says she’s mostly meat-free (fish occasionally)
- •Her podcast ‘The Struggle’ centers on common life challenges
- •Dating and “no AC in LA” as recurring personal themes
- 8:55 – 11:20
Dating as an independent woman in LA (and why it’s so hard)
Joe and Candice dig into why smart, career-focused women often struggle to find compatible partners—especially in LA and entertainment. Joe praises Candice’s positivity and resilience in the ‘grind spots’ at the Comedy Store, leading into her recurring bit: being ‘too loved’ by her parents to be Hollywood-crazy.
- •Compatibility issues: intimidation, ego, and lifestyle mismatch
- •LA/attention economy makes relationships and friendship vetting harder
- •Joe praises Candice’s attitude and work ethic doing late Comedy Store spots
- •Candice’s running joke: ‘If my parents were more abusive, I’d be more famous’
- 11:20 – 17:28
Michael Jackson, Joe Jackson, and the “castrato” theory
A pop-culture detour becomes a serious (and speculative) discussion about allegations that Michael Jackson was chemically castrated to preserve his voice. They compare recordings, discuss what castrati were historically, and connect the topic to the costs of extreme fame and parental control.
- •Conrad Murray’s claims about hormone injections and voice preservation
- •Explanation of historical castrati and why their vocal timbre differs
- •Debate over MJ’s “real voice” recordings vs. public persona
- •Joe frames Joe Jackson as ruthless; Candice questions motives and plausibility
- •Fame as a destabilizing force that can warp identity and safety
- 17:28 – 23:15
Ambition, money, and the treadmill of “never enough”
From MJ’s fame, they broaden into how people chase status—CEOs, celebrities, and the psychology of escalating goals. They joke about Candice’s ‘retirement number,’ buying islands, and why luxury can become a trap rather than freedom.
- •Success as a numbers game: million to mansion to jet to island
- •Candice argues she’d stop once her needs are met—then jokes it’s $200M
- •Joe says the ‘hammock in Ibiza’ retirement fantasy rarely happens
- •Richard Branson’s island hurricane story as a cautionary anecdote
- 23:15 – 24:58
Words, “respect,” and the policing of language
A riff on awkward-sounding words turns into a larger debate about what society labels offensive and why. Candice questions why some terms (like “tranny”) became unacceptable, and Joe frames it as respect, internet amplification, and shifting cultural norms.
- •How context changes acceptable words (and why some are “too close” phonetically)
- •Candice argues ‘tranny’ felt like shorthand rather than a slur in many contexts
- •Joe attributes language policing to online complaint velocity and status signaling
- •“Put some respect on my name” (Birdman) as a comedic lens on respect demands
- 24:58 – 31:57
Celebrity beefs, rap gossip, and enjoying bruised egos
They watch the Birdman clip and segue into rap feuds (Drake vs. Pusha T) and the appeal of celebrity conflict. Candice admits she enjoys seeing famous people humbled, while Joe probes whether that’s tied to happiness or schadenfreude.
- •Candice’s fascination with rap beefs and ‘hurt feelings’ among celebrities
- •Joe frames Jamie as the show’s ‘TMZ’ source for rap gossip
- •Debate: is enjoying celebrity humiliation harmless entertainment or a sign of something deeper?
- •Candice distinguishes personal fulfillment from romantic/sexual frustration
- 31:57 – 36:13
Candace Owens, political branding, and “tribes” that demand loyalty
Candice contrasts herself with Candace Owens and argues Owens found a profitable niche as a pro-Trump Black woman. Joe and Candice discuss political identity as performance, party-line conformity, and how dissent (e.g., pro-choice conservatives) gets punished.
- •Candice calls Owens ‘new Omarosa’ and questions sincerity vs. attention economy
- •Market incentives for ‘cute blond conservatives’ and niche political celebrity
- •Joe critiques rigid party checklists (global warming denial, pro-life litmus tests)
- •They describe modern politics as cult-like tribal behavior
- 36:13 – 38:23
Border separation outrage, Mexico violence, and the drug war’s fallout
The tone darkens as they discuss family separation at the U.S. border and the moral costs of policy decisions. Joe links Mexico’s political assassinations and instability to U.S. drug demand and the incentives created by prohibition.
- •Condemnation of separating children from parents at the border
- •Context: why migration pressure is rational when opportunity is “right there”
- •Mexico’s political killings as a symptom of cartel power and corruption
- •Joe’s argument: legalization would defund criminal markets and reduce violence
- 38:23 – 45:17
Weed, edibles, and the legendary ‘we’re dying’ 911 call
They pivot from drug policy to personal drug experiences—why they avoid cocaine, and how edibles can go catastrophically wrong for novices. The infamous story of cops calling 911 after eating pot brownies becomes a comedic centerpiece.
- •Candice and Joe both say they’ve never tried cocaine
- •Candice’s edible overdose: paranoia, dissociation, and being high into the next day
- •Story of someone eating multiple edibles, panicking, and calling the police/hospital
- •They play the 911 audio where callers think they’re dead and time is slow
- 45:17 – 52:03
Body image whiplash: low-fat diets, carnivore claims, and body positivity debates
From drug jokes, they drift into health culture—how diet fads shape behavior and misconceptions about fat, sugar, and cholesterol. They also debate body positivity: compassion vs. enabling unhealthy habits, and the complicated role of shame as a behavior-corrector.
- •Candice recalls the low-fat era: fat removed, sugar added, weight gain confusion
- •Joe defends paleo as ‘real food’ and discusses the carnivore diet’s claimed benefits
- •Cholesterol debate: dietary cholesterol vs. carbs + fat storage dynamics
- •Body positivity vs. promoting health; fat-shaming as ethically wrong but sometimes motivating
- 52:03 – 1:04:29
Dating apps, standards, and modern hookup culture (straight and gay)
Candice explains how sobriety/low-addiction preferences clash with LA dating norms and how paywalled apps can feel like scams. They trade stories about Tinder’s reputation, personal responsibility around STDs, and the intensity of male pursuit—plus candid talk about gay gym hookup signals and feeling unsafe.
- •Candice avoids heavy-partier partners; tries ‘mindful’ dating options but balks at fees
- •eHarmony disappointment and the realities of app profiles/messages
- •Tinder as the ‘hookup’ app; Bumble and other platforms shifting that direction
- •Responsibility for safe sex vs. blaming apps for STD spread
- •Gay gym/shower hookup ‘signals’ and Joe’s experience feeling the pressure of being pursued
- 1:04:29 – 1:19:07
Comedy origins and the Comedy Store: getting passed, the grind, and changing eras
The conversation returns to standup: Candice’s path in LA, why she waited to go to the Store, and what it meant to get passed in 2014. Joe reflects on leaving the club for years, the Store’s ‘harsh’ old vibe, and how it transformed into a sold-out mecca in the internet era.
- •Candice’s early strategy: build skill before stepping into the Comedy Store ecosystem
- •Getting passed under Adam Eget; contrast with the Tommy era
- •Joe’s history: the Store as a ghost town in the ’90s vs. today’s constant sellouts
- •How the internet and comedy fandom revived the club as a destination
- 1:19:07 – 1:48:00
Identity, violence, cults, closeted fame, and closing with dogs & goals
In the final stretch, they bounce across identity and belonging (race, ‘otherkin,’ Rachel Dolezal), Candice’s childhood feeling of not fitting in, and Joe’s ‘violence room’ metaphor for men and emotional regulation. They riff on cult dynamics (Wild Wild Country), televangelist grifts, remix culture, stigma around being gay (and closeted celebrities), and end on lighter territory: whether Candice should get a dog—and the show wrap-up and plugs.
- •Candice’s comedy roots: being funny as a way to be accepted when she felt ‘in-between’
- •Joe’s ‘violence room’ metaphor; martial arts as a healthy outlet and containment
- •Cults and evangelists: power, sex, money, and why followers don’t see the con from inside
- •Closeted celebrities and the harm of ‘pray the gay away’ ideology
- •Dogs as companionship vs. dating; Candice plugs her site/socials and upcoming JFL dates
