The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #1384 - Ari Shaffir
CHAPTERS
Botched cold open: Bert Kreischer as the rare funny + promoter (and “Hurt Bert” throwbacks)
Joe and Ari realize the beginning wasn’t recorded, then recreate their earlier riff about Bert Kreischer being unusually good at both comedy and self-promotion. That launches into memories of Bert’s old “Hurt Bert” era and him getting legitimately injured for laughs.
Bert gets worked in jiu-jitsu: the “kid is 108 pounds” moment
They watch and narrate a clip of Bert doing jiu-jitsu with a much smaller, highly skilled kid. The humor comes from Bert’s confusion, the kid’s technique, and Joe’s play-by-play of the shifting dominance.
School bus chaos: the ‘kid’ who’s actually a grown man
Ari recounts a viral video where a bus driver throws off a “child,” prompting outraged passengers—until they realize the ‘kid’ is an adult little person pretending to be a student. The shock and sudden reversal drives a long comedic reaction.
Breaking phone addiction: iPhone screen-time limits and the value of boredom
Ari asks Joe about switching to iPhone and using built-in screen-time limits. They discuss how easy it is to waste hours on low-value scrolling and how enforced limits remove the constant self-negotiation.
Early internet shock-sharing and the rabbit hole into extreme porn talk
They reminisce about the early internet culture of emailing each other disturbing links and videos. The conversation veers into niche porn categories, why people like extreme visuals, and how tastes vary wildly person to person.
Larry Flynt, Deep Throat, and freedom-of-expression lore
Jamie prompts a discussion on whether modern porn extremity was inevitable and how Larry Flynt shaped speech norms. They connect Hustler, Deep Throat (the film), and Watergate’s “Deep Throat” nickname as an example of cultural bleed-through.
Comedy side-quests: Kill Tony, Dom Irrera, and comedians’ families on stage
They swap stories about comedy ecosystems—especially Kill Tony—highlighting Dom Irrera’s speed and Tony Hinchcliffe’s mom doing written bits and ‘murdering’ on stage. The segment is a love letter to comics’ craft and live-room energy.
Platforms run the world: YouTube terms, algorithmic outrage, and Instagram hiding likes
Ari and Joe zoom out to tech power—platforms’ ability to delete accounts, the role of “commercial viability,” and how algorithms reward conflict. They also debate Instagram removing public like counts and the economic incentives behind it.
Sex, shame, and relationships: why prostitution laws change the dating game (plus a drinking PSA)
They argue that legal prostitution would radically alter relationship dynamics and reduce sexual manipulation, with shame as a key cultural constraint. The conversation then pivots into advice for young drinkers—coasting with water and avoiding ‘shots, shots, shots.’
Joe’s ‘Jew’ special: choosing the Skirball, Edinburgh themes, and staying funny with meaning
Joe announces and details his upcoming special, explaining the venue hunt, the temptation to film in a synagogue, and why he chose the Skirball Center in NYC. They contrast American standup’s joke density with Edinburgh’s often-theatrical “theme hours,” including thoughts on Hannah Gadsby and The Moth-style moralizing.
Comedy is ‘dangerous again’: cancel culture, clubs that don’t fold, and classic complaint letters
They celebrate modern comedy’s edge—how saying the wrong thing can get you “written off,” but standup itself remains hard to take away. Joe reads a strong statement from The Stand defending Ari against protestors, then shares old Comedy Store-era complaint tactics (Mitzi Shore and Paul Mooney).
Rage clicks and troll reviews: Peter Luger’s ‘zero star’ controversy
Ari and Joe dissect how outrage becomes a product, using the infamous negative New York Times take on Peter Luger as a case study. They argue that extreme negativity toward beloved institutions is often strategic trolling designed to dominate search results and attention.
Master trolls on film: Borat, Ali G, Tom Green, and movie ‘worst of all time’ re-evaluations
They gush over Sacha Baron Cohen’s commitment and nerve, trade memories of Borat scenes, and Ari explains buying special VHS gear for Ali G content. The talk expands into ‘Freddy Got Fingered’ and how some widely trashed movies still deliver real laughs—especially when you’re high.
Getting better with age: Bourdain’s late-life jiu-jitsu transformation and the myth of being ‘done’
A discussion of time-loop movies (Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow) turns into reflections on lifelong growth. Ari highlights Anthony Bourdain’s intense, late-in-life commitment to jiu-jitsu and how drastic change is possible well past midlife.
Myanmar foot-volleyball (chinlone/sepak takraw style): impossible athleticism and learned flexibility
They admire Southeast Asian foot-volleyball skills—players spiking and controlling the ball with legs and feet, often barefoot on concrete. The segment becomes a broader point about how early training builds unusual physical dexterity that’s hard to acquire later.
Life on the road and niche fame: wrestlers grinding, bowlers’ low pay, and even ‘pool groupies’
A viral wrestling rant clip sparks empathy for performers grinding in obscurity, then segues into how little top bowlers can earn relative to their skill. They riff on the idea that every scene—bowling, pool, esports—has its own version of fame and groupies.
Aftermath talk: dosing jokes, NBA edible incident, and ending on BMI/weight-class roasting
They revisit the lingering fallout of Ari dosing Bert (and how the joke ‘dose me’ became a public shout), plus a story about an NBA player suspended after an edible incident on a team plane. The episode closes with playful weight talk and a BMI calculator gag.
