Joe Rogan Experience #1523 - Joey Diaz & Brian Redban

They argue that shutting businesses while politicians keep getting paid was never going to hold, especially when almost no public messaging talked about vitamin D, exercise, weight loss, or metabolic health—only masks and closures.

Rogan and Diaz cite shootings, random attacks, homelessness, looting, and boarded‑up storefronts in LA, New York, Chicago, and Portland as evidence that major cities feel more dangerous and less livable than just a few years ago.

They stress that prolonged unemployment, shuttered small businesses, and people facing eviction fuel rage, addiction, and violence—costs that weren’t properly weighed against the direct health risks of COVID.

They see at least an 18‑month road back for places like Melrose and The Comedy Store, note that many comics are unwilling to risk clubs and travel, and regard outdoor/drive‑in shows as “methadone comedy” rather than the real thing.

Diaz recounts witnessing local political corruption as a kid and ties it to larger patterns—drug war complicity, election scams, and backroom deals—leaving him cynical about red vs. blue and convinced money quietly steers policy.