The Joe Rogan Experience

Joe Rogan Experience #1688 - Greg Fitzsimmons

Greg Fitzsimmons is a standup comedian, actor, and writer. He's also the host of "Fitzdog Radio" podcast and co-hosts the "Sunday Papers" with Mike Gibbons, and "Childish" with Alison Rosen podcasts.

Joe RoganhostGreg Fitzsimmonsguest

Jun 26, 20242h 50mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Greg Fitzsimmons, Comedy War Stories, Drugs, Brains, And Conspiracies

Joe Rogan and Greg Fitzsimmons spend the episode swapping decades of comedy stories, discussing how stand‑up careers are built, broken, and rebuilt through obsessive road work, drugs, and life mistakes. They dive into brain health—sleep, diet, supplements, depression treatments, and psychedelics—alongside detailed talk about MMA commentary and jiu-jitsu. The conversation repeatedly veers into crime and government conspiracy: mobbed‑up comedy clubs, Whitey Bulger, MK‑Ultra, Tom O’Neill’s Manson book, and even whether the moon landing might have been faked. Throughout, they contrast old-school TV and gatekeepers with today’s internet‑driven, independent comedy ecosystem.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Physical wear and tear is real, so protect your senses early.

Both Rogan and Fitzsimmons talk about tinnitus and hearing loss from concerts and loud environments, highlighting that simple precautions (ear protection, limiting exposure) could have prevented long‑term damage.

Playing music or doing focused hobbies can be powerful mental therapy.

Greg describes learning guitar as a kind of meditation that pulled him out of his head; Rogan links this to any challenging activity that demands total concentration and acts as a mental reset.

Good stand‑up comes from obsessive iteration, not just stage time.

Fitzsimmons explains how taping sets, re‑listening, and making microscopic edits in hotel rooms turned loose premises into tightly structured bits, especially during heavy road periods.

Brain health hinges on fundamentals: sleep, diet, and regular cognitive strain.

Rogan emphasizes how sleep deprivation drops his “IQ” and notes the importance of fats, vitamin D, exercise, and mental workouts (sudoku, languages) in keeping cognition sharp.

New treatments for depression and brain injury show promise but are intensive.

They discuss transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), ketamine, MDMA therapy, psilocybin, and lion’s mane mushroom as tools that can remap mood and cognition—often after long, structured protocols rather than quick fixes.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

You can always see the comics that aren't gonna progress. They go on the road with golf clubs.

— Greg Fitzsimmons

Every time you listen to a set, it's like a half a set. It’s 50 percent as valuable as doing another show.

— Joe Rogan

I had a high school art teacher who convinced me there was no way to make a living as an artist. He was such an asshole.

— Joe Rogan

Tom O’Neill worked on that book like a dog on a bone for 20 years.

— Greg Fitzsimmons

It’s important for people to know that what you see on the news is a show. What’s going on behind the scenes is real complex.

— Joe Rogan

Hearing damage, tinnitus, concerts and aging bodiesParenting, weed, edibles, and family dynamicsCrime, homelessness, policing and urban decay (Venice, San Francisco, Austin)Stand‑up comedy craft, road stories, and the Boston sceneBrain health, depression, nootropics, and experimental treatments (TMS, ketamine, psychedelics)Combat sports and how Rogan prepares to commentate UFC fightsGovernment deception, MK‑Ultra, Manson, Whitey Bulger, and moon‑landing conspiraciesModern comedy shows and formats (Kill Tony, podcasts, South Park, Schitt’s Creek)

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