The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #1694 - Ms. Pat & Jordan E. Cooper
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:12
Reuniting with Ms. Pat and praising The Ms. Pat Show’s strong pilot
Joe welcomes Ms. Pat back and meets Jordan E. Cooper, her co-creator. Joe emphasizes how rare it is for a sitcom to feel solid right out of the gate, and Ms. Pat describes how nervous she was to ask him to watch it.
- •Jordan E. Cooper introduced as co-creator of The Ms. Pat Show
- •Joe compares the show’s early strength to sitcoms that take time to find footing
- •Ms. Pat shares anxiety about honest feedback from friends
- •Early jokes and authenticity are highlighted as the show’s edge
- 2:12 – 3:33
Building an original sitcom voice in a reboot-obsessed Hollywood
Ms. Pat and Jordan explain how hard they worked to keep the comedy fresh and non-rehashed. They describe combing through the pilot to ensure the jokes felt new and true to Ms. Pat’s standup and life.
- •Concern about Hollywood relying on reboots and recycled premises
- •Commitment to original jokes and protecting Ms. Pat’s comedic voice
- •Using Ms. Pat’s standup and lived experience as core material
- •Joe’s NewsRadio experience as a reference point for sitcom development
- 3:33 – 5:50
Jordan’s origin story: discovering Ms. Pat, theater roots, and the sitcom “dollhouse” vision
Jordan recounts first seeing Ms. Pat on Harry Connick Jr. and connecting with her “laugh through the pain” style. He describes his theater background and how reading her book sparked a multi-cam, live-audience sitcom concept inspired by classic shows.
- •Jordan’s early fandom and attraction to pain-to-comedy storytelling
- •His play Ain’t No Mo’ and Lee Daniels’ interest in Ms. Pat’s book
- •Classic sitcom influences (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times)
- •Why a live studio audience felt essential for Ms. Pat’s energy
- 5:50 – 13:18
Trust, street smarts, and “writing the pilot behind their back” to get the job
Ms. Pat describes skepticism about Hollywood promises and how she evaluated Jordan’s character and energy. She details their strategy: secretly writing a pilot fast, using Ms. Pat’s leverage to get the script read, and positioning Jordan to land the job.
- •Ms. Pat’s distrust of industry talk and focus on authenticity
- •Strategy to write a pilot quickly (about eight days) to prove capability
- •Advice to remove Jordan’s name initially as a protective tactic
- •Lee Daniels’ reaction and how the script changed Jordan’s prospects
- 13:18 – 14:51
Selling a “too real” show: executives, language limits, and platform hopping
They unpack how executives tried to “fix” the show, including labeling normal names as “too ethnic” and pushing back on explicit language. The project moves from Fox to a cable division to Hulu, reflecting how networks still fear risk even in a streaming era.
- •Exec notes and cultural disconnect (e.g., “Janelle” as ‘too ethnic’)
- •Multi-cam vs single-cam debate and the need for a live audience
- •Language restrictions forcing moves across divisions/platforms
- •Joe’s critique of outdated standards in a 2021 internet landscape
- 14:51 – 19:17
Kids, the internet, and shock-content culture (Elsa, Two Girls One Cup, and more)
The conversation veers into how easily kids find explicit content online, with Ms. Pat’s story about elementary schoolers Googling porn-adjacent material. Jordan recalls early viral shock videos and shares a wild story about being punished in school for selling porn DVDs.
- •Ms. Pat’s point: censorship is pointless in an internet-first world
- •Second graders encountering explicit content via peers/search
- •Two Girls One Cup as a landmark in reaction-video culture
- •Jordan’s fifth-grade ‘porn business’ leading to alternative school
- 19:17 – 27:08
Four years to air: acting classes, table reads, and proving Ms. Pat can perform scripted TV
Ms. Pat outlines the long development timeline and the many attempts to get the show made. She recounts being sent to acting classes, struggling with early table reads, then nailing the real one after intense practice.
- •Development took about four years with multiple writers and iterations
- •Acting classes imposed as a condition of moving forward
- •Table reads (and anxiety about reading aloud) as a major hurdle
- •Joe’s story about SNL’s Charlie Barnett underscores how reading can make-or-break
- 27:08 – 35:52
Hulu’s ‘not premium’ rejection, huge test scores, and BET+ becoming the home
Ms. Pat explains her intuition that Hulu wouldn’t pick up the show despite strong responses. Jordan reveals the pilot tested extremely well, but one decision-maker still didn’t ‘get’ it—until BET+ stepped in to greenlight the series.
- •Ms. Pat’s ‘energy/spirits’ intuition about executive decision-making
- •Pilot testing extremely high yet still rejected for vague reasons
- •“Premium content” as a meaningless corporate label
- •BET+ call arrives after Hulu drops the project
- 35:52 – 42:48
Launch details and episode topics: binge release, pronouns, porn, and “derogatory words”
They discuss the show’s release plan (all episodes dropping at once) and preview storylines that tackle culture and language head-on. Ms. Pat and Jordan describe using comedy as a Trojan horse for real issues, including generational shifts around identity and slurs.
- •Release timing and binge model (10 episodes dropping together)
- •Episodes on gender nonconformity/pronouns and porn
- •An episode centered on derogatory language and generational change
- •Ms. Pat’s real-life parenting conversations inspiring storylines
- 42:48 – 49:29
Jordan’s TV obsession and a deep dive into I Love Lucy’s technical revolution
Jordan explains how he’s studied sitcom structure since childhood, treating TV like theater. The conversation expands into a mini history lesson on Desi Arnaz, filming on film vs videotape, and how early TV shaped today’s multi-cam format.
- •Jordan’s childhood theater and sitcom ‘apprenticeship’ through box sets
- •Joe’s experience watching I Love Lucy with his daughter
- •Desi Arnaz’s role in creating the three-camera, live-audience model
- •Why shooting on film preserved quality compared with videotape-era shows
- 49:29 – 55:28
How personal is too personal? Trauma, vulnerability, and the show’s emotional episodes
Ms. Pat explains why some storylines—like molestation—were pulled until she felt ready, despite their potential impact. They describe later episodes that become deeply emotional, including scenes that made cast and audience cry and gave Ms. Pat a sense of closure and victory.
- •Choosing not to tackle certain trauma topics before healing
- •Balancing sitcom comedy with ‘dramedy’ emotional weight
- •A pivotal baby-daddy episode that felt like reclaiming power
- •Jordan’s approach to directing performances and surprise joke tweaks on set
- 55:28 – 1:08:38
Set culture and Hollywood hierarchy: “call sheet” status, extras eating last, and a happier workplace
Ms. Pat describes rejecting traditional set hierarchy and treating the cast and crew as family. They argue that breaking status rituals improved morale, helped people feel safe creatively, and even opened conversations about race and language with crew members.
- •Rejecting ‘first on the call sheet’ ego culture
- •Critique of extras being forced to eat after principal cast
- •Crew feedback on impactful scenes (including the N-word discussion)
- •Why a supportive atmosphere improves performance and cohesion
- 1:08:38 – 1:23:13
Writers’ room friction and the unexpected ‘life coach’ solution
Ms. Pat describes clashing with writers over “safe” sitcom habits and her direct comic feedback style. Jordan explains how industry norms and seniority dynamics created tension, leading to Ms. Pat being encouraged to work with a life coach to communicate differently without losing her voice.
- •Comedian bluntness vs writers’ room sensitivity
- •Hollywood ‘palatable’ writing and formulaic joke structures
- •Life coaching/Zoom coaching to manage conflict and word choice
- •Rewriting nearly every script to maintain Ms. Pat’s authentic voice
- 1:23:13 – 1:36:32
Food, farming myths, and Joe’s hunting: milk debates to elk, pigs, and ‘dinosaur’ chickens
The conversation pivots into food culture—milk alternatives, livestock practices, and misconceptions about steroids vs selective breeding. Joe describes hunting elk and wild pigs, then shares vivid stories about how aggressive chickens can be, including feeding them a mouse and defending his daughter from a pecking chicken.
- •Cow milk vs almond/soy milk debate and ‘what counts as milk’
- •Selective breeding vs steroid myths; antibiotics in industrial farming
- •Joe’s hunting philosophy and the emotional reality of killing for meat
- •Chickens as ferocious predators (mice/rat stories and pecking order)
- 1:36:32 – 1:48:02
Disney obsession and VIP life: scooters, matching shirts, and ‘are y’all a reunion?’
Ms. Pat shares why Disney trips are a major joy for her—especially creating family experiences for the people she’s gathered into her life. She recounts splurging on VIP passes, coordinating outfits for large groups, and the repeated awkward question from strangers assuming a big Black group must be a reunion.
- •VIP pass sticker shock and why she still paid for the group experience
- •Scooter story: renting for her husband, then using it herself
- •Disney World scale, resorts, and planning future trips with bigger groups
- •Social dynamics and racial assumptions encountered while traveling in a large group
- 1:48:02 – 2:49:12
Aphrodisiacs, sex after meals, and menopause hot flashes to close
The final stretch turns into a candid, comedic discussion about libido myths (salmon, oysters) and the logistics of sex after eating. Ms. Pat opens up about menopause symptoms and hot flashes, and they briefly explore possible hormone-related treatments before ending on Ms. Pat’s signature unfiltered humor.
- •Debunking ‘aphrodisiac’ foods and joking about salmon/oysters
- •Sex timing after meals and the physical reality for most people
- •Menopause hot flashes described vividly and practically
- •Quick look at estrogen therapy and why solutions feel limited
