The Joe Rogan ExperienceJoe Rogan Experience #2089 - Joey Diaz
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:28
Glasses, eye health supplements, and red-light therapy for vision
Joey forgets his glasses, which kicks off a discussion about aging eyesight. Joe explains how macular-support supplements and red-light therapy have helped stabilize and slightly improve his vision.
- •Joey’s reliance on reading glasses vs. Joe trying to avoid them
- •Macular Support supplements and slowing eyesight deterioration
- •Red-light beds and the claim they improve capillary health/vision
- •Aging-related vision drop-off and noticing changes over time
- 2:28 – 3:29
Cocaine, fentanyl risk, and the modern reality of ‘snorting anything’
Joey jokes that his eyesight was best when he was doing cocaine, then the conversation turns serious about today’s drug landscape. They discuss fentanyl contamination and how testing drugs has become normalized in some places.
- •Joey’s comedic ‘coke improved my vision’ story
- •How dangerous powdered drugs are in the fentanyl era
- •Fentanyl test strips showing up in public venues
- •The idea that needing to test drugs is a sign to quit
- 3:29 – 7:37
Ketamine stories: K-holes, comedy shows, and a terrifying drive home
Joe shares a story about someone going into a K-hole at a comedy show, while Joey recalls experimenting with ketamine. Joey details a harrowing, disorienting experience driving home and trying to act normal around his wife.
- •Ketamine use becoming mainstream (sprays, recreational use)
- •A K-hole incident during a comedy show and Narcan panic
- •Joey’s ketamine-at-the-studio story and escalating effects
- •Trying to interact with family while severely intoxicated
- 7:37 – 11:07
Edibles, anxiety, and high-dose THC as a mental-health risk
They pivot to marijuana edibles and how high doses can trigger panic and destabilization. Joe and Joey discuss how cannabis can be beneficial at low doses but dangerous at extreme doses for certain people.
- •Joey linking anxiety issues to heavy edible consumption
- •Joe’s ‘slippery reality’ experiences at higher THC doses
- •Schizophrenia risk and the ‘Tell Your Children’ discussion
- •Potency escalation in modern cannabis and tolerance build-up
- 11:07 – 12:41
Alcohol vs. weed for recovery, and what wearables reveal
Joe contrasts how alcohol wrecks his training recovery compared to cannabis, especially with jiu-jitsu. They talk about WHOOP/Oura data showing how even a couple drinks can tank recovery metrics.
- •Alcohol’s next-day performance hit vs. cannabis effects
- •Using WHOOP/Oura to quantify recovery and HRV changes
- •Immediate feedback loops from cutting sugar or alcohol
- •Joey’s original motivation: reducing soreness and tracking recovery
- 12:41 – 14:22
Sleep upgrades: naps, sauna/cold routines, and building better habits
Joey explains how wearables revealed he wasn’t sleeping as much as he thought, motivating real changes. Joe emphasizes the difference between ‘functioning’ on 5–6 hours vs. thriving on 8+ and shares sleep-focused routines.
- •WHOOP exposing real sleep duration vs. perceived sleep
- •Joey adding naps and consistent sleep improvements
- •Joe’s sauna + cold plunge before bed for deep sleep
- •Sleep as a ‘bill you have to pay’ after late nights
- 14:22 – 20:23
Sauna obsession, red-light sauna workouts, and the cryo vs. cold plunge debate
They go deep on sauna benefits, including Finnish longevity data and Rhonda Patrick’s advocacy. Joey describes his pre-jujitsu sauna routine, then they compare cryotherapy to cold plunges and discuss recovery effects.
- •Finnish sauna studies and reduced all-cause mortality claims
- •Using sauna as static cardio and a workout warm-up
- •Joey’s red-light sauna yoga/breathwork routine
- •Cryotherapy vs. cold plunge: difficulty, duration, and recovery feel
- 20:23 – 22:29
Cold therapy origins and combat sports: Fedor, banyas, and sauna culture
They explore the history of cold therapy, from ancient civilizations to modern cryotherapy credited to a Japanese rheumatologist. Joe connects it to combat sports recovery traditions like Russian banyas and Fedor’s routines.
- •Japanese development of modern cryotherapy (1970s) vs. older cold exposure traditions
- •Fedor’s banya rituals: heat, leaf-whipping, frozen lake plunges
- •How athletes discovered sauna benefits before it became mainstream
- •Claims of endurance and blood benefits from repeated sauna use
- 22:29 – 28:41
MMA greatness: Anderson Silva’s prime, old betting lines, and iconic fights
The conversation shifts to legendary fighters—especially Anderson Silva’s peak era. Joe breaks down Anderson’s technical mastery, early international run, and key UFC moments, while Joey shares personal memories of watching live.
- •Debating GOAT candidates: Fedor, BJ Penn, Anderson Silva
- •Anderson’s evolution in Pride/Cage Rage and stylistic dominance
- •Watching Anderson vs. Chris Leben/Rich Franklin and being ‘hypnotized’
- •Old MMA betting lines when the public didn’t know international talent
- 28:41 – 31:05
Shaq memories and early UFC days: tiny crowds to massive mainstream fame
They reminisce about the early days of UFC events and surprising celebrity sightings like Shaq. Joe reflects on Shaq’s business savvy and generosity, and they compare how niche fight culture became mainstream entertainment.
- •Joey attending early UFC events with small audiences
- •Shaq’s presence, martial arts interest, and community giving
- •Fear Factor with Shaq and the scale of celebrity proximity
- •How combat sports visibility expanded over two decades
- 31:05 – 39:27
Banyas, gym sauna chaos, and West Hollywood ‘pickup spot’ stories
Sauna talk turns into wild gym anecdotes: Russian banyas, leaf beatings, and chaotic locker-room moments. Joe and Joey swap stories about West Hollywood gyms doubling as hookup spots and the absurdity of human behavior.
- •New Jersey/NY-area banyas with restaurants and all-day amenities
- •YMCA banya story: naked guy conflict and Russians throwing him out
- •West Hollywood gym manager ‘war report’ about the sauna
- •Boys Town culture and how uninhibited environments change dynamics
- 39:27 – 45:14
Jingle Ball in NYC, Cher fandom, and nostalgia for classic voices
Joey recounts taking kids to a massive NYC concert where Cher becomes the surprise highlight. That leads into a broader music discussion: Gregg Allman, ‘real’ lived-in voices, and why Joey thinks Jelly Roll revived that feeling.
- •Parenting logistics: chaperoning kids into NYC events
- •Two older gay men transforming when Cher appears
- •Debating live vs. lip-synced performances at big events
- •Gregg Allman and soulful singing as ‘years you can hear’
- 45:14 – 51:25
Backstage hype music, Austin’s touring scene, and Icehouse podcast nostalgia
Joe talks about pre-show rituals and ‘green room’ music that sets the tone for arenas. They trade notes on big acts coming through Austin and reminisce about the Icehouse era with Redban’s studio and late-night podcasting energy.
- •‘I’m Your Boogie Man’ as a walk-in/green-room hype track
- •Austin attracting major touring acts and comics
- •Cat Williams’ surge and Mark Curry’s underrated standup longevity
- •Icehouse Chronicles memories and the appeal of late-night podcasts
- 51:25 – 56:26
Vegas, gambling culture, and why Joey wants a residency (but not the flights)
Joe and Joey discuss the appeal of Vegas residencies, tax benefits, and living outside the Strip. Joe recounts watching high-stakes blackjack swings with Dana White, while Joey explains why he’s aiming for Philly/AC instead of constant travel.
- •Residency idea vs. the reality of exhausting travel
- •Dana White’s legendary blackjack runs and getting banned from casinos
- •Poker as an ‘obsession risk’ for Joe; preference for pool pressure moments
- •Joey’s plan: build sets in NYC clubs, then lock a residency (AC/Parks Casino)
- 56:26 – 1:06:10
Old-school underground casinos and the mechanics of bribery, lookouts, and raids
Joey tells stories about clandestine New York gambling spots—parking-garage casinos with drugs, hookers, and cards. They discuss how operations stayed open through payoffs, moving locations, and street-level tactics like spotting unmarked cars.
- •Secret garage casino with elevators, tables, and on-site cocaine
- •How illegal operations likely paid off police and stayed protected
- •Moving-bookmaking locations to avoid detection
- •Joey learning ‘lookout’ instincts as a kid and predicting raids
- 1:06:10 – 1:24:40
Taxes, Dubai, the border crisis, and election-era polarization
Joe rails against income taxes and government spending priorities, then they dive into immigration numbers and sanctuary city fallout. The discussion broadens into 2024 political tension: Trump prosecutions, public backlash, and social unrest fears.
- •Dubai/UAE tax structure vs. U.S. income tax frustration
- •Border processing numbers, definitions, and difficulty measuring ‘illegal’ entry
- •Sanctuary city strain (NYC budgets, overtime cuts) and migrant realities
- •Why Trump’s support persists and why polarization could trigger unrest
- 1:24:40 – 1:31:01
Gender culture wars, viral bathroom videos, and the problem of staged content
Joe brings up a viral bathroom confrontation to argue that policy changes can be exploited by bad actors. The group debates whether the clip is real or staged, and what it means for public trust and online manipulation.
- •Women’s March joke: ‘you knew who a woman was then’
- •Bathroom access conflict framed as safety vs. inclusion
- •Concern about perverts ‘gaming the system’ vs. protecting real trans people
- •Possibility of satire/staged clips and the challenge of verification
- 1:31:01 – 1:35:40
Ozempic/GLP-1 weight-loss drugs: side effects, muscle loss, and ‘doing it right’
They shift into weight-loss drugs and how ubiquitous GLP-1 prescriptions have become. Joe emphasizes side effects and shares stories of friends reacting badly, while Joey highlights coaching advice: protein-first eating and resistance training to preserve muscle.
- •Explosive growth in GLP-1 prescriptions and market incentives
- •GI side effects and ‘not a free ride’ experiences
- •Muscle/bone mass loss concerns and how to mitigate them
- •Protein targets, meal structure, and pairing with resistance training/peptides
- 1:35:40 – 1:39:26
Needle phobias, stem cells/PRP, and how fear creates absurd injuries
Joey thanks Joe for recommending stem cell treatment and admits his deep needle anxiety. They swap stories of fainting—including Joey tearing his meniscus during acupuncture—and reflect on how phobias can affect even tough people.
- •Joey’s positive stem cell/IV clinic experience despite fear
- •Fainting stories: prison physical, Pulp Fiction, acupuncture accident
- •GSP’s fear of needles as an example of honest vulnerability
- •How phobias override logic and show up unpredictably
- 1:39:26 – 1:52:29
Snow shoveling as dangerous cardio, Buffalo stadium cleanup, and cold-survival oddities
They talk about a friend crashing after exhausting snow shoveling and why older/out-of-shape people risk heart events. This expands into extreme cold stories—NFL games in brutal temperatures and the Titanic baker who survived by getting hammered.
- •Snow shoveling spiking heart rate to intense cardio levels
- •Buffalo stadium snow cleanup: pay, food, and game tickets
- •Kansas City extreme cold game and fan hospitalizations
- •Titanic survivor story: alcohol, cold shock, and ‘liquid courage’
- 1:52:29 – 2:02:13
Trying new things: parachutes, skiing, and why commitment matters
Joey argues you need occasional ‘out of comfort zone’ experiences and recalls learning to ski in Colorado despite initial resistance. Joe counters with the real risks of jumping and injury, and they land on the idea that skill requires repetition and preparation.
- •Skydiving curiosity vs. weight limits and safety realities
- •Joey’s first ski experience as a loneliness-driven turning point
- •Why people get hurt: attempting slopes beyond their control
- •The universal pattern: progress comes from showing up consistently
- 2:02:13 – 2:48:42
Jersey life, Philly energy, local history, and food as the ultimate temptation
They close on East Coast living: New Jersey’s surprising rural scale, horses and bears, and the appeal of a Philly-area residency. The conversation becomes a love letter to regional food—Italian delis, soups, mozzarella, and ‘chocolate bread’—and how diet discipline battles culture.
- •New Jersey misconceptions: rural size, horses per capita, black bears
- •Why Philly/AC crowds fit Joey’s style and residency plans
- •Local history: Boardwalk Empire, mob-era towns, old venues
- •Food deep dive: escarole/beans, deli sandwiches, semolina bread, chocolate Italian bread
