Joe Rogan Experience #2187 - Adam Sandler

Both Sandler and Rogan describe being objectively bad when they started but utterly convinced they were great; that irrational belief insulated them long enough to survive brutal bombs and eventually develop real skills.

They recount painful bombs—from early open mics to recent corporate gigs—and emphasize that each failure taught them tweaks in writing, timing, or mindset that made the next set better.

Rogan stresses not overdoing it: start with manageable workouts, avoid injury, and gradually improve while tightening diet (e.g., limiting “cheat days”) so changes stick as you age.

Sandler credits long-term collaborators (like Tim Herlihy and young joke writers) and a stable, family-like film crew for sharpening jokes, scenes, and overall energy; Rogan similarly leans on strong openers and peers to elevate his sets.

Rogan explains that for his live Netflix special he did the exact set for weeks, wrote every bit and transition by hand, and reviewed recordings intensely so he could perform without mental drift or panic.