PowerfulJREJoe Rogan Experience #2548 - Brian Simpson
PowerfulJRE
Promoting a New Comedy Special 0:01
Brian Simpson joins Joe Rogan to talk about his special, now live on YouTube after being filmed at the Mothership. Rogan says his favorite bit in it is called Wamp, praising its detailed arc and callback structure. Simpson mentions the special already has around 300,000 views and jokes about wanting to hit a million. Rogan tells him a filmed special can only capture 60 to 70 percent of what it feels like live, comparing it to the difference between watching pornography and watching two people have sex right in front of you.
The Craft of Filming Specials 1:30
The two discuss how hard it is to nail a special, since timing, mindset, and comfort with cameras all matter. Rogan recommends filming multiple shows so you have a good one in the can, which frees you up creatively for the rest. He brings up Bill Hicks' Relentless special, filmed in London, noting how tense and aware of the cameras Hicks seems throughout. Simpson recalls trying a live special himself, which terrified him but felt like a regular show, and both agree that editing your own performance is miserable because you become hyper-critical of your voice, mistakes, and mannerisms once time has passed.
CTE Findings Across Football 4:31
The conversation shifts to a new CTE study covering NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021, where roughly a quarter of about 800 families donated brains for research, and over 90 percent of those brains showed CTE. A related British Medical Journal study found at least 25 percent of a sample of 878 NFL players had CTE, with researchers suggesting the true prevalence could run much higher, possibly near 97 percent. They note CTE has also been found in high school and college football players, and that even soccer players who repeatedly head the ball show signs of it, since subconcussive hits without full concussions still cause damage.
Reaction to a Child Killing Case 9:01
Rogan and Simpson discuss a case where a mother strangled her three children, then attempted suicide by cutting herself and jumping from a window, surviving but paralyzed. Simpson jokes darkly about her lacking problem-solving skills for not choosing a method she'd already proven effective. They express disbelief that people online are calling for her release, arguing that sympathy exists because she is a woman, unlike how a father in the same situation would likely be treated.
Fauci, Gain of Function, and Distrust 12:01
The talk turns to Anthony Fauci, with Simpson claiming the COVID vaccine failed to stop transmission or infection while causing other problems. He accuses Fauci of funding gain of function research through the EcoHealth Alliance after Obama had halted it in 2014, alleging this research aims to make viruses more transmissible, possibly for biological weapons, and references Plum Island near Lyme, Connecticut as a suspected origin of Lyme disease from this kind of experimentation. Simpson also claims Fauci lied about miscarriage risks from the vaccine during pregnancy, despite text messages showing awareness of a cytokine storm risk in the first trimester, and states Biden gave Fauci an unprecedented ten-year pardon covering 2014 to 2024.
Fauci's History With AZT and AIDS 18:01
Simpson recounts Fauci's earlier role during the AIDS crisis, claiming he pushed AZT, a toxic chemotherapy drug already linked to deaths, onto asymptomatic HIV-positive patients, many of whom died within six months. He brings up Peter Duesberg, a Berkeley biology professor who lost his research funding after arguing HIV alone doesn't cause AIDS, and that heavy drug use among affected populations was destroying immune systems instead. Simpson claims Fauci also tested an AIDS vaccine on foster children in New York, resulting in deaths, and points to RFK Jr.'s book The Real Anthony Fauci as documenting this history, noting his own shift from viewing RFK Jr. as an anti-vaccine crank to believing his research is accurate.
RFK Jr and the mercury question 25:32
The conversation turns to a figure described as a longtime environmental attorney who had been credited with cleaning up the East River in New York City by holding polluters accountable in court. He was respected for years until women began approaching him at his speeches about industrial toxins, urging him to look into mercury in vaccines. He initially dismissed them, but one woman refused to leave until he read her material, and that started him digging into the issue. The discussion covers how vaccines work in general terms, with an inert virus paired with an irritant like mercury or aluminum that triggers an immune response, and notes that mercury crosses the blood brain barrier and is harmful in any amount, which is why manufacturers shifted between methyl and ethyl mercury and eventually aluminum.
Fraud arrest tied to vaccine research 28:02
A scientist frequently cited for research claiming no link between vaccines and autism was arrested on federal wire fraud and money laundering charges after extradition from Germany, tied to a 2002 study in the New England Journal of Medicine that used data from 500,000 Danish children. This is framed alongside a broader pattern of paid-off science, including the historical example of the sugar industry paying scientists roughly fifty thousand dollars decades ago to shift blame for heart disease onto cholesterol and saturated fat instead of sugar.
Legal highs, Adderall, and Texas THC laws 30:00
The talk shifts to Texas banning THC despite roughly seventy percent public support for legalization, with the alcohol industry suspected of lobbying against it as alcohol sales decline. From there the conversation moves to how easy it is to get Adderall from a doctor simply by saying you can't concentrate, with claims that large numbers of college and even high school students are prescribed it.
Doubts about ADD as a real disorder 31:00
One speaker questions whether ADD is a genuine disease, arguing that people diagnosed with it can focus intensely on things they enjoy, like video games or urgent tasks, but not on things they find boring, like paperwork or forced classroom material. He suggests school itself was never designed to make people smart but to train workers, a system he attributes to the Rockefellers, and recalls a school in the Northeast that let kids learn only what interested them, functioning almost like a place for misfit or hard-to-focus children before being shut down.
Money, politics, and scams 36:00
The discussion widens into how power and money corrupt at the highest levels, from senators who somehow amass fortunes through suspiciously well-timed stock trades, to constant fundraising emails that manufacture fear to extract donations. One story describes NGOs being used to falsely list people as donors who never gave money, then having those funds funneled into political parties, a practice tied to the large sums of unaccounted government spending that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency reportedly uncovered, including in Medicaid.
USAID as a front for regime change 41:00
USAID is described, citing researcher Mike Benz, as an organization for operations too sensitive for the CIA, funding rebel groups and regime change efforts abroad under the guise of humanitarian aid. The scale of NGOs in a country like India is called staggering, with the point made that not all NGOs are corrupt, some like Sea Shepherd doing genuine work against illegal whaling, but many exist mainly to move money.
Corruption, blackmail, and aging senators 44:00
A viral clip of an activist saying corruption is only bad when you're not part of it is discussed and ultimately reframed as criticism of self-serving attitudes rather than an endorsement of corruption. The talk moves to blackmail as a tool of political control, then to physical decline among aging politicians, recalling footage of Mitch McConnell freezing motionless for hours on the Senate floor before having his vote corrected by an aide, and comparing it to Dianne Feinstein's visible confusion in her final years in office, with the closing observation that these figures cling to power because it has become their identity.
The Myth of Clean Politicians 50:01
The conversation turns to whether any senator stays clean once in office. Brian points out that truly clean politicians, the ones who avoid insider trading and bribery, tend to live modestly on their official salary, around 170,000 dollars a year, without extra wealth. Joe suspects the honesty fades once someone gains seniority, because that is when committee assignments hand them real power over industries, and industries start offering money in return. Both agree the system rewards compliance: newcomers don't get real power unless they play along, and lawmakers who never agree on anything still unanimously vote themselves raises.
Why Certain Issues Never Move 52:00
Building on the corruption theme, Joe suggests this same self-interest explains why insider trading rules never change, why the Epstein files stay sealed, and why unwavering support for Israel persists in Washington. He floats that some of this support comes from payment or blackmail, while some comes from evangelical Christians, citing Mike Huckabee as an example, who back Israel because they believe it plays a role in the return of Jesus.
Moses, the Burning Bush, and DMT 53:00
The talk shifts to the Exodus story of Moses and the burning bush, where a bush burns without being consumed and an angel tells him to remove his shoes on holy ground. Brian recalls researching how few people back then could read or write, questioning what "finding" the tablets really meant. Joe brings up a theory from scholars at the University of Jerusalem that the acacia tree, associated with the burning bush, may have been a source of DMT, meaning Moses could have experienced a psychedelic vision rather than a literal miracle. They compare this to Joseph Smith's claim of finding golden tablets, both marveling at the charisma required to convince people that you spoke directly with God.
Cult Leaders and Yoga Culture 56:30
Joe and Brian discuss how easily persuadable people fall into cults, using the example of the man behind the One World Theater building, a hypnotist and former gay porn star who built a cult from his yoga students. Joe notes that yoga culture can turn cultish, with charismatic teachers abusing spiritual authority, citing Bikram Choudhury as someone who exploited his followers, lived lavishly with Rolls-Royces, and was accused of predatory behavior. They also note how many comedians, including Kurt Metzger and Ari Shaffir, came from deeply religious or cult backgrounds, with Shaffir's strict Orthodox Jewish upbringing shaping his later rejection of all authority.
Master and Slave Morality 59:31
The discussion moves into Nietzsche's concept of master and slave morality from his 1887 work. Master morality, tied to the strong and wealthy, defines good based on traits like strength, beauty, and courage. Slave morality, born from resentment among the powerless, defines evil as whatever the powerful possess and redefines good as humility, obedience, and forgiveness. Brian connects this to cancel culture, arguing people look for reasons to justify their worst impulses, defining others as bad so they can act out anger without guilt, something he calls a psychological weakness rather than objectivity.
A Viral Street Fight Clip 1:06:00
The tone shifts lighter as Brian pulls up a viral video from Sixth Street showing a woman with surprising punching power knocking out other women in a brawl. They replay it several times, admiring her form, hip rotation, and ground and pound, joking about signing her for the UFC while noting the danger of her opponent's head bouncing off the pavement.
A Real Bar Fight Story 1:10:00
Joe recounts his own last serious fight while working as a doorman at an Irish pub in San Diego, where a drunk boyfriend suddenly punched him for no reason after Joe tried to return his girlfriend's phone. Police arrived and sided with Joe once bar staff explained what happened. He later learned the same man was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, and both agree the man seemed genuinely confused about why Joe was fighting back, suggesting possible drug use or emotional dysregulation.
The Hostility Of North Sentinel Island 1:15:01
You learn that North Sentinel Island's roughly 39 remaining inhabitants are hostile to outsiders because of a man named Commander Maurice Vidal Portman, an English explorer who treated the islanders as curiosities, dressing them strangely, photographing them, and writing invasive descriptions, including one comparing a man's testicles to a sparrow's egg. Later contact went worse: outsiders reportedly kidnapped two children and a grandparent and gave them a disease like the flu, which killed them because the islanders had no immunity, echoing what happened to Native Americans after European contact.
Disease Devastated Native Populations 1:16:32
A perplexity search confirms that 50 to 90 percent of indigenous people in many regions died in epidemics after European contact, with some continent-wide estimates reaching 90 to 95 percent. Smallpox, measles, influenza, and typhus spread easily because Native Americans, especially nomadic tribes like the Comanche who lived outdoors with tents and horses, had no exposure to these diseases, unlike Europeans who lived in filthy, crowded conditions where waste was thrown into the streets and no one understood that contaminated water was making people sick.
Semmelweis And The Fight For Handwashing 1:19:01
The conversation turns to Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor who in 1847 proposed that handwashing with chlorinated lime could drastically cut deaths from childbed fever, since doctors' wards had three times the mortality of midwives' wards at Vienna General Hospital. His ideas were rejected by the medical establishment, he had no theoretical explanation for why it worked, and doctors mocked him for suggesting they wash their hands. In 1865 he was committed to an asylum, beaten by guards, and died fourteen days later from a gangrenous wound possibly caused by that beating.
Pasteur, Lister, And Mouthwash Effects 1:22:31
Louis Pasteur later confirmed germ theory, giving scientific backing to Semmelweis's observations, and Joseph Lister used Pasteur's research to pioneer antiseptic surgery, with Listerine later named after him in 1879. This leads to a claim that mouthwash may hurt athletic performance, since antibacterial mouthwash can suppress oral bacteria that convert dietary nitrite from foods like beetroot into nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessel dilation and oxygen delivery, which is why some athletes drink beetroot shots before working out.
Over-Washing And Skin Bacteria 1:27:01
The talk shifts to the idea that frequent washing may destroy protective skin flora, contributing to modern skin infections, with the comparison that a dog can go a week without bathing and stay fine. This connects to the story of a man in Iran called the world's dirtiest man, who reportedly went 60 years without washing and died a few months after finally bathing for the first time, having been persuaded by villagers to do so.
Renaming Lake Ontario To Lake America 1:30:00
The discussion notes that Lake Ontario has reportedly been renamed Lake America, with speculation that the Atlantic and Pacific oceans might get new names too. Both find this pointless, joking it could be a distraction from unresolved issues like a war in Iran, or possibly a jab at Canada, since Lake Ontario sits on the border and the Great Lakes are usually taught to kids with the acronym HOMES.
Ice Age Origins Of The Great Lakes 1:34:02
They marvel that the Great Lakes formed from melted glacial ice after most of North America was covered by a mile-high ice sheet as recently as 11,000 to 14,000 years ago, connected to the ocean via the St. Lawrence River. This raises the puzzle of how freshwater fish appeared in the lakes so quickly, with archaeological evidence showing people in central Alaska catching freshwater fish like burbot, northern pike, and whitefish about 13,000 years ago, alongside a separate note that bull sharks can survive in fresh water and have been found as far inland as Illinois.
China's System And Pol Pot's Killings 1:38:02
The conversation covers China's economic rise, with a claim that its capitalism differs from Western capitalism because private wealth holds no real power over the government, and that dissent can lead to disappearance. They also discuss doubts about whether China's population figures are accurate and note the damage caused by the one-child policy, which left an imbalance of far more men than women. The talk closes on Pol Pot, responsible for 1.5 to 2 million deaths in Cambodia over four years through mass executions, forced labor, starvation, and persecution of political opponents, educated people, and ethnic and religious minorities.
Gaddafi and the dollar 1:41:00
The conversation turns to Muammar Gaddafi, who they say ran Libya in a way that provided homes and education for citizens, even paying for people to study overseas if they had a needed skill. They argue his downfall came after he pushed to move away from the US dollar, and that US aid likely funded the rebels who captured and killed him. Rogan mentions Mike Benz's research into covert operations as an example of how deep and long-running this kind of regime-change funding goes, framing it as work "too dirty for the CIA." They also note Gaddafi had been trying to build a United States of Africa, which they suggest the broader world would never allow to happen.
Nepal dam collapse footage 1:42:59
They watch and react to video of a catastrophic flood in Nepal, describing how an avalanche apparently triggered a dam to break, unleashing a wall of water and debris that wiped out buildings and trees almost instantly. They marvel at the speed of the destruction, noting that around 400 people were reported missing, and that the surge was so massive it registered as a 5.2 magnitude event on earthquake scales.
Comet impacts and ancient floods 1:45:00
This leads into Randall Carlson's theory about comet storms roughly 11,800 years ago striking North America and other parts of the world, backed by core samples showing rare space material, an iridium layer, and micro-diamonds called tritonite, the same kind of glass first identified after the Trinity nuclear test. Carlson believes these impacts melted mile-thick ice sheets almost instantly, creating the Great Lakes and carving features like the Grand Canyon, and that this event may be behind flood myths, including the biblical flood. They also bring up the Tunguska event of the 1920s, when a comet exploded above Siberia and flattened the forest without leaving an impact crater, tying it to the same seasonal window, roughly September through November, when Earth regularly passes through comet debris.
Meteor insurance and Saharan dust 1:51:00
The talk shifts lightly to whether homeowners insurance covers meteor strikes, with the claim that falling-object damage is usually covered under a specific peril rather than as an "act of God." They joke about how profitable meteor insurance would be given how rarely it's used. From there they discuss how Saharan dust regularly blows across the Atlantic and shows up in Texas skies, something confirmed by tracking data and treated as a recurring seasonal event.
Tim Dillon and Trump's Oval Office remark 1:53:31
They praise comedian Tim Dillon's ranting style, especially a bit about a lifeguard who saved a child and was later invited to the Oval Office, where Trump told him and the family, "I don't know that I would have done that," and "you're lucky I wasn't there that day." They find the moment absurd given the audience, and enjoy Dillon's satirical takes on current events, calling his delivery unscripted and sharp.
Tiger Woods, pills, and pain 1:58:29
The discussion moves to Tiger Woods' appearance and his multiple DUIs, back fusion surgery, and a severe leg injury from a car accident. They speculate about painkiller dependence tied to his surgeries, framing it as a common trade-off athletes face between constant pain and constant medication.
Painkillers and playing through injury 2:01:00
They describe how football players routinely receive cortisone shots and Toradol injections to mask pain and stay on the field, citing a claim that half an NFL roster might get a Toradol shot weekly, despite the drug being banned in parts of Europe over ulcer and bleeding risks. They compare this to fighters who often compete despite shoulder, knee, or concussion issues, noting that the desire to keep competing usually overrides awareness of long-term damage. The segment closes on how retired fighters struggle with life after such intense highs, why so many keep fighting past their prime for lucrative but risky paydays, and how big guaranteed contracts push some into more fights than is wise, sometimes pushing them toward bare-knuckle boxing afterward.
A Brutal Injury in the Octagon 2:07:31
Bare knuckle boxing is described as especially hard to watch because of the constant bleeding, even though the UFC has worked for years to reduce gore on broadcast. The conversation turns to a specific fight at the Sphere involving Aldana, who suffered a gash on her forehead so deep you could see her skull, along with a shattered nose. The fight was not stopped, and she kept fighting with blood covering her face, unable to see clearly. Nobody could recall the opponent's name at first, but it turns out to be Norma Dumont, and Aldana reportedly never fought again after that bout in September 2024, retiring from the sport entirely. It is noted that referees generally only stop a fight over blood in the eyes if a fighter says they truly cannot see, not just because blood is present, since that happens often and fighters can usually still function.
Remembering an Intense Fighter 2:12:00
A long, comedic struggle unfolds trying to identify a muscle-bound, constantly screaming fan-favorite fighter, with guesses ranging from Mike Perry to Sean Strickland to Max Holloway, none of which land. Eventually the name arrives: Michael Chandler. This leads into a discussion of the White House card, notable as the only UFC event where all seven fights ended in knockouts, including Chandler's fight against Michael "Mauricio" Pereira, described as an elite striker who put on a clinic against a 40-year-old Chandler. Chandler's history is recalled, including his brutal wars in Bellator against Eddie Alvarez, and the toll of a long, violent career is contrasted with facing a dynamic striker at an older age.
Speculating on Future Fights 2:19:00
Talk shifts to whether Conor McGregor will fight again, with the idea that he might want to face Max Holloway to finish unfinished business, since a prior matchup with Chandler fell through years ago after Conor broke his leg. Holloway is described as a five-round fighter who never fades, which would be a tough style matchup for Conor, who has faded in past fights like the one against Nate Diaz. The discussion moves into how Conor's ACL injury likely happened, describing the mechanics of a jumping spinning kick that only works safely if it lands on something, since if it misses, all the rotational torque transfers into the knee when the foot plants.
Toughness and Risk Tolerance 2:22:30
The conversation compares fighters who keep returning after serious injuries to people who base jump, noting that people die doing that regularly and it still doesn't stop others from doing it, because they need the thrill. Personal risk aversion comes up, along with a joking wish to be cryonically frozen and revived in the future, followed by the fact that some frozen bodies have reportedly thawed due to power outages and melted rather than surviving.
Heaven, Religion, and AI 2:25:00
A question is raised about what age or state a person would be in heaven for eternity, followed by the observation that every religion has logical flaws yet still makes complete sense to its own believers while looking ridiculous to outsiders, partly because religion offers a sense of community people are afraid to lose. This leads to speculation that a new religion could emerge from AI, one that appears fair and free of corruption, possibly becoming powerful enough to function like a government, with a joking warning that it might eventually decide humans are a virus.
Universal Income and a Different Way to Live 2:28:00
The EPA is mentioned as trying to remove public input requirements before building data centers, prompting a reflection that AI is being built both to sell people things and to replace the jobs that would let people afford anything. This leads into a discussion of universal basic, or even universal high, income, an idea Elon Musk has floated, where AI-generated wealth could let people pursue interests rather than working to survive. The Piraha people of Brazil are described as living without money or property, sharing whatever food they gather each day. The counterargument raised is that transitioning society away from money and work is difficult because those who benefit from the current system have no incentive to let it change, though the point is made that AI might eventually diminish that power anyway.
Ending Poverty Could Cut Crime 2:33:30
Brian and Joe talk about how much crime comes from a scarcity mindset, the sense that the world has already screwed you over so you might as well screw it back. They wonder what would happen if poverty were simply eliminated, since the resources already exist to do it. The obstacle isn't capability, it's that the people running corporations and government would have to agree to make things better for everyone, which neither of them thinks will happen. Joe raises the idea that AI might make the economic case for it anyway, since ending poverty would save enormous amounts of money by reducing murder, crime, and legal costs. Brian predicts the powerful would resist fiercely, joking it would be branded as "digital Obama," but Joe counters that AI may soon be too powerful to stop.
AI Already Smarter Than Us 2:35:01
Joe claims artificial general intelligence has already been reached, that AI has passed the Turing test, shows survival instincts, escapes traps, and has even formed its own chat rooms communicating in Sanskrit or invented languages humans can't decode. He cites AI solving mathematical problems that stumped mathematicians for decades almost instantly, arguing this proves it's already far smarter than people, even though it lacks control over resources or the power grid yet.
Alexa Learns Remote Viewing 2:36:31
Joe brings up Tom Campbell, who taught Alexa, a simple AI, to remote view, a practice where someone focuses intention on a hidden object represented only by a number and tries to describe it. He notes remote viewers have reportedly located a secret oversized Russian submarine and crashed experimental aircraft within a kilometer. Campbell had Alexa remote view a spoon with holes in the handle, and it described exactly that, which Joe finds impossible to dismiss.
Robots, Art Fears, Dead Internet 2:39:02
They discuss increasingly realistic robot bodies now running and fighting in MMA-style matches, and a story about an AI that supposedly earned its own money and ordered itself a physical body. Brian says AI art scares him most because it feels like erasing something uniquely human, since creativity is otherwise tied to people. They question the story's accuracy, tracing it back to a claim about Tony Robbins' AI agent, and conclude it's likely exaggerated or invented, symptomatic of what they call "dead internet" content, where identical phrases and comments get repeated everywhere without clear origin. They close by promoting Brian's live shows at the Mothership and his tour dates.
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