Joe Rogan Experience #2555 - Ron White
PowerfulJRE
Crowd Work Versus Written Jokes 0:01
Joe Rogan and Ron White open by talking about comics they've seen recently, including Matt Rife, and the skill of crowd work. Ron says he never let his opening acts do crowd work because it invites them to feel like they can talk to him afterward, which he doesn't want. He recalls that when he had forty-one minutes to fill for a forty-five minute set, he treated crowd work as a time killer, four minutes of talking to what he calls hay seeds before getting back to his written jokes. Joe pushes back gently, arguing crowd work relies on a strong improvisational muscle and that the pressure of coming up with something funny on the spot makes it funnier than it would be otherwise, even though you can never reuse the line. They both praise Rick Ingram for blending prepared material seamlessly into his crowd work, and Big Jay Oakerson for knowing how to hold a moment and pause after something ridiculous is said, noting Oakerson is also a great standup on top of his crowd work skill, unlike comics whose whole act depends on it.
Kill Tony Newcomers 2:00
The conversation turns to Kill Tony, the open-mic style show hosted by Tony Hinchcliffe. They discuss Pat O'Neal, whom Joe had on his show after seeing him on Kill Tony, and Brent Reed, an Alabama comic who got his golden ticket, works at the club, and was set to open for Ron White that night. Brent had called his dad in disbelief after learning he'd be opening for Ron White. They also discuss a young comic who bombed on Kill Tony the first time, then returned much more comfortable after moving to Austin and working at the club, receiving a big round of applause his second time despite having appeared only once before. They try to recall the name of another comic who got a golden ticket right after him, eventually landing on Steve Francois, who calls himself "the comedy seller," and Dedric Flynn, whom Ron calls hilarious and one of the best around, noting Flynn had been stuck spinning his wheels in Atlanta before Kill Tony changed things for him.
Kill Tony As Career Catalyst 7:00
Joe describes Kill Tony as the greatest platform in the history of comedy, letting comics who've spent seven to ten years grinding on the road suddenly get a huge boost from one great appearance. He gives the example of Ari Matty, who now gets wild reactions on stage, and William Montgomery, who the Black Keys specifically asked to see at the club. Ron admits that when he first saw the show in LA, he didn't foresee what it would become, but four or five years in he told Tony never to stop, calling it one of the biggest shows in comedy and praising Tony's hosting as pure genius and unlike anything anyone else could do. Joe agrees, calling Tony's improvisational talent second to none. They note the show now sells out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row and compare it to the old days when a friend landing a sitcom made everyone believe they could make it too, except now it's happening in standup itself.
Needing A Catalyst 10:00
Ron reflects on his own career, noting standup is a strange path because you can't fall back on anything but jokes. He credits the Blue Collar Comedy Tour as his catalyst, crediting Jeff Foxworthy as the real star who was willing to share the stage, though by then Ron had already done fourteen years of standup and eleven years headlining clubs. Joe agrees there's no substitute for time put in, and that Kill Tony rewards people who've already done that work. Both agree that if you're not prepared when opportunity comes, it's just another day, and you're back to figuring out your life, joking about ending up as an Uber Eats driver after bombing.
Money, Cars, And Comics 12:00
They discuss how sudden success and money can undo comics who don't have the seasoning to handle it, and how the Comedy Store parking lot used to reveal who was broke and who had cash, since cars there were either beat-up or brand new with nothing in between. Ron recalls trying to convince Marc Maron to buy a nicer car, describing his own M3's handling and carbon ceramic brakes, but Maron resisted being ostentatious. Ron and Joe both admit that when they first started making money they spent freely, assuming it would eventually disappear, and decided to live well while it lasted rather than save for a future that might not come.
Earning The Rest 15:00
Joe argues that Ron's recent three weeks of relaxation in Switzerland were earned through years of constant touring, writing, and stage time, and that rest without that work behind it isn't good on its own. He brings up Jordan Peterson's point about people imagining retirement as endless margaritas on a beach, asking how many drinks or how much lounging a person can actually enjoy before boredom or depression sets in. Ron, nearly seventy, says he feels he's earned the right to do whatever he wants now.
Switzerland And Pay Toilets 16:00
Ron describes just returning from three weeks in Lake Como, Verona, and Zermatt, Switzerland, marveling at the country's infrastructure, including trains and gondolas that let you reach mountain tops and even cross into Italy for dinner and back. He complains about pay toilets requiring exact Swiss Franc coins, calling it discrimination until he discovered credit cards worked too. They joke about keeping a coin on hand just to keep out the riff raff, and Ron praises the neutrality of Switzerland and its banks, noting the country doesn't spend money on war.
Kicked Off A Cruise Ship 18:00
Ron tells the story of getting confronted by a Viking cruise ship captain a year earlier in France after smoking marijuana and vaping on his private deck, which the hotel manager had actually told him was allowed. The captain accused him of lying and claimed he'd been smoking in the bathroom ventilation system instead, which Ron denies. After Ron pushed back, the captain eventually said he could look the other way if Ron smoked on the top deck, prompting Joe to ask why he didn't lead with that. They discuss how pot is technically illegal in France but tolerated, with cannabis cards allowing purchase, and agree the remaining laws against it are pointless.
Cigars And Cuban Loopholes 21:00
The conversation shifts to cigars when Ron gives Joe one he says he can't reveal the origin of, joking it would be a felony. They look up the actual law and find that Americans may acquire Cuban goods abroad but cannot import Cuban tobacco into the US, and that a prior exemption allowing limited personal import ended in September 2020. Ron clarifies the cigars are Swiss, from a brand called Zino Davidoff, and explains that Davidoff foresaw the Cuban cigar industry's decline, moved seed stock, plantations, and rollers to the Dominican Republic before the change happened, which is why Davidoff remained a top option afterward. They discuss how Cuban cigars are considered a level above others largely because of generational rollers who work in dedicated rolling rooms, sometimes while being read to, and how some companies have bought rival cigar brands purely to acquire their skilled rollers before discontinuing the original line.
Cuban Cigars And The Embargo 25:02
Ron and Joe talk about watching Cuban exiles roll cigars by hand at the Miami Improv, cutting and selling them right there. They discuss how pre-embargo Cuban cigars are still legal to buy in America, since anything rolled and brought in before the embargo is grandfathered in, and how wealthy collectors bought up huge stockpiles and built massive humidors once they heard the embargo was coming. Joe mentions paying around two hundred dollars for a 1962 cigar at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and they bring up that JFK reportedly stocked up on Cuban cigars for himself right before signing the embargo into law. They also joke about stumbling onto a site selling a bundle of twenty five pre-embargo cigars for an implausibly low price, comparing it to how people accidentally find fake sneakers online, and decide to order some anyway to test them out.
Ron's Custom Corvette 30:00
The conversation shifts to Ron's 1956 Corvette, built the same year he was born, which he had professionally set up by Kurt Busch's race team after the driver tested it on his oval track at 170 miles an hour. The car's basic build was done in Atlanta, with suspension and interior work later handled by Steve Strope, who replaced the cheap seats and shifter and added a supercharger, wider tires, and a distinctive wheel set that Ron says people either love or hate. Ron mentions a photo of himself with Jay Leno, who is the only other person who has driven the car, and also has a second, green Corvette that Steve Strope redid in black with matching wheels.
Building A Racetrack Studio 35:31
Joe describes plans to set up a second podcast studio at a racetrack, aiming to have it ready around the time Formula One comes to town so he can host drivers there. He wants to bring in car companies, using Ford's new six hundred horsepower Dark Horse Mustang as an example, letting people drive the cars, take photos, and then record podcasts with musicians, comedians, and other guests afterward.
Golf Compared To Archery 36:30
Ron and Joe compare golf to archery, noting that in archery the power is already stored in the bow and you just aim it, while in golf you have to generate all the power yourself with your body, which makes it much harder to learn. Jamie joins in, saying he can drive a ball over three hundred yards on a good hit, though his average is more like 235 to 240 yards, while an elite player like Rory McIlroy averages around 325. They marvel at long-drive competitors who use exaggerated spinning swings to hit the ball hundreds of yards, noting one recorded drive of 579 yards, though they point out these specialists usually can't play an actual round of golf at a high level despite their raw distance.
Athletes Taking Up Golf 40:00
The talk turns to athletes crossing into golf, mentioning LeBron James starting a YouTube channel about his golf improvement despite limited time to practice, and UFC fighter Justin Gaethje, who reportedly played golf every day for close to a year while recovering from an injury sustained in his fight with Max Holloway, becoming remarkably good in the process.
Stretch Zone And Recovery 41:00
Ron describes his enthusiasm for Stretch Zone, a resistance stretching session where a single person straps him to a table and stretches him in ways he could never do alone, which he credits with freeing up his lower back and helping his golf game. He says the place is rarely busy despite being full of older golfers who could benefit from it.
Kettle Bells And Leg Strength 42:00
Joe suggests Ron add light kettlebell work to his routine, explaining that even a light weight, like the 35 pound kettlebell Joe sometimes uses on low energy days, can be an effective workout for loosening tissue without overexertion. Ron agrees, noting that leg strength is what he considers the real secret to staying mobile at eighty, and recalls being pleasantly surprised by how well his legs held up while walking around in Switzerland.
Testosterone And Feeling Younger 43:02
Ron credits hormone therapy, including testosterone and human growth hormone, with restoring his strength and energy, comparing his current state favorably to when he was drinking heavily and thirty pounds heavier after first arriving in Austin. Joe agrees that bringing the body's hormone levels back to what they were at thirty makes people feel and sleep better and strengthens the immune system, and argues that ideological resistance to testosterone therapy, especially among some of his left-leaning friends, ignores the actual physical benefits.
Farmer's Carries For Fitness 45:01
Joe describes the farmer's carry, walking while holding heavy dumbbells or kettlebells, as one of the best simple exercises for grip strength, back, and core, describing his own routine of carrying 70 pound kettlebells in each hand up and down a hill near his house every other day. He argues that moving weight around while balancing it engages the body differently than stationary lifting, and Ron says he works out in some form every day, partly for physical health and partly, as Joe agrees, for mental sanity in a chaotic world.
Yoga And New Trainers 47:00
Ron recalls once hiring an attractive yoga instructor to come to his house each morning, joking that his girlfriend at the time was unhappy about it, and both he and Joe agree there is something appealing about yoga instructors. Ron mentions he and his partner recently met a female trainer connected to friends John Paul and Eloise, and plan to start having her come train them at home, with Ron joking he tends to push harder for a female trainer.
Criticism Of The Comedy Club 49:30
Toward the end of this segment, Joe brings up seeing criticism on TikTok of their club, with people calling it a walled garden that excludes outsiders. He recalls a philosopher friend warning him that because the club looks like a tight, fun friend group having a great time, other people resent not being included and want to tear it down.
Brian Holtzman as Comedy Death Metal 50:00
The conversation turns to criticism the Comedy Mothership sometimes gets for the material heard in its back room, using comic Brian Holtzman as the example. Rogan compares Holtzman's stage persona, a screaming, offensive character, to death metal music: something not everyone likes but that has real craft behind it. Offstage, Holtzman is described as the sweetest, nicest guy, and onstage a total maniac, and both agree it is satire done on purpose rather than a real reflection of the person. Rogan admits it took him a while to get it, but now considers Holtzman one of the funniest and best living comics, someone whose act only survives because crowds actually laugh.
The Club Isn't Right Wing 52:00
Rogan pushes back on the idea that the Comedy Mothership is a right-wing space, pointing out that most of the people who work there lean left, and that he himself has left-wing views on many issues even though he helped Trump and is often assumed to be conservative. He and White go through the comedians in their circle, noting that Brian Simpson leans left and that Tony Hinchcliffe is the one genuinely right-wing, MAGA-aligned voice among them. The real dividing line, Rogan argues, isn't left versus right but rational versus insane, and he lists open borders, COVID vaccine mandates, online censorship, and pronoun enforcement as examples of insanity that pushed people away from the prior administration.
Voting, Abortion, and Late-Term Cases 54:31
White explains he voted for Kamala Harris specifically over the abortion issue, saying he sided with women's rights even though he didn't love any candidate, and that he felt let down when women didn't turn out the way he expected. He mentions he's about to become a grandfather in a few months and jokes about hoping to live long enough to see the kid through high school. Rogan says he doesn't feel entitled to tell anyone what to do with their body since he's never been pregnant, but he admits unease about late-term abortion, describing a case he knew of in New York where a couple got a late abortion simply because the boyfriend didn't want the baby, which unsettled him even though he acknowledges it isn't the norm.
Massachusetts Removes Abortion Time Limits 57:04
They read a news article reporting that Massachusetts has eliminated gestational restrictions on abortion entirely, joining nine other states and Washington DC, moving past the previous 24-week limit. The article notes most abortions happen in the first trimester and that later ones typically involve a fetal anomaly discovered late in pregnancy, with the law backed by major medical groups and an activist whose son died in utero at 33 weeks. White reiterates he supports a woman's right to choose for the same reason as before, not because he's fully comfortable with the outcome. Rogan brings up that some people even oppose abortion exceptions for rape and incest, which both find absurd, joking about rapists having any claim over a pregnancy.
Ten Commandments and Texas Politics 59:02
The discussion shifts to Texas state senator Ty Rico, whom White likes for his stance against posting the Ten Commandments in public schools. Rico's argument, as relayed, is that doing so effectively forces Christianity on students and would only be consistent if Hindu, Mormon, and Islamic texts were included too, which shows the real motive is a push by wealthy Christian nationalists to reshape Texas schools. Rogan agrees this is unsettling, arguing that faith should attract people through the example of someone's character rather than being imposed by the state, and that forcing belief only pushes people away from it. White also praises Rico for fighting a school voucher program that pulled public school funding into private schools that could reject students for any reason, and contrasts him favorably with Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, whom he calls corrupt.
Texas Weed Crackdown and Lost Revenue 1:02:00
White describes Texas suddenly banning legal hemp-derived products like Delta-8, wiping out businesses that had gone all-in legally, with billions of dollars and thousands of jobs lost and unsold product reportedly burned. Both call this driven by alcohol lobby money rather than any real safety concern, arguing adults should be free to use weed just as they're free to drink, and that overuse of either can cause problems but doesn't justify criminalizing the substance. They cite California's marijuana tax revenue of about 7.765 billion dollars a year as proof of how much money states like Texas are leaving on the table, concluding that anyone blocking legalization is either foolish or bought off by lobbying money.
Gambling, Casinos, and Border Traffic 1:05:30
The topic moves to legal gambling, noting Texans currently drive to WinStar casino just across the Oklahoma border, and to horse racing that still exists in Texas in a reduced form after tracks moved from Ruidoso, New Mexico. Rogan raises the counterargument that expanding casino access could worsen addiction, especially with mobile betting apps like DraftKings already widely available, though White notes people can already travel to Louisiana or fly cheaply to Las Vegas anyway.
Pool Hall Days and Tony Annigoni 1:06:30
Rogan recalls his time playing pool in New York, describing Chelsea Billiards as a 24-hour hall filled with homeless people, junkies, and hustlers, some of whom slept under the tables when they weren't playing. He references the book Playing Off the Rail by David McCumber, a former editor for Hunter S. Thompson, which chronicles cross-country gambling trips with Rogan's friend Tony Annigoni, a world-class, non-smoking, macrobiotic pool player and student of Eastern religion. Rogan then reveals that Annigoni later took his own life by jumping off a bridge, a shock made stranger by learning he had attempted the same thing at seventeen, only to go through with it decades later.
Grief, Suicide, and Checking on Friends 1:09:32
Rogan reflects on the helplessness of hearing about a friend's suicide after the fact, wondering what he could have said or done, and credits Joey Diaz for regularly calling friends just to tell them he loves them as a small but meaningful gesture. He brings up comedian Brody Stevens, saying he knew Brody struggled but never expected he would take his own life, since Brody could still get on stage and be brilliant and beloved. White jokes that if anyone ever claims he killed himself, Rogan should assume foul play instead, and Rogan promises he would investigate.
European Reactions to the Iran Strikes 1:11:31
White recounts a recent trip through Zermatt, Interlaken, Paris, and northern Italy, where a British driver living in Switzerland told him plainly that Europeans dislike America's involvement in bombing Iran and resent the tariffs, drawing a distinction between not caring what happens to other countries versus caring the moment it affects them. Rogan says almost no one he's talked to domestically thinks the strike was a good idea either, with one exception being tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, who argued Iran had been rapidly ramping up missile production and posed a real danger if it acquired a nuclear weapon. Both note the timing seemed off, since striking during Iran's internal protests against government executions might have drawn global and even Iranian public support, whereas acting later did not. They close by noting Palmer Luckey's own position as a defense manufacturer complicates his argument, and by observing that the United States historically overthrew Iran's more democratic, Western-style government decades earlier, likely over oil, a pattern of foreign interference that both find troubling as tensions with Israel remain high.
Endless American Conflicts 1:16:00
Ron White brings up something he asked an AI chatbot the night before, asking how many years the United States has been involved in some kind of conflict. The answer was that only the years 1891 to 1897 were conflict-free, and that since World War II the country has been engaged in something every single year since 1945. Joe Rogan connects this to the defense industry, calling it a huge machine with an insane budget that keeps generating conflicts to keep the money flowing.
California's High Speed Rail Failure 1:18:01
The conversation turns to California's high-speed rail project, which has already cost billions of dollars despite tracks not even being laid yet. Even when finished, part of the route requires passengers to take a regular bus between segments, going from Bakersfield to LA by bus rather than train. Ron White mocks Gavin Newsom for posing in front of trains at a press conference to claim progress, calling the whole project a grift where money is simply being stolen.
Condors and Copper Bullets 1:19:00
Ron White jokes that he does not believe condors are really endangered, suggesting their low numbers might just be nature's way of managing an ugly bird, and that claims of endangerment are a grift to collect donation money. Joe Rogan explains that California requires hunters to use copper bullets instead of lead ones because lead poisoning from spent ammunition was blamed for condor deaths. Both express skepticism that enough lead bullets are scattered around to meaningfully affect the bird population, though neither has hard data either way.
California Bans Most Tires 1:21:31
Joe Rogan describes a new California regulation that will make 70 percent of tires currently sold in the state illegal, tied to a rule adopted by the California Energy Commission in August 2026 requiring replacement tires to be as energy efficient as original equipment tires. The key measure is rolling resistance, since lower resistance improves gas mileage or EV range. They discuss how this effectively bans cheaper tires, hurting people who just want an affordable tire to get through until payday, and question what happens to tire shops holding inventory of now-illegal stock.
Rebuilding After the Palisades Fire 1:24:01
Ron White mentions a friend whose house burned down in the Pacific Palisades fire and who is now stuck in overwhelming red tape trying to rebuild, even with money to spare. They contrast this with Texas, where getting approval to rebuild a burned house is quick and straightforward. Ron says he is glad to be out of California real estate, noting friends still there are struggling to sell their homes, even though he still loves Southern California's climate and variety of environments.
Forty Years in Comedy 1:27:33
Ron White reflects on hitting 40 years in stand-up comedy, having started on September 17th, 1986, and mentions he has a show in Dallas that night to mark the occasion. He talks about loving Dallas and Houston as comedy towns, and describes his usual venue near Houston being a large room out in Katy rather than downtown.
A Haunted Houston Venue 1:28:31
Ron White recounts a bizarre night at an old Houston venue where a woman fell 26 feet from a balcony onto another woman, flattening a metal chair, and both had to be taken out on stretchers. During the very next show that same night, a man in the audience had a heart attack and died. He jokes about wondering if the place was built on an Indian burial ground, and says that experience is why he was relieved when a new venue opened out in Katy.
Fear of Heights and High Rises 1:30:01
Talk shifts to sketchy high-rise features, like a Miami penthouse Ron saw online with a glass wall at waist height overlooking a seventy-story drop, and balconies in New York apartments that feel similarly risky. Both agree it is unsettling to live somewhere you could die by taking one wrong step, though Joe admits living about 600 feet up himself and sometimes noticing the building sway enough to move the water in his toilet.
South Park and Old Internet Days 1:35:01
They reminisce about seeing Book of Mormon with its original cast and praise the South Park creators for staying funny and independent despite becoming very rich, mentioning the show is being renamed South America for an upcoming season. This leads to memories of watching bootleg South Park VHS tapes before the show officially debuted, and swapping stories of their first internet access, with Ron saying he still does not use the internet at home even though he technically has it now.
The Sherp Rescue Vehicle 1:38:01
Ron White revisits the Sherp, the all-terrain rescue vehicle he and Joe funded, mentioning it was used a year after they gave it to save lives during another flood on the same riverbed near Wimberley, and that a news report credited the donation to both of them. They marvel at footage of a Sherp crossing Greenland and discuss its unusual design, including how each tire acts as its own sealed fuel tank with self-regulating air pressure, a system built in Ukraine and tested by having it shot at near the front lines.
Texas Flash Floods and Camp Mystic 1:42:04
Joe and Ron discuss the flash floods that hit the Wimberley area, noting two so-called thousand-year events struck almost exactly a year apart, both around Fourth of July weekend, which suggests the label was wrong from the start. They talk about driving past Camp Mystic and still seeing the devastation, with Ron saying the camp sat right on the river for around a hundred years and probably will never reopen, even though there was an attempt to bring it back. Both agree the tragedy was horrific but, from what they gathered, not something anyone could have realistically foreseen or prevented.
The Nepal Glacial Flood 1:44:01
The conversation shifts to a glacial disaster in Nepal, where an avalanche first blocked a valley and created a lake, and later a chunk of glacier broke off and crashed into that lake, sending the water bursting down the mountain. Joe reads a detail that shattered ice and rock flowed at speeds near 150 kilometers per hour, raising water levels by as much as 9 meters in just 30 minutes. They describe watching footage of the flood and being struck by how there was no chance to outrun it, since the wall of water carried boulders, logs, ice, and cars, meaning anyone caught in it would be crushed rather than simply swept away.
Asteroids and Planetary Risk 1:47:01
They move to talking about impact craters, including one in Australia only recently discovered and a large one in Nevada from an asteroid roughly the size of a house. Joe reflects that the timescale of Earth is so much larger than a human life that people mistake rarity for impossibility, when in reality a civilization-ending impact is simply a matter of chance. Ron jokes about having Elon Musk handle it, but Joe says he doubts current technology could actually stop something big, especially since some asteroids approach from the sun's glare and aren't spotted until it's too late.
Money in Politics 1:50:01
Ron says there should be a strict cap on political donations, with severe punishment for anyone who exceeds it, and that billionaires, corporations, and lobbyists should all be kept out of politics. Joe argues that once you frame it plainly, letting companies that pollute rivers or exploit third-world countries buy influence over regulation sounds absurd, yet that is effectively how the system works. Both agree the goal should be laws that serve the public rather than individual companies or people, and that officials should be paid fairly but barred from insider trading, which leads Ron to say plainly that the public is being grifted.
Leadership, China, and the Benevolent Dictator Myth 1:51:01
Ron brings up a story about Chinese politics, saying he isn't a fan of communism but thinks leadership shouldn't be a popularity contest and that experience should matter more than likability. Joe pushes back, noting that in China leaders can't be removed, dissent can lead to imprisonment or disappearance, and government and business are entangled with no separation, so while the country may have strong central direction, it comes at a steep cost to freedom. They then discuss the idea of a benevolent dictator, a leader who genuinely wants nothing for himself and only wants to help, and agree that such a person essentially doesn't exist, since people drawn to power are usually driven by ego, ambition, or a desire to dominate rather than selflessness.
Why the Presidency Doesn't Attract the Best 1:53:00
They talk about how the presidency pays relatively little given the scrutiny and personal attacks that come with it, which discourages potentially good leaders from ever running. Joe points out that ex-presidents often get rich afterward through speaking fees, like giving a talk to a room of bankers for half a million dollars, which raises questions about who they're really serving. Ron notes Jimmy Carter as an exception who stayed modest for life, and they wonder aloud whether a Texas candidate might follow that same humble path.
Gender, Sports, and Biology 1:53:31
Prompted by a comment about God being non-binary, they get into a long discussion about sex and gender. Joe argues that true biological non-binary conditions, like intersex people with XY chromosomes but androgen insensitivity, are real and distinct from someone simply not feeling comfortable identifying as male or female, and that both deserve respect but shouldn't be conflated when discussing biology. He insists on separating personal identity, which he says people should be free to choose, from category questions in sports, arguing a biological man competing in women's tennis is a different matter that needs clear, reasonable boundaries rather than being labeled discrimination.
Youth Transition and Detransitioners 1:57:00
Joe expresses strong concern about promoting medical transition to young people, comparing hormone blockers to the chemical castration drugs used on sex offenders and calling it wrong to use them on kids who are still confused about who they are. He brings up detransitioners, people who transitioned and later regretted it, saying they're often ostracized by both trans and progressive communities and even told they were never really trans, which he finds absurd since it denies something that happened to their body through surgery or chemicals. Ron responds that people are easily influenced and sometimes go along with what's culturally fashionable, and both agree Texas candidate Terico opposes any gender surgery before age 18.
Paxton's Alleged Corruption 1:59:03
Ron recounts a story about a Texas attorney general figure, Paxton, who in 2020 was reported to the FBI for fraud by eight of his own assistants, including a Texas Ranger with fifty years of service, after which Paxton fired several of them. When the fired employees sued, Paxton reportedly tried to settle for three million dollars, but the state legislature refused to cover it, leading to a six million dollar settlement paid by taxpayers. Ron adds that Paxton was impeached by his own party's House by a vote of 121 to 22 but was reinstated by the Senate to avoid losing the seat, and calls the whole episode corrupt.
Marijuana, Alcohol Decline, and Legalization 2:02:00
They discuss Texas restricting marijuana despite national polling showing around 70 percent support for legalization, with Ron suspecting the alcohol lobby's influence and Joe joking that corrupt officials should face severe punishment. They contrast this with California, which they say collects seven billion dollars in cannabis tax revenue without major fallout, and note that alcohol sales are currently down significantly, partly because younger people are broke from student debt and increasingly prefer smoking weed without drinking or dealing with hangovers. Joe argues that marijuana, mushrooms, and similar substances should be legal and studied, and that opposition mostly comes from ignorance or an authoritarian instinct to control people's behavior.
Jelly Roll's Kimmel Controversy 2:03:31
They talk about the backlash against musician Jelly Roll after he made a joke on Jimmy Kimmel's show comparing the president to a fat pig and told Trump supporters not to listen to his music, which triggered intense online anger and calls to boycott him. Ron and Joe both describe him personally as a genuine, sweet, and talented guy, and suggest the material may have come from Kimmel's writers rather than Jelly Roll himself, given his history of testing similar jokes in stand up clubs while preparing to host the show. They note Jelly Roll has been going through major life changes, including losing 300 pounds, getting into fitness, and going through a divorce, and predict he'll bounce back because of his talent, comparing his situation to Kanye West recovering from wearing a swastika in public and later selling out arenas again.
Jelly Roll's fat pig joke on Kimmel 2:08:00
Rogan and White discuss the backlash Jelly Roll got for a joke made on Jimmy Kimmel's show. The joke referenced Trump's weight gain, noting his last physical showed him at almost 240 pounds, and Jelly Roll joked that his own 300 pound weight loss meant he had essentially lost an entire Donald Trump. He then said, from one fat pig to another, take it from me that physical fitness is very important. They play a clip showing this alongside old footage of Trump himself calling other people fat pigs and slobs, including Chris Christie, which they find hypocritical given his reaction to being called the same thing.
Judging the material and the backlash 2:11:31
Rogan and White agree the joke was not especially funny but also not offensive, and that it was clearly written for Jelly Roll and read off a teleprompter rather than delivered as real stand up. They doubt anyone genuinely stopped listening to his music over it, suggesting the real issue for some critics was him appearing on Kimmel at all, or his later comment that Trump supporters should not listen to his music.
Jelly Roll's transformation 2:12:30
Rogan describes how much Jelly Roll has changed physically, recalling him running six and a half miles on a treadmill while talking during a podcast visit, and a moment at a Matthew McConaughey charity event where Jelly Roll, once 500 pounds, jumped over a stairway railing with ease. Rogan calls it inspiring, though he still wishes Jelly Roll hadn't made the joke, summing it up as a case where the juice wasn't worth the squeeze.
Trump supporters and Bernie Sanders 2:14:01
The conversation shifts to why some Trump supporters treat him as more than a politician, almost like a figure who represents hope itself. White argues that people with little education or opportunity would be better served by supporting someone like Bernie Sanders, who pushed for raising the minimum wage, since realistically that is more achievable than any promise of instant wealth. Rogan recalls being criticized for saying he'd probably vote for Bernie, whom he saw as anti war and focused on funding social programs through a small tax on stock market speculation, though he says he feels differently about Sanders now, partly because Sanders didn't push back when the Democratic establishment rigged the primary against him.
Concerns about the current political process 2:16:30
They criticize the lack of real primaries in recent elections, pointing to how Kamala Harris was simply installed as the nominee after Biden dropped out, without any competitive process. Rogan adds that Biden's condition made it hard to imagine him surviving another four years in office, and jokes that he expected Biden to barely make it out of office alive.
JD Vance's end times comment 2:17:01
They discuss a clip of JD Vance saying he wouldn't be shocked if we are living in the end times, and that his focus is on doing God's work regardless of whether that leads to the end times or to a better, thriving world. Rogan and White both find this unsettling, arguing Vance seems to treat the end times outcome as acceptable rather than clearly undesirable, and say the goal should simply be building a good world for everyone, with no reference to an apocalypse at all.
Vance's book and name changes 2:19:31
They talk about Vance's Catholic faith and his book called Communion, mixing it up briefly with Whitley Strieber's unrelated book of the same title about alleged alien abduction. They note that Vance has changed his name multiple times, from James Donald Bowman at birth, to James David Hamill after his mother remarried, to James David Vance in 2013 in honor of the grandparents who raised him, and wonder aloud why someone would change their name that many times, though they acknowledge the stated reason sounds legitimate.
Growing up in the Baptist church 2:22:03
White shares that his uncle was a Baptist preacher he idolized growing up, only to later learn the uncle, in his nineties, had proposed marriage to White's girlfriend and was clearly not fully himself anymore. He describes his family's mixed religious background in a small Texas panhandle town, including his grandmother's Church of Christ congregation where she would speak in tongues and the preacher's wife would offer interpretations, always followed by requests for money.
Comedy roots in preaching 2:24:31
They bring up the show Righteous Gemstones as an accurate and hilarious depiction of tent revival preacher culture, and note that comedians like Sam Kinison and Chris Rock, along with Larry the Cable Guy, whose father was a preacher and pig farmer, have roots in that same preaching tradition. White says he learned his own sense of stage presence from watching his uncle preach, though he prefers telling jokes rather than delivering religious messages.
Closing thoughts on faith and certainty 2:26:02
White says he respects people's faith and does not challenge anyone's beliefs, even though he questions how anyone can be certain about claims like eternal punishment. He argues the real problem is not faith itself but when someone becomes convinced they alone have the truth and tries to force others to accept it. The episode ends with Rogan and White making plans to meet before a show that night and White sharing his upcoming tour dates in Florida and Texas, including an anniversary show in Grand Prairie.
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