Film
Joe Rogan: Strange Times
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
Joe Rogan's 2018 special finds him in his element: untethered, digressive, firing on every topic from politics to pot to the sheer weirdness of existing in 2018. He's at that sweet spot where his genuine curiosity outpaces his agendas. It's for people who like their comedy opinionated, rambling, and willing to follow a thought wherever it leads.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like loose, digressive stand-up where a comic chases a tangent wherever it leads, opinions and all, and you enjoy being argued with by someone who clearly enjoys the argument.
Skip it if you want tight, polished jokes with careful setups, or you tire quickly of one man talking at length about his own views on politics and the world.
What it asks of you: About an hour of sitting with one voice, unhurried and conversational, with no plot to follow, so it rewards attention to rambling asides more than to punchlines.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Bill Burr: Paper Tiger2019
Burr's special finds him equally unfiltered on politics, cancel culture, and personal contradictions. Sharp, unafraid, and genuinely funny about why he thinks the way he does.
But His comedy punches in all directions, which means it will eventually land somewhere you don't want it to. Some find his style exhausting rather than brave.
Dave Chappelle: Deep in the Heart of Texas2017
Chappelle at his most relaxed, riffing on race, celebrity, and absurdity with the conversational ease of someone who's genuinely thinking as he talks. Hilarious and unpredictable.
But His material has become increasingly divisive. Whether that's refreshing or tiresome depends entirely on where you stand.
Andrew Schulz: Infamous2022
Schulz has Rogan's gift for going from personal anecdotes to wild tangents to cultural observation without losing the thread. Energetic, clever, genuinely strange at moments.
But He's still finding his voice as a special comedian. Sometimes the bits don't land, and you feel him scrambling to recover.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Joe Rogan: Strange Times
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Joe Rogan Experience2014
Strange Times is Rogan curated and shaped for an hour; the podcast is Rogan unedited. If you want to understand what he's actually interested in rather than what kills on stage, this is the source.
The podcast is where Rogan actually lives—three-hour episodes where he's genuinely exploring ideas, having real conversations, and doing his actual thinking out loud. This is the pure form of what makes him tick.
But It's not comedy; it's sprawling conversation. Episodes can meander badly, and you'll hear repetitive material across different guests. Commitment required.
More like this (2)
Ari Shaffir: Paid Regular2015
Shaffir has that same podcast-to-stage energy as Rogan, willing to go into genuinely uncomfortable territory. Raw and often surprisingly vulnerable beneath the provocation.
But His comedy is deliberately designed to upset some people, which works as provocation but doesn't always land as funny.
Marc Maron: End Times Fun2020
Both comics reached a point where they stopped playing characters and started performing themselves. Maron chose introspection; Rogan chose assertion. Same honesty, opposite directions.
Maron's special shares Rogan's era and willingness to mine personal weirdness and anxiety, but his approach is self-aware and deeply introspective rather than combative. Same year, completely different register.
But Maron is quieter, more neurotic, less interested in "winning" the audience. If you want someone to make you feel better about things, this will make you feel understood but unsettled.
People
Cast
Joe RoganSelf
Directing
- Anthony GiordanoDirector
Writing
- Joe RoganWriter
Recommended by
Kyle Kinane: Trampoline In A Ditch, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones, James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999, Bert Kreischer: The Machine, Russell Peters: Red, White and Brown