Joe Rogan Experience #1160 - Bert Kreischer

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• Bert Kreischer's Unique Fanbase: Discussion about the unusual creativity and dedication of Bert's fans, including Indonesian fans teaching children "Berta's fat and jeans."
• Comedian Couples & Family Life: The dynamic of Bert and his wife's relationship, and the challenges of starting a family while pursuing an early comedy career.
• The Rigors of Miami Comedy Clubs: Extensive anecdotes about performing stand-up in Miami, characterized by incredibly difficult, rowdy, and often inattentive audiences.
• Filming Comedy Specials: A comparison of approaches to recording specials – the high-pressure single-take method versus the more relaxed multiple-show tapings.
• The Importance of "Working the Road" and The Comedy Store: The necessity of performing for diverse "strangers" to truly develop and test material, contrasting with performing for an already established fanbase.
• Critique of Modern Comedy & "Internet Comics": Concerns about comedians who gain popularity online but struggle with traditional live stand-up, and the broader debate sparked by specials like Hannah Gadsby's "Nanette" regarding what constitutes "comedy."
• Evolving Social Norms: Gender, Pronouns, and Public Bathrooms: A conversation about increasing gender ambiguity, preferred pronouns, and experiences with gender-neutral bathrooms.
• The Impact of Early Online Content: A look back at how early YouTube videos (e.g., Joe's Redban-edited clips) were crucial for comedians' career growth before mainstream adoption.
• The Pitfalls of Constant Vlogging: Bert's experience with how continuous vlogging can consume one's life and hinder authentic experiences and creative writing.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• Bert's Early Career Struggle: Bert shared how he was only six years into comedy when his first daughter was born, highlighting the financial and logistical difficulties, even inducing labor so he could feature for Dave Attell.
• The Miami Comedy Club Ordeal: Joe recounted an insane Miami gig where the manager admitted gang members in the front row likely had weapons, leading to a surreal experience where three different men pulled down their pants and exposed themselves on stage during Bert's set.
• The Power of Pressure: Bert's Netflix special taping in Philly initially failed due to rain and technical issues. The subsequent pressure to deliver in the second, single-shot performance led to "the best show of my life."
• Bill Hicks' "Stiff" Special: Joe observed that even a legendary comedian like Bill Hicks produced a "stiff" special ("Relentless") due to the immense pressure of filming it in one take.
• The Comedy Store as a Proving Ground: Both agreed The Comedy Store is invaluable for developing material because comedians perform for a mixed audience of "strangers," which is essential for tightening jokes for a wider audience.
• Joe's Defense of Hannah Gadsby: Joe argued against the "comedy is dead" narrative, stating that Gadsby's "Nanette" is simply a different *genre* of comedy, akin to diverse music genres existing simultaneously without invalidating each other. He quoted one of her unicorn jokes as genuinely funny.
• Daughter's Bathroom Revelation: Bert's daughter saw a man's penis in a progressive, all-gender bathroom, prompting a discussion on evolving public space norms. Joe also admitted to accidentally peeing in women's restrooms multiple times.
• Joey Diaz's Public Habits: Humorous and graphic stories about Joey Diaz's lack of bathroom etiquette, including a notorious "clam video" and questions about hemorrhoid bleeding.
• Redban's Unsung Talent: Joe emphasized the critical role of Redban's exceptional (but time-consuming) video editing skills in making their early YouTube content, like the Mencia video, incredibly popular and impactful for their careers.
• Vlogging's Dark Side: Bert realized his intense vlogging habit was "cannibalizing" his authentic life, preventing him from writing material and genuinely experiencing moments.

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• Bert, on early fatherhood and comedy: "I can't believe you did this with no money... it'll work out. Wow. Yeah, that's true right."
• Joe, on Miami audiences: "If you want to starve to death open up a bookstore in Miami."
• Joe, recounting the Miami manager's advice regarding armed gangbangers: "I think they have weapons, I'm not comfortable with that... So what are we gonna do? ... I don't know, tried lightly I guess."
• Joe, on Bill Hicks's special: "he did a great job but it was stiff."
• Bert, on performing under pressure: "I like having pressure on me. I love that feeling of you got one shot."
• Joe (recounting Louis C.K. quote): "the art form is to make strangers laugh."
• Hannah Gadsby's joke: "When I was growing up I knew more facts about unicorns than I did lesbians... Look, there are no facts about unicorns."
• Joe, on comedy as a genre: "comedy is one category... but comedy could be Cat Stevens it could be Guns and Roses it could be the ghetto boys."
• Joe, on future gender discussions: "It's coming. It's real soon like 10-15 years and then everyone's gonna be this is gonna be a lot of ambiguity."
• Bert, on vlogging's impact: "it was cannibalizing my life to a point where I wasn't living an authentic life at all. I wasn't writing any material."

Overall Themes

• The Evolving Craft of Stand-Up Comedy: The episode delves deep into the practicalities and philosophies of being a working comedian, from the grind of touring and material development to the pressures of filming specials and navigating the digital age.
• Authenticity in Life and Performance: A strong theme is the tension between genuine experience and the demands of public performance and content creation. This applies to vlogging, social media, and the "stiffness" or natural looseness in comedy specials.
• Navigating Societal Change: The conversation touches on how rapidly changing social norms, particularly around gender identity and public privacy, impact everyday interactions and provide new fodder for comedic observation, even as they create new sensitivities.
• The Power of Audience Interaction: The discussion repeatedly emphasizes the critical role of diverse, sometimes challenging, audiences in shaping a comedian's material and resilience, highlighting the difference between performing for fans versus strangers.
• The Digital Transformation of Comedy Careers: The podcast explores how early online content and social media have altered the trajectory of comedians' careers, offering new avenues for exposure but also creating new traps like content cannibalization.