Joe Rogan Experience Review Podcast

Episode 467: Review of Joe Rogan’s Carrot Top Episode

Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: Adam Thorne & Brandon

Overview

In this episode, Adam and Brandon break down Joe Rogan’s latest conversation with legendary prop comic Carrot Top (Scott Thompson). They dive into Carrot Top's career, his reputation in comedy, Vegas residency, and the ongoing drama in the "Rogan Sphere," all while reflecting on Rogan’s evolving place in comedy and pop culture. The conversation veers into themes of online hate in comedy, Vegas entertainment culture, and the meteoric influence of the Joe Rogan Experience.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Carrot Top’s Legacy and Reputation in Comedy

• Prop Comedy’s Lone Star:
  • “He's like the prop comedian, right? I mean, there's no others, unless you count the puppet people.” (A, 00:55)
  • Hosts note Carrot Top’s career longevity, Vegas residency, and the stigma he’s historically faced among comedians.
• Redemption and Respect:
  • “Honestly, he's underrated. Like, he's been made fun of in the comedy world for a long time. He's funny, dude. Give him a chance.” (A, 01:06)
  • “It's really nice to see his redemption arc, to see him actually, like, get to the point where he's like, yeah, it's just nice that people don't hate me and that, like, I'm actually being accepted by comics.” (B, 07:07)

2. Wealth, Comedy, and Envy

• Carrot Top's Net Worth:
  • “Do you know that his net worth is calculated to be around 70 million?” (A, 06:26)
  • Hosts discuss comic resentment over Carrot Top’s financial success with such a "low-brow" act:
    • “If I found out that… you just, like, you're a crisp, clean, excellent joke writer… and then you find out the guy that just pulls out freaking dildos from his box and makes jokes about it is worth 70 million. Yeah.” (A, 06:32)

3. Life as a Vegas Headliner

• Perfect Vegas Fit:
  • “When you think of what it takes to get like a residency in Vegas, they have a particular style, right. It's like cabaret stuff. It's got to be very flamboyant or performative.…” (A, 10:54)
  • “If Carrot Top… got on America's Got Talent and no one knew who he was, he would destroy.” (B, 12:17)

4. Public Perception: Hate, Acceptance & Comic Jealousy

• “A lot of people hate him… because… if I'm like, shitfaced in Vegas… some wacky guy goes on stage, he's bringing out all these props… I'm gonna have the best time of my life.” (B, 08:18)
• The Showmanship/Humility Balance:
  • “He's a great hang. He's someone I would totally, totally, like, love to hang out with… just such a cool dude, you know?” (B, 19:05)
  • “He doesn't seem to take himself too seriously.” (A, 19:25)

5. Prop Comedy’s Edgy and Darker Side

• Carrot Top's act balances general audience appeal with darker jokes:
  • “It's cool that he has also kind of a darker side and he's willing to explore that… the Dick Cheney story he was telling on the podcast shows that.” (B, 12:18)

6. Broader Topics: Rogan Sphere Drama & Online Hate

• Brief detour into “Elephant Graveyard” and Rogan’s critics:
  • "There's some real Rogan sphere frustration and hate right now. And, you know, it needs to be addressed." (A, 03:58)
• Comparison to other comics facing online ire (Brendan Schaub, etc.):
  • “He is the modern day Carrot Top. There is not a... Well, Rogan brought it up... He goes, she said the name. And then Rogan was like, oh, Brendan sh. Just went. And then they just crack up laughing…” (A, 23:13)
  • “It's almost comical the amount of just like blind hate he gets…. It's really like, just funny because it's just. It's so. Just insane.” (B, 24:45)

7. Rogan’s Comedy Place and Critique

• Rogan’s approach to stand-up and his latest special:
  • “Rogan talks about on this episode where he's like, yeah, I hate touring. I just do my club, you know, which, hey, at that point, you know, you have a ton of money. Do whatever the you want, you know, fair enough.…” (B, 27:01)
  • “It's not even my critique of it, but, like, look at the reviews on his last special… many of the people that I spoke to… They didn't even get through the whole thing.” (A, 28:14)
• Reflection on Rogan’s past as an LA club killer:
  • “Rogan was a murderer. Like at the store. He… would bring the house down. And it's like a part of me is like, I, I, it sucks that I missed that because I, I don't see that when I watch this special.” (B, 30:13)
  • “Almost no one ever stood out like Rogan did. I mean that was a brave show to do. He didn't need to do that…. He is good at stand up. I know people have their own opinions.” (A, 31:14)

8. Weirdness and Power of Rogan’s Influence

• “If Trump makes weed legal, that's the win. He needs…” (B, 41:10)
• “He can also just be like, elon, what's going on with these aliens? Like, he can. The access that he has is unbelievable.” (A, 35:53)
• “I feel like that place is full of bros.” (A, 37:08)

9. AI Remixing and the Future of Media

• Discussion about AI music covers, referencing the soulful AI version of 50 Cent’s "Many Men":
  • “The soulful AI version of the 50 Cent Many Men song.” (B, 41:54)
  • “I feel like you could do some incredible Nirvana songs with, like, a different style, you know, from the past.” (A, 43:27)
• Speculation on personalized AI-generated content in the future:
  • “Forget Netflix, Forget any sort of streaming platform. You just basically have a prompt and it's like, what type of movie would you like to watch?...” (A, 45:23)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Carrot Top’s comedic talent:
  • “He knows what he's doing. I mean, he's… done the same act or close to it for a long time. Like, it's crisp, it's clean. He knows what he's doing.” (A, 13:59)
• On online hate:
  • “It's almost comical the amount of just like blind hate he gets. And it's the same points… it's not like every video is... a new point... It's really like, just funny because it's just... so insane.” (B, 24:45)
• On stand-up as hard labor:
  • “It's a hard job to make money in stand up." (A, 14:31)
• On Rogan’s unique celebrity access:
  • “He can text Mark Zuckerberg, like, straight up. If there's, like, an Instagram issue he has, he can text it.” (A, 35:53)
• On AI and media consumption:
  • “You just basically have a prompt and it's like, what type of movie would you like to watch?... and then it just keeps learning what gets you pumped because it's, like, tied into your Fitbit or your smartwatch, and it just knows, like, how into the movie you are… while robots do all the work for us and then we just sit on the couch forever.” (A, 45:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Carrot Top’s Career & Vegas Persona: 00:55–02:31
• Prop Comedy Stigma & Net Worth: 06:26–07:44
• Online Hate in Comedy (“Rogan Sphere” & Brendan Schaub): 23:13–25:18
• Rogan’s Comedy Evolution & Club Days: 30:13–32:13
• AI Music Covers & Future of Content: 41:54–45:26

Final Thoughts

The hosts close by celebrating Carrot Top’s likability, work ethic, and place in comedy lore, emphasizing that despite years of mockery, he’s come out on top—financially, reputationally, and in the affections of new fans. The episode also explores how Rogan’s influence now extends well beyond comedy, hinting at an era where AI and podcasting further reshape popular culture. As always, Adam and Brandon keep the banter irreverent, insightful, and self-deprecating, delivering a must-listen for Rogan obsessives.

“Well, hey, that was a great episode with Carrot Top who looked like Tiger King. I actually thought the Tiger King was on this episode when I saw the thumbnail, but it was good stuff.” (B, 46:41)