The Joe Rogan Experience #2377 – Carrot Top

Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Joe Rogan
Guest: Carrot Top

Episode Overview

In this engaging and comedic episode, Joe Rogan sits down with legendary prop comic Carrot Top (Scott Thompson) for a deep dive into his decades-long career, the evolution of comedy, pop culture, the Las Vegas scene, and reflections on art, technology, and authenticity. The conversation weaves through Carrot Top’s unique career path, the stigma around prop comedy, Vegas stories, cultural observations, AI in music and comedy, and the ways both have changed since their childhood. The tone is playful yet introspective, full of anecdotes from the road, fame, showbiz politics, and creative processes, all intermixed with sharp observations, self-deprecation, and a nostalgic look at how entertainment and society have evolved.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Art and History of Prop Comedy

• Carrot Top’s Beginnings and Legacy

  • Carrot Top discusses bringing props on planes and the ongoing reactions he gets from fans and comedians.
  • Rogan and Carrot Top reflect on the era when prop comics were common, and Rogan credits Carrot Top for dominating the field.

    "You became so successful as a prop comic, you kind of stole the market." – Rogan [01:11]

  • Carrot Top highlights the lasting stigma around prop comedy from peers, even as audience reception remains positive.

• Comedy Industry Politics

  • Tales of late-night TV bookings, notably being denied The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson due to Johnny’s dislike for "variety" acts, and being pigeonholed into "Team Leno."

    “I had the best set ever... Jim McCauley walks up and he says, 'That was amazing.' ...I said, 'You booked the Tonight Show – you think maybe I could get on?' And he said, 'Not a chance in hell.'” – Carrot Top [03:28]

  • The gatekeeping and rivalry between Leno and Letterman, contrasted with today’s freer, more varied podcast landscape.

2. The Vegas Experience and Life of Residency

• Longevity in Las Vegas

  • Carrot Top reflects on his near-20-year residency at the Luxor, the perks of stability versus touring, and the continually evolving Vegas landscape.

    “That is one great advantage of having the show every night at the Luxor. Because I leave my house …I’m home by 10:30, 11 latest.” – Carrot Top [14:18]

• Vegas as a Community

  • Both discuss Vegas’s transformation, becoming a real city with sports teams and community events, rather than just a party town.

• Wacky Vegas Anecdotes

  • Rogan and Carrot Top reminisce about classic Vegas, casino decay, and the city’s interconnected showbiz circles.
  • Stories about celebrity guests at shows, such as wrestler Chris Jericho, and wild nights with Ron White smoking weed backstage.

3. Stories of Showbiz, Resilience, and Comedy Culture

• Being the Butt of Jokes and Staying Relevant

  • Carrot Top shares being parodied on shows like South Park and Family Guy, and how pop culture can both lampoon and immortalize a comedian.

• Touring vs. Residency

  • Both discuss how not touring has impacted their health and happiness, and reflect on the “road dog” lifestyle of comics.

• Kill Tony and the New Comedy Pipeline

  • Discussion of Kill Tony as a proving ground for new comics, and Carrot Top’s involvement in providing feedback and support to newcomers.

    “Because of Kill Tony, people realize that if they can put together a minute, it can change their whole life.” – Rogan [94:09]

4. Technology: From the Old Days to AI and the Future

• Nostalgia and Rapid Change

  • The duo reminisces on life before the Internet, pre-digital communication ("people were basically wild animals who lived in houses" – Rogan [51:37]), pagers, walkie-talkies, and how radically life has shifted.

• AI and the Arts

  • They marvel at AI-generated music that convincingly replicates and reinvents the styles of real artists (e.g., 50 Cent's "Many Men" as a soulful ’50s ballad via AI).

    “If that was a dude who sang that, I was like, who's this guy?” – Rogan [44:03]

  • Discourse on the blurring lines between authentic and synthetic art, and philosophical debates on originality, permission, and emotional impact.
  • Worries about AI manipulations ("ransom phone calls" using celebrity voices).

• Pop Culture & Music Reflections

  • From Prince’s groundbreaking artistry to Billy Joel’s evolution, the talk is peppered with nostalgia for music made before the internet and the unique power of older entertainment to inspire and move.

5. The Darker and Funnier Sides of Fame

• Physical Transformations and Body Culture

  • Carrot Top jokes about assumptions regarding his physique and implants—both muscular and comedic.
  • Conversation turns to the extremes of body modification (celebrities addicted to plastic surgery) and future possibilities of genetic engineering.

    “Dude, we’re just about four or five years away from there being able to genetically engineer you anyway.” – Rogan [135:39]

• Fame, Jealousy, and Loneliness

  • The psychology of comedy jealousy, public perceptions, and the challenges/loneliness of success, especially when coming from humble beginnings.

    “People that started out poor, which is like basically most comics, once you start making money, it's hard to believe that you're ever going to keep making money.” – Rogan [74:09]

6. Censorship, Standards, and Shifting Boundaries

• On Swearing and Censorship

  • Stories of being asked not to swear by Prince or avoid certain jokes on late-night TV.
  • Reflection on how TV’s strict language policies shaped mainstream comedy until cable and podcasts opened things up.

    “Anybody who says, don't use certain words, like, stop being a baby.” – Rogan [61:01]

• Tales of Pushback

  • Anecdote about performing many Dick Cheney jokes on The Tonight Show in front of Cheney himself – but it was a “gay piggy bank” bit that set off his daughter and NBC's censors [158:51–161:11].

  • Carrot Top’s ban from Fox for a Taco Bell joke during an award show sponsored by Taco Bell, highlighting how commercial partnerships affect creative freedom [171:04–171:34].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Prop Comedy’s Stigma:

  "Nobody wants to be a Carrot Top. I think that's... I think that's what it is." – Carrot Top [01:14]

• On Showbiz Rivalries:

  "They said, no, you're... You're Team Leno. I'm like, oh, I'm... It's like that Twilight movie. I'm a team. Whatever. There's two teams." – Carrot Top [05:16]

• On Surreal Vegas Life:

  "Then I go to work inside...the Devil's Ball...and then I leave...down the shaft back to...Summerlin. It spits right out the tip...into Summerlin. Whoo. We're home. That was hell." – Carrot Top [16:03-16:07]

• On AI and Art:

  "AI is scary, man...even though I know it's fake, I love it. Yeah, and you love it too." – Rogan [44:03–47:12]

• On Prior’s Influence:

  "There was people just going like this. Just throwing their body up and down while they're laughing...I'll never forget this, man...this guy was on stage and just talking. It was the funniest thing I'd ever heard in my life, ever." – Rogan [119:15]

• On Career Survival:

  “I've never gotten to tell him that again. If Dennis Leary watches this show, that was the most coolest thing a comic ever did to me. Just gave me a big hug, said, they, you were great. They, that crowd sucked.” – Carrot Top [101:27]

Highlighted Segments (with Timestamps)

• Prop Comedy’s Stigma & Career Resilience [01:00–02:30, 03:28]
• Late-Night Blockades & Carson/Leno Stories [03:28–05:16]
• Life as a Vegas Headliner—Routine, Gone are the “Road Dog” Days [11:25–16:07]
• The Changing Face of Vegas—Culture, Sports, Community [16:34–18:00]
• Paid Protesters & Modern Outrage Culture [19:01–20:30]
• NASA Stories, Moon Landing, and Family Science Roots [20:30–23:00]
• The Power of AI Music—Soulful 50 Cent [41:55–47:10]
• Swearing, Censorship, and Kinison/Pryor’s Legacy [60:01–63:00]
• Nostalgic Riffs: Before the Internet and Cell Phones [51:36–64:06]
• Behind-the-Scenes of Comedy Process, KILL TONY Format [93:02–98:00]
• Bombing in New York & Dennis Leary’s Reassurance [99:06–101:27]
• Confronting Censorship on TV, Notable Prop Mishaps [156:31–168:56]
• Prince Encounters—Eccentricity and Genius [139:08–144:57]
• Extreme Body Modification & The Coming Age of Genetic Engineering [131:36–136:11]
• Comedy Arena Boom & Legends Like Jo Koy, Fluffy, Shane Gillis [123:06–124:14]
• Social Commentary—Fame, Ozempic, and Envy [126:15–127:05]

Tone & Style

The episode is a rollercoaster of warmth, vulnerability, irreverence, and hilarity—marked by the easy camaraderie of two comics who have seen and survived it all. Carrot Top is self-effacing but proud of his staying power, willing to dissect his critics and his craft. Rogan is equal parts fan, friend, and analyst, drawing out stories and insights about the business, culture, and technology—and always ready with a quip or relatable observation.

Both clearly love comedy, respect the grind, and remain fascinated by how quickly media and society have changed.

Conclusion

This episode is a treasure trove for comedy nerds, Vegas lovers, and anyone interested in how technology, culture, and human nature intersect in modern entertainment. Rogan and Carrot Top are candid, reflective, and above all side-splittingly funny—offering both a masterclass in longevity and a nostalgic look at the golden (and not-so-golden) days of showbiz. Whether you’re a longtime Carrot Top fan or a curious newcomer, this episode captures both the absurdity and the magic of making people laugh for a living.