Podcast Summary: The Joe Rogan Experience #2382 - Andrew Santino
Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Joe Rogan
Guest: Andrew Santino
Episode Overview
In episode #2382, Joe Rogan welcomes comedian Andrew Santino back to the show for a wide-ranging, high-energy conversation. Their discussion blends pop culture, current events, technology, the state of comedy, free speech, recent political controversies, and the growing unease around AI and societal division in America. They also reflect on the changing media landscape and share personal insights, comedic banter, and cultural critiques.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Moving From Los Angeles, Political Change, and Populism
- Joe and Santino discuss their moves away from LA and the changing political scene, joking about a dystopian future if political shifts continue.
- The U.S. presidency and likability: Joe muses on how nonsensical and fundamentally “goofy” the American political system is, describing it as a “popularity contest to see who controls the nukes.”
“It’s a popularity contest to see who controls the nukes.”
(Joe, 01:21)
2. Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Art & Work
[Timestamps: 01:58 – 16:20]
- AI’s creative capacity: They marvel and worry at AI-generated art, music, and the rise of AI musicians and virtual performers—Joe plays an AI-generated soulful cover of 50 Cent’s “Many Men” for Santino.
- Santino’s conflicted feelings: enjoys the song but worries about art’s future.
“It gives me chills, man. Like it’s uncomfortable in my chest.”
(Santino, 06:44) - Both fear the "infringement on art" and ask if people will prefer AI over real human creations.
- Santino’s conflicted feelings: enjoys the song but worries about art’s future.
- AI's social impact: Joe sees AI as a disruptive force that will eliminate white collar jobs and force society to grapple with UBI-like solutions:
“This thing is the new dominant life force on Earth, and it’s emerging from its cocoon right now in real time.”
(Joe, 13:24) - Debate over whether new jobs will arise or if work itself is being devalued.
- Joe: “You’re thinking that jobs are essential. They’re not.” (13:06)
- Live art as the last human holdout: They hope live performance will remain valuable even as AI dominates recorded media.
3. Technology, Surveillance & Quantum Computing
[Timestamps: 52:00, 63:08 – 70:01, 145:07 – 154:43]
- Encryption threatened: Joe predicts that combining AI and quantum computing will end effective encryption, threatening financial privacy and upending banking.
- Powering the AI "god": They riff on the energy demands of advanced AI, nuclear energy as essential, and tech giants locking up energy sources for AI infrastructure.
"You have to power the new God, Santino. You got to power the new God. The new God requires a lot of electricity."
(Joe, 63:54) - Quantum computing’s potential: Joe shares a striking analogy about quantum computers solving in minutes what would take the whole universe until heat death.
- Phone surveillance and the myth of privacy: Modern smartphones have vulnerabilities; government and hacking tools like Pegasus can break privacy with ease.
4. Media, Free Speech, and the Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
[Timestamps: 19:12 – 38:00, 47:43 – 52:46, 61:01 – 61:09, 70:01 – 135:08]
- FCC and censorship: Joe’s strongly anti-censorship, even for those who offend—"I definitely don’t think that the government should be involved ever in dictating what a comedian can or cannot say in a monologue.” (20:39)
- Late-night TV’s shifting role: They reminisce about TV’s stricter days and the profound impact of shows like Married with Children and All in the Family on American culture.
- Kimmel controversy:
- Discuss how Jimmy Kimmel’s recent monologue about Charlie Kirk's assassination and his framing was criticized as insensitive/inaccurate.
- Joe and Santino break down the timeline and public reaction: Kimmel’s show was suspended and then reinstated, which Joe predicts.
“But you don’t want it to happen this way, kids. You don’t want to give that kind of power away.”
(Joe, 92:12; regarding government censorship)
- Social media’s toxicity: Bot farms, fake accounts, and online provocateurs amplify cultural warfare and division, making healthy discourse harder.
- Cancel culture & context: Joe asserts, "Classifying someone...as if they were Hitler, we've lost the plot." (139:46)
5. The Charlie Kirk Assassination & Conspiracies
[Timestamps: 31:04 – 53:44]
- Analysis of the shooting:
- Joe questions inconsistencies in the official narrative; the logistics of assembling/disassembling rifles, and the odd presence of a man at multiple tragedies who is later arrested for child porn, suggesting “something doesn’t add up.”
- Santino expresses instinctive doubt as well.
- Media and online reaction: They critique both the celebration of Kirk’s death by “young kids” online and the way social media dehumanizes discourse:
"People just start having a little grace...take the temperature down, America, because regardless of who shot that guy, that guy was shot. And then the reaction was horrible. And then the reaction to the reaction is equally horrible."
(Joe, 133:51)
6. Economic Discontent, AI, and Social Upheaval
[Timestamps: 99:13 – 100:01, 168:34 – 170:48]
- AI-induced inequality: Joe warns that as AI eliminates jobs and funnels wealth upward, widespread unrest is possible.
- Nepalese digital revolution: Mentions a recent government overthrow in Nepal, driven by a Gen-Z movement organized on Discord.
- Political narratives and manipulation: Multiple countries use bot farms to distort online dialogue and further sew discord throughout society.
7. Reflections on Comedy, Fame, and the Modern Media Landscape
[Timestamps: 130:08 – 132:32, 133:30 – 134:29]
- TV vs. New Media: TV is a dying format for late-night comedy; online platforms offer more freedom and reach.
- Community in comedy: They discuss the importance of camaraderie among comics, as expressed in Doug Stanhope’s comment: “I could quit comedy, but I could never quit comics.”
8. Miscellaneous – Animals, Survival, and Human Nature
[Timestamps: 84:13 – 118:54]
- Nature digression: Joe shares animal facts—why moose are dangerous, the resilience of deer, freeze-offs, and issues with mountain lions in urban California.
- Society’s disconnect from the wild: They critique urban empathy toward dangerous wildlife, pointing out the real risks and human naivete.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On AI disruption:
"This thing is the new dominant life force on Earth, and it’s emerging from its cocoon right now in real time."
(Joe, 13:24) - On free expression:
“I definitely don’t think that the government should be involved ever in dictating what a comedian can or cannot say in a monologue. That’s fucking crazy.”
(Joe, 20:39) - On the future of work:
“You’re thinking that jobs are essential. They’re not.”
(Joe, 13:13) - On the value of community:
“Stanhope said this famous once. He said I could quit comedy, but I could never quit comics.”
(Joe, 132:32) - On public reaction to Charlie Kirk's assassination:
“Classifying someone...as if they were Hitler, we've lost the plot. If there's a group of children...who are cheering...that’s not the way to do it, folks.”
(Joe, 139:46) - On how to respond to adversity:
“We need to stop. Just stop being so divisive and stop rewarding politicians for being so divisive.”
(Joe, 134:26)
Important Segment Timestamps
| Time | Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:58 | Start of AI/automation/art discussion | | 06:36 | AI-generated 50 Cent cover; concerns about “real” art | | 13:24 | “New dominant life force on Earth” quote on AI | | 20:39 | Free speech, FCC, and censorship with comedians | | 31:04 | Charlie Kirk shooting event, breakdown and skepticism | | 63:54 | Powering “the new God” – energy for AI | | 92:12 | “You don’t want it to happen this way, kids” (Censorship)| | 130:08 | Community and meaning in comedy | | 133:51 | “Take the temperature down, America...” (call for grace) | | 139:46 | Reaction to Kirk’s death/ “lost the plot” | | 168:34 | AI, societal discontent, Nepal Discord revolution |
Final Thoughts
This episode deftly combines humor and deep cultural critique. Rogan and Santino jointly express anxiety and hope about technology’s impact, free speech, and the fraying of American consensus. Their energy keeps the tone lively—but serious discussions about AI, division, and media integrity show their concern for the future.
The takeaways:
- AI will change everything—faster than people expect
- Major institutions (government, media) are outdated and losing relevance
- Social and political polarization is toxic and amplified by digital media
- Human connection—real, live, and local—is what keeps us grounded
- It’s vital to preserve both grace for others and freedom of expression, even when you disagree
[Show ends with plugs for Santino’s new Hulu special, White Noise, and encouragement to support live comedy.]