The Joe Rogan Experience #2405 – Luis J Gomez & Big Jay Oakerson

Date: November 4, 2025
Host: Joe Rogan
Guests: Luis J Gomez, Big Jay Oakerson

Overview

This episode is a raucous, wide-ranging conversation packed with high-energy storytelling, off-the-cuff banter, and the signature irreverent humor of Joe Rogan, Luis J Gomez, and Big Jay Oakerson. The trio dives into the culture of stand-up comedy, wild stories from rock concerts and mosh pits, musings on concert security, debates on clean vs. dirty comedy, the evolution of porn and technology, AI anxieties, drug legalization, criminal justice, relationships, and much more. The vibe is loose, edgy, and self-deprecating, often switching between hilarious anecdotes and deeper discussions about freedom, culture, and the changing world.

1. Comedy Clubs, Clean vs. Dirty Sets, and Outlaw Culture (00:14–03:52)

• Discussion about different types of comedy rooms, the struggle to work clean, and the creative freedom in stand-up:
  • Comedy clubs with strict language rules contrasted to the wildness of places like Skank Fest.
  • "Clean clubs are odd...you got a whole speech he would give you before you would work there, what you would say." — Lewis (01:01)
• Stories about comics who are known for working clean (Nate Bargatze, Jim Gaffigan) and moments where even the cleanest break character:
  • "Nate, he's never said a curse word on microphone ever." — Joe Rogan (01:42)
  • "That's not true...He was hammered one night...called a lady A." — Big Jay (01:49)

2. Concerts, Mosh Pits, and Metalhead Mayhem (03:52–09:43)

• Storytelling about wild rock/metal experiences:
  • Joe, Jay, and Lewis describe mosh pits, concert brawls, and the unique etiquette of live metal shows.
  • Explaining the “Wall of Death” and recounting Nate Bargatze’s hilarious confusion in a metal mosh pit.
• Historical origins and etiquette of mosh pits:
  • "It's all about, like, pulling each other off the ground and banging into each other and walking circles." — Big Jay (05:06)
• Generational changes in concert violence and audience behavior.

Notable Quote

• "If a brother falls, you pick your brother up. You don't stop him." — Big Jay (05:06)

3. Security, Justice, and Bro Diplomacy at Shows (12:17–15:55)

• Lewis’s attempts to keep the peace at Pantera concert fights:
  • Tension between groups turns into Lewis forcibly negotiating a handshake between combatants.
  • "Even if you just make someone shake hands, it de-escalates a little bit. It definitely de-escalates more than...there's no out." — Lewis (14:12)
• Public persona pressures—how being recognized as a comedian can limit “public outbursts.”
  • "I can't freak out anymore. I do Rogan and Kill Tony. Other people know who I am, so I can't have public outbursts." — Joe Rogan (15:04)

4. Growing Up with Music and Aging Out of Youth Culture (16:04–18:42)

• Jay and Lewis discuss first concerts, working security, and comedy shows at music venues.
• How amphitheaters and outdoor venues can be a nightmare for stand-up:
  • "It was a nightmare when comics performed there because you got tickets on the lawn, you couldn't understand what the fuck they were saying." — Lewis (17:43)

5. Comedy Legacy and the Pressure to Evolve (18:51–22:24)

• Debate about whether comics like Sam Kinison would’ve adapted to modern sensibilities.
• Struggles with the new "one-hour-per-year" standard set by Louis CK/Bill Burr.
  • "It was almost unsustainable to go..." — Joe Rogan (20:46)
• The reality that many comics' material matures best just after it’s filmed.

6. Filming Specials & Pre-Show Anxiety (22:26–26:40)

• The nerves and process of filming a comedy special, with stories about Netflix’s live tapings, and post-show regrets about “missing the perfect set.”
• Experimentation with live, crowd work-focused specials and the nerves it produces:
  • "I'd be very nervous doing that. And that would be kind of the fun of it..." — Big Jay (26:16)

7. The “Rogan-sphere,” the Manosphere, and Media Panics (28:04–29:38)

• Jokes about the “Rogan Sphere” and popular panics about online masculinity cultures, from Andrew Tate to Maxim Magazine.
  • Debating "guy culture" and the simple allure of sex, violence, and cars.

8. Porn, AI, and Deepfake Dystopia (34:54–41:41)

• Riffing on the decline of studio porn, rise of OnlyFans, and overabundance of adult content.
• Deepfakes and AI porn possibilities—Taylor Swift deepfakes, the threat of AI-generated celebrities.
  • "You're gonna be able to have Art Bell having sex with, you know, me." — Lewis (36:30)
• **Fears (and jokes) about realistic AI-content and how it’ll change movies. -Notable AI advancements: Real-time video generation, uncanny valley, and generational attitudes toward practical effects and CGI.

9. Movie Effects, Practical vs. Digital, and 80s Nostalgia (41:41–54:46)

• Nostalgia for classic practical effects (American Werewolf in London, Thriller, Jaws, Jurassic Park)—why practical sometimes works better than CGI.
• Extended riff on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” horror movies, and the cultural impact of 80s music videos.
  • Laughing about how corny "scary" classics now seem and how scared they were as kids.
• The legend of Michael Jackson, rumors of his chemical castration, and the never-ending debate over his scandals.

10. Culture Wars and Outrage Cycle (54:44–61:24)

• Ariana Grande/Wicked, Broadway controversies, and ever-offending internet culture.
• Old Hollywood practices: Directors slapping or tricking actors for “authentic” performances (Steve McQueen, Stanley Kubrick).
• Aging celebrities and plastic surgery culture (Kris Jenner’s “new head,” Dolly Parton, Kelly Osborne).
  • “There's some new surgery doing...correcting shitty surgery. And a few people you can see are weirdly looking better now.” — Big Jay (64:24)

11. Body Image, Confidence, and Baldness Technology (65:20–70:14)

• Men’s body insecurity, posture gadgets, balding, and new drugs that might regrow hair.
• Humorous confessions about bad haircuts and schoolyard trauma:
  • Joe’s sixth-grade mohawk—“In my mind, by tenth grade, it would be perfect. Blade.” (71:07)

12. Kung Fu Fantasies, Movies, and What Makes Real Violence (71:33–83:07)

• Chop-socky cinema vs. realistic fighting; the appeal and silliness of old kung fu movies.
• Realism in boxing movies—why “The Boxer” (with Daniel Day-Lewis) stands out.
• Blu-ray era, fighting stances, and the lack of real fighting skills among most people:
  • "Most people don't know how to fight, so that's sort of like the great equalizer." — Joe Rogan (83:23)

13. Drug Legalization, Prohibition, and Policy (90:43–109:32)

• Candid discussion of drugs—crack, LSD, cocaine—personal stories, and legality arguments.
  • "If you made it legal in America and pharmaceutical drug companies sold cocaine, you'd get, like, the best cocaine." — Lewis (99:18)
• The chilling story of Jay being dosed with acid unknowingly by Ari and Lewis at a comedy show:
  • "Why would my friends do this to me?" — Big Jay (95:44)
• International drug laws: Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, etc.—what works and what doesn’t.
  • "Do whatever you want to do with your body." — Joe Rogan (109:27)

14. Changing New York, Mayors, and Giuliani’s Fall (85:43–89:43)

• NYC politics: communist candidates, the fall of Giuliani, nostalgia for grittier, “sleazier” New York, and whether a dirty, romanticized city is worth the danger.
  • "There's plenty of soul still in Brooklyn. … The number one thing that you want to keep open forever and ever is peep shows. Like hey, maybe you got bad priorities." — Big Jay/Lewis (89:03)

15. City Life, Vice, and Legal Weed Wild-West (110:08–117:09)

• The unpredictable shift to legal weed in New York—dispensaries popping up, being shut down, and Mayor Adams burning $63 million in weed as a political statement.
  • "If I was the mayor...let's auction off this weed and give that money to the education system." — Lewis (112:30)

16. Repos, Murder Houses, and Ghost Stories (117:18–124:26)

• Stories about living near repo’d drug dealer cars, murder houses, and the reality vs. myth of haunted locations.
• True crime: Amityville Horror, Ed Gein—what’s fact vs. movie fiction.

17. Prison, Rehabilitation, and Escape Fantasies (130:12–139:55)

• Personal fears of prison and how machismo, seriousness, and lack of laughter dominate that environment:
  • "Being in prison would just—it's still the scariest fear of mine in the world." — Big Jay (130:20)
• Guard-inmate sex scandals, the trap of allowing women to guard male prisoners, and messy relationships on both sides of the law.
• Humorous but critical look at gold-diggers, May-December relationships, and the (non-)difference with prostitution.

18. Gold Diggers, Hollywood Relationships, and Age Gaps (140:10–149:59)

• Dissecting why young women date old, rich men (and whether it’s ever real love):
  • “She's so hot, she deserves some money.” — Joe Rogan (144:11)
• Self-deprecating takes on insecurity, looks, and romance as aging comics.
• Stories of Anna Nicole Smith, Mick Jagger, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the transactional nature of some relationships.

19. Desensitization, Extreme Content, and AI Dangers (150:05–165:31)

• Discussing internet extremity—porn “world records,” violent videos, faces of death, and the progressive loss of shock over time.
  • “The internet has kind of fucked us up on being desensitized to like really graphic imagery.” — Joe Rogan (155:02)
• Speculation on how AI will accelerate creation and consumption of extreme or tailored content.
• Optimism vs. Dread Over AI:
  • “I'm genuinely nervous that we're going to fucking...we're 10 years away from everything not mattering anymore.” — Joe Rogan (166:23)
  • Jamie demonstrates real-time AI video generation—no more clear line between reality and simulation.
  • “It’s over. Why would Hollywood spend any more...” — Lewis (170:50)
• The future of war: AI-driven weaponry, ethics of drone strikes, and the end of "heroic" combat.
• Government, militaries, and the ever-increasing autonomy of technology in war.

20. Closing / Upcoming Events (178:19–179:12)

• Skank Fest announcement: November 13–16, New Orleans; Saturday sold out, Friday and Sunday passes available.
• **Big Jay’s comedy double album preorder and Lewis plugging his new special “You're Making This Worse” on YouTube.
• **Joe Rogan and guests wrap up with mutual appreciation and irreverent goodbyes.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "If a brother falls, you pick your brother up. You don’t stop him." — Big Jay (05:06)
• "I feel like you could burn $63 million worth of weed and be like, it wasn’t even that big of a deal." — Joe Rogan (116:40)
• "The reality is, we're what technology needs to birth itself." — Lewis (168:51)
• "Desensitization is not fake… Extreme pornography, particularly. It is not fake." — Big Jay (153:00)
• "If you catch an AI's attention, it's going to remember everything. You're going to bring up that argument from eight years ago?" — Lewis (166:43)
• "I don't think you should smoke crack, but I don't think people are going to stop smoking crack." — Lewis (106:46)
• "It's so funny how it goes from like making something easy to like defunct..." — Lewis (167:45)

Final Thoughts

This episode epitomizes what fans love about Joe Rogan and frequent guests Luis J Gomez & Big Jay Oakerson: candid, uncensored humor; self-mocking honesty; deep dives into music, comedy, and current events; and a willingness to joke about the most taboo subjects. It’s both a time capsule of contemporary comedy culture and a cautionary tale about technology’s rapidly advancing future—with laughs, wild stories, and behind-the-scenes insight along the way. For anyone interested in the next evolution of stand-up, pop culture, and the American psyche, it’s essential JRE listening.

For more info on Skank Fest or guest specials, check the latest on their respective social media and websites.