Comedian Carlos Mencia has called attention to allegations that Joe Rogan stole a joke from Brendan Schaub, a comedian often criticized for his lack of success in the industry.
In 2005, Joe Rogan publicly accused comedian Carlos Mencia of stealing jokes from other comedians during a performance at the Comedy Store. The incident, captured on film, led to Rogan being banned from the club, though he refused to apologize. Rogan later criticized the Comedy Store for allowing plagiarism, noting that Mencia was more valuable to the club at the time. Mencia’s credibility took a hit, worsened by a viral video of the confrontation.
Fast forward to 2024, and a popular YouTuber has accused Joe Rogan of stealing material from fellow comedian Brendan Schaub in his latest Netflix special, Burn the Boats. The YouTuber claims Rogan’s set includes jokes and punchlines strikingly similar to Schaub’s work, undermining Rogan’s status as a leading comedian.
Schaub has faced similar plagiarism accusations in the past.
During a candid interview with VladTV, Mencia expressed his frustration with the ongoing trend of comedians accusing each other of joke theft. He reflected on his own experiences with such accusations and how they’ve impacted the comedy community as a whole.
Mencia revealed that he recently learned about Rogan being accused of stealing material from Schaub during his latest Netflix special. The irony of the situation was not lost on Mencia, given Rogan’s past role in publicly accusing other comedians, including Mencia himself, of joke theft.
“This is what I didn’t want,” Mencia said, referring to the proliferation of joke-stealing accusations. “Whether what he did or didn’t [do] is… I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m not getting involved in it. It’s not my thing. But it’s just like, this is what you started, this is what we started with all this [stuff].”
“As someone who has gone through multiple cancelled cycles already, I’m on my third or fourth one,” Mencia stated, emphasizing the resilience required in the entertainment industry. He went on to express his long-held philosophy: “Unless they kill you or put you in prison, y’all ain’t canceling [anything].”
Mencia’s comments hint at a broader concern about the impact of these accusations on the comedy world. “It’s diminishing what we do,” he explained, “It’s diminishing who we are as comedians. It’s taking away the power, the beauty, the artistry of what we do.”
The comedian also touched on the inevitability of influence in creative fields. “We all borrow from something, come from somewhere,” Mencia noted, drawing parallels to other art forms like music where similar patterns and inspirations are common.
While Mencia insists that he owes his demise to Rogan’s popularity and break through into mainstream culture it’s not exactly accurate. Mencia was given several longform interviews – and he repeatedly refused to take accountability for anything that transpired at the time.
