During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan and MrBeast spent a significant portion of their conversation brainstorming what could be one of the most ambitious reality shows ever attempted: a zombie apocalypse survival experience set in an abandoned city.
While the two covered everything from set design to practical effects, one of the most notable moments came when Rogan actively encouraged MrBeast to keep contestants sleep deprived throughout the competition.
The concept, developed organically during the podcast, would involve a group of contestants, potentially including Navy SEALs and other survival experts, living in a sealed-off abandoned city while fending off waves of actors dressed as zombies. As the two worked through the details, Rogan zeroed in on the psychological power of exhaustion as a storytelling device.
“You got to give them stuff to do during the day so that they’re fully occupied so they can’t sleep,” Rogan said. “It’s really important. The more they do during the day, it optimizes the amount of money they can win.”
The structure Rogan proposed would keep contestants engaged with tasks and puzzles throughout daylight hours, leaving them little opportunity to rest. Then, as darkness fell, the real tension would begin.
Rogan laid out the format directly: “The show starts at sundown every night. As soon as the sun goes down, that’s when the games begin. Nothing happens until it gets dark out. Everything is in the dark.”
MrBeast, who hosts Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video, was initially hesitant.
“If I made it too hard where people couldn’t sleep or whatever,” he said, suggesting the idea might draw public criticism.
Rogan pushed back without hesitation.
“You can’t read those articles. You just got to make an awesome show. The awesome show is you keep these people awake and you make it so that they can choose to sleep if they want. But there are tasks to achieve,” Rogan stated. “And if you can complete these tasks, you have the potential to make a lot of money. But if you don’t complete the tasks, you can’t make any money even if you survive.”
By structuring the show this way, Rogan argued, producers would never technically force anyone to stay awake. The financial incentive would handle that on its own. Contestants who chose rest over tasks would simply fall behind on earnings, creating a relentless natural pressure to push through fatigue.
MrBeast left the conversation visibly energized by the concept, noting that his heart rate had climbed as they talked through it.
“When I talk about an idea and I can feel my heart rate get elevated, I’m usually like, that’s a good indicator that it’s a good idea,” he said.
