Joe Rogan recently had comedian Sam Morrill on his podcast, where he expressed his contempt for comics who steal material.
During the conversation, Rogan stated, “I think the real issue with the thieves is that the inclination to steal is directly opposite of the mindset that’s required to create. It’s changes who you think who you think they are. It changes everything.”
Rogan seemed particularly bothered by comedians who watch another performer’s bit and then do their own version. He noted, “Especially if you know that they saw you do a bit and then they do a version.”
It was a strong stance from someone who has built a reputation as comedy’s moral arbiter, especially after his famous confrontation with Carlos Mencia over joke theft.
However, Rogan’s own comedy career tells a different story. While he’s known for calling out thieves, his stage presence, delivery style, and even specific premises bear striking similarities to material performed by other comedians years before him.
Take his notorious stool-humping routine, which became one of the main examples critics use when discussing his comedy. That bit originally belonged to Damon Wayans, who performed it in his 1997 HBO special, years before Rogan incorporated it into his act.
Wayans was exceptional at physical comedy, using the stool and microphone stand as props throughout his performances. When Rogan adopted this approach in 2001, the execution fell considerably short. His physical comedy became so over-the-top that multiple guests on his own podcast confronted him about it, including one who stated that when you see someone moving around like that on stage, “they’re not funny.”
Shortly after these conversations, Rogan abandoned the stool-humping and excessive physicality.
But the most significant influence on Rogan’s comedy is Sam Kinison. Rogan has repeatedly told the story of how a coworker’s impression of Kinison in 1986 inspired him to pursue stand-up comedy. He’s recounted this origin story approximately ten times on his podcast, crediting Kinison as the sole reason he entered comedy.
The problem is that Rogan never really moved beyond imitation. His yelling delivery, stage presence, and overall energy are essentially a Kinison impersonation. When you watch clips side by side, the similarities in cadence, inflection, and performance style are undeniable.
Rogan himself has acknowledged that comedians often unconsciously mimic their influences early in their careers.
He noted, “We all have influences and when we’re starting out, we like you hear other comedians that you really love come out of your own mouth almost like with the intonations and the inflections and you almost kind of mimic them in your delivery.”
The difference is that most comedians eventually develop their own voice. Rogan appears to have remained in the imitation phase for decades.
Perhaps most problematic is the joke Rogan included in his 2024 special “Burn the Boats” about wishing he was with his male friends during quarantine. The premise and structure mirror a bit Brendan Schaub performed in his 2022 special.
Both jokes revolve around how much easier life would be if they were in relationships with their male friends, using nearly identical setups and punchlines. This becomes particularly awkward given that Rogan reportedly prevented Schaub from performing at his Comedy Mothership club around that same time.
Since the release of “Burn the Boats,” Rogan has notably avoided performing anywhere in the United States outside of his own venue in Austin. He’s spoken about taking a break from touring and enjoying the “no pressure” environment of just working out material at his club. For someone who positions himself as a guardian of comedy integrity, the reluctance to test material in front of neutral audiences speaks volumes.
