Comedian Stavros Halkias recently shared a hilarious anecdote about Joe Rogan’s questionable music taste during an episode of his podcast Stavvy’s World.
During a green room hangout, Rogan became fixated on an AI-generated cover of 50 Cent’s “Many Men” reimagined in the style of Frank Sinatra. According to guest Jordan Jensen, the UFC commentator and podcast host played the track an astonishing nine times, thoroughly entertained by the novelty of hearing rap lyrics delivered with old-school crooner stylings.
“Rogan was obsessed with a 50 Cent song that he played nine times in the green room,” Jensen recounted. “I think it was Many Men but in the style of Frank Sinatra or something.”
Halkias looked embarassed, saying, “It’s so weird to like that song.”
Jensen immediately recognized the dad-coded nature of the situation, noting how Rogan’s enthusiasm revealed his age despite his youthful pursuits like martial arts.
She stated, “He played it five times in the green room…”
The behavior exemplified a specific type of boomer humor where AI-generated musical mashups become endlessly fascinating, particularly when they make hip-hop more palatable through the lens of classic American standards.
Halkias elaborated on the underlying dynamic at play, suggesting that for a 50-year-old white guy, the appeal lies in a nostalgia for traditional musical craftsmanship.
Halkias stated, “You forget he’s 50, sometimes. That is like dad [ ].”
He then humorously mimicked the thought process: “Isn’t it nice when they used to sing, when they used to have actual musical talent?”
The observation cuts to an uncomfortable truth about these AI musical experiments. As the comedians discussed, there’s often a layer of coded preferences at work. “It’s not race,” Halkias joked.
He said, “It’s a step up between racism. It’s we still want to hear from them but in a way that makes me comfortable.”
Guest Esther Povitsky ultimately suggested that the comedians should simply embrace Rogan’s eccentricities rather than overanalyze them.
“I think I’ve come around and I think that you have to just accept your weird parents,” Halkias concluded.
Joe Rogan catches a stray for replaying AI 50 cent in the green room
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