In January, comedian Katt Williams stirred up the comedy world when he appeared on Shannon Sharp’s podcast for some truth-telling on Joe Rogan's influence on the comedy world. “Joe got six comedians that never (sic) been funny he wanna push out,” said Williams referring to a small group of Rogan's buddies who show up on his podcast over and over. Williams didn't identify those comedians, but I'd guess he was talking about Brendan Schaub, Bert Kreischer, Tom Segura, Andrew Schultz, Ari Shaffir, and Bryan Callen.
Brendan Schaub has appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast 91 times, more than any other guest. Still, he's merely a “filler” guest who gets the call so often because he's Rogan’s buddy, and Rogan’s loyal to his pals, however uninteresting they may be. Several years ago, Rogan decided that Schaub’s career as a UFC fighter was sunsetting, so he should move into the field of standup comedy. The results of Rogan's career advice have been a pitiful sight, making his protege into a punchline among comics. Schaub’s comedy special, Gringo Papi, filmed in Dallas is the least funny event to happen in that town since the Kennedy assassination. Rogan won't even let Schaub appear at his Austin comedy club, The Mothership.
Bert Kreischer, with 37 JRE appearances, is another member of Rogan’s goon squad, although unlike Schaub he's had financial success as a comedian. He had an adventure show on Travel Channel and a low-rated comedy special on Showtime when Rogan called him up and told him to quit TV because he was a storyteller who should be telling his stories on stage. Travel Channel fired Kreischer, and he went on to do a bunch of sold-out comedy shows, partly owing to his ability to promote himself online.
Kreischer’s signature move is to take his shirt off, exposing his obese torso. He does this during his act, and even while sitting on a couch on a podcast. Why? It's a “look-at-me” move from a guy who craves attention, like all of Rogan’s squad does. When Kreischer appeared on Tony Hinchcliffe's popular comedy show, Kill Tony, New York comic Jim Norton cracked a funny ad lib. Instead of letting Norton take all the well-deserved applause from the audience, Kreischer doffed his shirt so he could get in on the action.
Tom Segura, who co-hosts the Two Bears, One Cave podcast with Kreischer, has appeared on JRE 41 times. He was funny when he was chubby, but after he hired a personal trainer and buffed up, the laughs started to go the way of his excess pounds. His act now is like listening to your boring friend who won't stop talking about the funny things his kids do. It's the laziest form of comedy. Still, Segura’s had a lucrative standup career, regularly drawing thousands of fans to large venues. His annoying and arrogant behavior, however, has turned off many of those fans. He had alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate (who was just arrested in Romania again last week) on his podcast so he could fawn all over him. When Tate said that women should be submissive to men, Segura said he was “speaking the gospel.” When Tate mocked the idea of a woman wanting “thoughts and opinions and a job,” Segura responded, “Yeah, shut the fuck up.”
Last year, when an airport employee made Segura check his bag, he had a two-day meltdown beginning with this tweet: “Dumb cunt from @AmericanAir made me gate check my bag so she feels the little power she has in her life. I get it. You win this round, cunt.” When this repulsive, prima-donna-like rage elicited a bunch of negative responses from his fans, Segura dug deeper, tweeting, "All the poors and losers have the same response ‘ohhh you were inconvenienced well you should accept it.’” Segura’s let his money go to his head, but that's not a trait comedy audiences find attractive.
Andrew Schulz is another Rogan regular who got some fame and began to buy the hype. Schulz is annoying before he opens his mouth because of the bizarre, Hitleresque haircut he's sported lately. It's the equivalent of Bert Kreischer’s gross shirtless look as an attention-grabbing device. Schulz once charged his fans for his latest comedy special and then put it on Netflix a month later. His popular podcast, Flagrant, consists of him sitting around and drinking with his subservient comedy buddies while he slaps his leg and does his big fake laugh.
Bryan Callen has appeared on JRE 86 times, which is a lot of airtime for a comedian whose standup act may be less funny than Rogan’s. Callen’s not as annoying as the rest of Rogan's boys, but he's hardly worth mentioning. He's made four comedy specials but hasn't been able to sell any to a streaming service.
Ari Shaffir has 67 JRE appearances, where he has to behave, but when he appears on Kill Tony he's known for pulling his testicles out. He's violent too. Comedian Bobby Lee once invited some of his MADtv buddies to L.A.’s Comedy Store for his set. Shaffir’s girlfriend was there, met one of Lee’s friends, and was soon dating him. Shaffir blamed Lee and physically assaulted him on three different occasions. Shaffir once “pranked” Bert Kreischer at Kreischer’s home, in front of his kids, by spiking his drink with molly. Rogan laughed about this when Shaffir told him about the incident on JRE.
Shaffir’s comic crutch is trying to be edgy, even though he's 50. On the day of Kobe Bryant’s death, Shaffir wrote this on Twitter: “Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today. He got away with rape because all the Hollywood liberals who attack comedy enjoy rooting for the Lakers more than they dislike rape. I hate the Lakers. What a great day!”
That caused an internet firestorm about a “bad joke,” but there's no joke there. It was a straight troll; another attention-grabber from a member of a group desperate for attention. Rogan’s squad showed promise early on, but became unbearable narcissists as soon as they got a taste of fame and money. Comedy kingmaker, Rogan, isn't funny. What a surprise that it worked out like this.