Joe Rogan Is Drunken Mess At Austin Performance

The woman holding a poster reading “UNVAXXED SPERM” outside the theater signals that you have arrived at Joe Rogan’s new comedy club, Comedy Mothership, on Austin’s historic Sixth Street. The venue, which took two and a half years to develop, is Rogan’s attempt to create an ideal space for comedians and establish the Texas capital as a major live comedy hub. Tickets for the opening week of shows sold out within minutes, and resellers are now asking $500 for them online.

 


 

The theme of the venue is a combination of aliens and art deco, with a UFO above the door, a warning that “Hecklers Will Be Alienated,” and a Stargate-like arch over the main stage. The theater is decorated in black and purple and is the coolest-looking comedy venue in Austin. The opening performances are billed as “Joe Rogan and Friends,” and the audience is made up of Rogan’s typical fanbase of bros, beards, and ball caps. Jokes about trans people and a gay slur are thrown out, and the audience hoots in approval.

During a Q&A session, Rogan admits he was super nervous on opening night and notes that he enjoys taking risks. He has banned phones at the venue and implemented tight security measures. The club has two stages, a headliner room called Fat Man and a smaller stage called Little Boy. The bar is named after Mitzi Shore, co-founder of the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, where Rogan previously worked. The wait staff struggles to move around the cramped floor seating, and the club has an old-school two-drink minimum policy. Despite some criticisms, comedians like Roseanne Barr express gratitude to Rogan for creating the venue.

Rogan has been passionate about the project since he moved to Austin in 2020 and decided to start a club after Capital City Comedy Club closed. Comedy Mothership is Rogan’s attempt to create the perfect venue for comedians while establishing Austin as a major live comedy destination.

“I’m drunk and on mushrooms in my new club!” exclaimed Rogan while wearing a rather odd, Obi-Wan-like sweater. “This is as high as I’ve ever been onstage. I need to connect with this moment … You can’t fire me from my own club, bitch!

“It doesn’t feel real. I know it’s real, but it doesn’t feel real … I was super nervous today.” Asked what his next milestone is, Rogan replied, “I’m done with milestones. I think I just like risks. I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, let’s buy a building on a street filled with crack addicts.’ Like, I want someone to say no to me. They’re all like, ‘OK, go ahead.’” He also noted that his dream podcast guest would be Hunter Biden. “I can turn this around for you,” Rogan said. “If my dad had Alzheimer’s, and I was doing coke, I would have done the exact same shit you did. I really want to get him on.”

Harrison Carter
Harrison Carter
Harrison Carter has been a huge pro wrestling fan since 2002, and it's been his first love ever since then. He has years of writing experience for all things pro wrestling. His interests outside of wrestling include films, books and soccer.

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