In 2022, Joe Rogan interviewed Substack CEO Chris Best on his podcast. And a colleague of the guest has revealed the bizarre offer given to everyone before recording.
The UFC commentator began his podcast in 2009 and it has grown to become one of the most popular shows on the planet, with more than 19 million YouTube subscribers and a regular place atop the Spotify charts.
In 2020, Rogan signed a $100 million deal with Spotify to give the streaming giant exclusive rights to the Joe Rogan Experience, and the stand-up comedian renewed the agreement last year in a $250 million deal.
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The JRE has features some of the most famous people in the world as guests, including Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Mike Tyson.
Lulu Cheng Meservey, who was Substacks vice-president of communications at the time, accompanied Best when he appeared on the show. And in a blog post, she has revealed what it is like to guest in the hit podcast.
"Joe books his guests himself," she explained. "If he wants to chat with someone, he texts or emails them directly. Occasionally his buddy Matt helps reach out to people, but usually it’s just Joe on his phone, confirming guests and plugging tapings into the calendar.
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"Unlike a typical show, there’s no producer going back and forth with you on topics, format, or anything else. There’s no elaborate prep or negotiation. When Joe suggests a date, you agree and make travel plans, and then you just show up at the address he gives you."
Merservey also described what it's like inside Rogan's bespoke studio space in Austin, Texas.
"There is a large pool room that also serves as an overflow room for all the art and decor and gifts that they haven’t put on display yet," she wrote. "There is a huge gym — probably bigger than a high school basketball gym — with advanced equipment and fighting gear. There is an indoor archery range that includes a Kevlar screen where you can project realistic videos of game animals to shoot with a real bow and arrow, then zoom in on your shots to analyze how you did."
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And, interestingly, Merservey also lifted the lid on a bizarre offer made to guests who appear on the show.
"At a long desk in the big main room sits an attractive nurse," Merservey said. "She offers us an enhancer of B12 or NAD+, through a shot or an IV.
"Later, just before taping, Joe goes over and gets his own jab of NAD+. His might actually be NAD+++ judging by the resulting energy levels, because he then proceeds to power through several hours of podcasting followed shortly afterwards by a standup show at a local bar."
Ryan Baldi