Joe Rogan Experience #2508 - Joe Eszterhas
In a Nutshell
Joe Eszterhas, 81, recounts his wild life as a journalist turned screenwriter who wrote Basic Instinct in 13 days on cocaine and Rolling Stones, sold it for $3 million, and built a career on raw, sexual, and violent stories drawn from his police beat and civil rights coverage. After surviving stage-four throat cancer, he converted to Christianity, became obsessed with the historical Jesus as a revolutionary rather than a gentle figure, and now prays before the Shroud of Turin while rejecting overly pious church portrayals. The conversation also covers his deep friendship with Hunter S. Thompson, wild encounters with Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding, and his skepticism toward militarized ICE tactics and the precedent they set for future abuses of power.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Joe Eszterhas brought a cane carved by the Dogon people from Mali. The cane was made by a family that has been crafting them for 100 years. Many of the Dogon were killed in the Rwanda wars. The cane is heavy, beautifully made, and has been Eszterhas's companion for many years. It appears indestructible.
The Dogon have a complex origin mythology centered on the supreme creator Amma and the cosmic journey of the amphibious water spirits known as the Nummo. According to Dogon traditions, the Nummo descended to Earth from the Sirius star system in a giant ark-like vessel containing the eight original human ancestors along with the seeds and animals needed to populate the world.
Eszterhas has a daughter who is a nature photographer working extensively in Africa and is familiar with these cultural traditions.
Zelensky and his wife have watched Basic Instinct at least 15 times. According to a recent biography, their viewing began during their courtship. She saw him with a tape and asked what it was; he said "Basic Instinct." They watched it together and it had such an impact that they continued viewing it on anniversaries.
Eszterhas notes Putin attacked first in the Ukraine conflict. He expresses sympathy for the Ukrainians, citing his Hungarian background and the 1956 Soviet suppression of the Hungarian uprising.
Eszterhas has written 18 produced films with 34 total scripts written, leaving 16 unproduced. He describes a "twisted little man" inside him who is perpetually 29 years old and handles all writing with strong sexual content. Eszterhas refers to this persona as his main invisible companion, similar to how children have imaginary friends.
Sign in to read the full notes
Get access to AI-generated notes, topic timestamps, and more.