Joe Rogan Experience #2523 - Ali Siddiq
In a Nutshell
Ali Siddiq stresses that comedians should focus on process—writing, performing, refining material—rather than obsessing over social media metrics, ticket-sale inflation, or comparisons to peers. He and Rogan criticize how widespread sports betting creates incentives for game manipulation and examine how hierarchy and money corrupt both athletics and politics. They also explore CIA involvement in the hippie movement and gangster rap, the value of authentic parenting over performative success, and the realities of nature, ecosystems, and human interference.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Joe Rogan and Ali Siddiq discuss LeBron James at age 41 and whether he will return to the Lakers. They compare his longevity to other elite athletes including Tom Brady who played until 44, Bernard Hopkins who beat Kelly Pavlik at 42, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who retired around 42. Hopkins maintained extreme discipline with daily running, nutrition, and consistent training without taking extended breaks, which contributed to his longevity. Kareem retired before modern sports science advancements.
Jamie provides information on NBA drug testing policies. Previously the NBA tested for marijuana on October 1st at the start of preseason, and if players were clean then they would not be tested again for the rest of the year. The current policy allows the NBA to randomly drug test each player up to four times during the season and two times in the offseason, with additional tests for reasonable cause. Marijuana is no longer part of the standard testing panel. Rogan notes that many NBA players report they cannot play unless they are high. Pool players similarly prefer to be intoxicated before competing because it enhances their feel for the game.
A recent betting scandal involves an NBA player accused of throwing at least four games. The discussion distinguishes between different types of game manipulation: missing shots on purpose versus scoring extra points in the final seconds to beat a point spread. One case involved a player sprinting down the court to score an additional basket with 3 seconds left when down by 7-10 points to beat an 8.5-point spread. Rogan argues that if a player is scoring rather than missing on purpose, it should not be considered problematic because it demonstrates competitiveness.
A recent World Cup match involved Algeria where both teams needed only a tie to advance to the knockout round. With four minutes remaining and the score tied, one team scored, causing tension on the field. With two minutes left, the opposing team appeared to stop playing defense and allowed the other team to score. The incident raised questions about whether this was collusion and what consequences would follow for players, coaches, and teams if proven.
Rogan expresses concern about sports betting because it creates incentives for players to manipulate outcomes for spreads, props, or other wagers. He notes that sports betting has historically been one of the most corrupt aspects of society over the past century, alongside the legal system. Sports and politics share similarities in that money influences decisions and outcomes. Ali adds that anything involving hierarchy and money creates opportunities for manipulation, including awards shows where voters can be influenced through dinners and relationships. Company employees voting on their own projects creates similar conflicts.
Politics represents the ultimate example of hierarchy because unqualified individuals can make decisions affecting millions of lives. Appointed judges bring ideological biases to cases involving abortion rights, immigration, and other issues. A recent Supreme Court case involving transgender women in women's sports resulted in a 6-3 decision against allowing trans women to compete. Ali argues that biological differences in strength make it unfair and potentially dangerous for biological males to compete in women's sports, citing Title IX's original purpose of giving women equal opportunities. He emphasizes that excluding biological males from women's sports is not cruel and does not require ostracizing transgender individuals from society.
Ali explains his decision to avoid current affairs and political comedy because he prioritizes bringing audiences together rather than dividing them. Rogan acknowledges Ali's organic success in building a large following without production companies or promotional machinery, achieved purely through consistent work and quality content.
Ali discusses receiving criticism for addressing how inflated social media numbers contribute to depression among comedians. The constant comparison of follower counts, views, and engagement creates mental health struggles for performers who feel inadequate despite their actual accomplishments. He references his own experience of having only 500 Instagram followers and 300 YouTube subscribers when Comedy Central selected him for a half-hour special in 2017 and a full-hour special in 2018. The network chose him based on his live performance quality rather than his social media metrics.
Dane Cook's rise through MySpace represented an earlier era of internet-driven comedy success before social media metrics became central to industry decisions. Ali notes that despite having millions of followers and multiple specials with millions of views, he still gets overlooked for events like the BET Awards. He refuses to judge his career against others who attend more events or receive more recognition despite having less proven success.
Ali refuses to inflate his accomplishments by putting fewer tickets on sale than a venue's capacity and then claiming a sellout. If a theater holds 4,600 people but he only puts 2,000 tickets on sale and sells them all, he acknowledges this as selling 2,000 tickets rather than selling out the full venue. He describes a situation in San Antonio where a theater employee tried to diminish his sold-out show by comparing it to Matt Rife's performance at the same venue.
Ali uses the Kevin Garnett trade as an analogy for career comparisons. The Boston Celtics traded seven players plus a lottery pick to acquire Garnett from Minnesota. If someone wanted to make a player feel inadequate, they could point out they were traded away as part of a package for one player. Ali chooses not to internalize such comparisons and instead focuses on his own accomplishments without competing against others.
Ali argues that competition should serve as inspiration and fuel rather than creating bitterness or negativity toward those doing better. When he performed at comedy clubs that papered the room with free tickets, he focused on the fact that 240 people showed up and enjoyed the show, which led to paid attendance on subsequent visits. Rogan notes that this represents the traditional comedy career path of building markets through consistent quality performances before social media existed.
Comedians face different challenges when performing for their own established fans versus winning over new people in a club setting. When people come specifically to see a performer, the audience is already won over or taking a chance based on reputation. In contrast, performing in a papered room at a club presents an opportunity to turn strangers into fans and give them a great night while doing the work.
Being results-oriented focuses on the goal itself, but being process-oriented means concentrating on the steps that lead there. The process involves writing bits, performing them, tweaking them, getting them tight, reviewing tapes, going over material and writing, and talking with friends. Every day the work gets a little bigger, a little better, and the skills get sharper. This process leads to becoming who you are.
Hosting shows for other comedians at the Houston Improv allowed exposure to audiences that would never have seen the performer otherwise. This included shows featuring Bobby Lee, Monster Jabbar, Angela Johnson, and others. By hosting for multiple audiences in a month, fans were gained from four different crowds. The strategy worked because people would return later saying they saw the performer with previous headliners.
When hosting for Bill Burr at the Paramount in Austin while wearing all black, audience members mistook the host for an usher and asked for directions to the bathroom. The first thing said on stage was: "Hey, I do not work here."
Process orientation applies across disciplines including music and archery. John Dudley, who taught archery and competed worldwide, emphasized this approach. Social media creates problems when people spend disproportionate energy comparing themselves to others and focusing on numbers instead of their own work. With 100 units of energy per day, spending too much on comparison and external validation is counterproductive.
Having goals like selling out a theater one day is valid, comparable to earning a PhD in chemistry. The focus should remain on appreciating the work and doing your best. Looking at successful people as inspiration rather than becoming a hater is essential. Hater tendencies involve diminishing others, downplaying achievements, and viewing people in the least charitable way. This behavior never leads to excellence and actually robs people of self-esteem and self-respect.
A father's advice stated that people spend the same time and money being fake when they could put that same time and money into being real. Buying a fake necklace to pretend to be rich makes less sense than investing in becoming actually wealthy. An uncle named Vinnie gave similar advice at age six or seven about brushing teeth instead of pretending to brush them by smearing toothpaste around. The time spent faking could have been used to actually do the thing.
Telling the truth is sometimes hurtful, but giving falsehoods instead of truth is the ultimate form of hate. Making up backgrounds or stories about one's life that are not true is pretending to be somewhere one is not. While stories exist of people faking their way to success with only $500 in their bank account who then secured loans and built businesses, these cases are rare. Many such stories end with legal consequences like arrests for fraud or tax issues, as seen with recent cases involving Carlos.
Tax dollars should be spent accountably, and voters should be able to decide where their money goes. Questions arise about spending on White House renovations, including a new East Wing Ballroom projected to cost about 600 million with roughly half coming from taxpayer-funded accounts. Comparisons are made to fraud in nonprofits and insider trading. When viewing the country as a community, the goal should be fewer losers through more opportunities, support, and education in impoverished neighborhoods.
After 9/11, the country experienced a period of unity where people realized they were on the same team. This demonstrated that deeply impoverished neighborhoods riddled with crime and drug abuse for decades could potentially be fixed with genuine effort. Making America great requires intelligent people in positions, and divisive rhetoric does not contribute to this goal.
Some public figures operate like professional wrestlers with exaggerated personas designed to maximize attention. This includes wearing American flag bandanas, using Hulk Hogan music, conducting interviews with sunglasses, and making provocative statements. The strategy is recognized as divisive by design but effective for gaining attention that translates into money and opportunities. Comparisons are drawn to Muhammad Ali's tactics of getting into opponents' heads before fights.
A fighter who defeated Derrick Lewis at the White House previously fought Curtis Blades, a top-10 UFC heavyweight, going three rounds in a war. Derrick Lewis possesses exceptional grip strength measured at 218 pounds casually, compared to strong fighters at 160-190 pounds. Ten years prior, Derrick Lewis would have been more difficult to handle due to his ability to get up from takedowns.
Parents were hippies who never watched fighting but wanted Muhammad Ali to win his rematch against Leon Spinks. A grandmother went to jail for running numbers for the mob but would not rat anyone out. An observation about Sicilians having darker features due to historical African influence was made during a show when an Italian man from Sicily raised his hand when asked where the Africans were in the audience.
The CIA bought up the world's supply of LSD in the 1950s and brought it to Eli Lilly for reverse engineering, creating an unlimited supply. Ken Kesey participated in early testing, wrote a bestselling book, and hosted acid tests featuring an unknown band called the Grateful Dead. Government mind control experiments from the 1960s are believed to continue today, with possible involvement from Russia and China influencing online divisions.
The Grateful Dead followed their tours in a bus and carried a vat of Kool-Aid laced with LSD, maintaining what seemed like an endless supply while spreading hippie culture across the US. The CIA simultaneously flooded college campuses with LSD under the guise of research. The Grateful Dead was one of many bands involved in this movement.
In Laurel Canyon, a wave of musicians emerged who shared a common background: they were all children of high-ranking military officials. Jim Morrison of The Doors was the son of an admiral. Frank Zappa's father was a chemical warfare specialist. Crosby, Stills, and Nash also fit this pattern.
The theory presented is that the CIA orchestrated the hippie movement to steer a genuine anti-war movement into something easier to manage, described as "dissent without teeth." The hippie slogan "turn on, tune in, and drop out" encouraged taking acid and removing oneself from society, leading many to drop out and live in communes in the woods.
This intersection between hippie culture and the CIA could be coincidence. Military brats might naturally want to rebel. The CIA might have distributed acid because they were "chill like that." The suggestion is that the CIA may have created the hippie movement and that many people's favorite bands may have been involved.
The same forces had significant influence on gangster rap, with 100% proven involvement in promoting it. The intent was to push gangster rap over other forms of music to fill prisons. Rap music changed around 1992, shifting away from positive rap.
Straight Outta Compton was not drug-fueled but contained rebellious songs against the system, including "Fuck the Police." After 1992, the decision was made to eliminate positive rap acts like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. The directive was to move away from unifying songs like "Self Destruction" and "West Coast All Stars" because the goal was divisiveness and separation.
The biggest moments of national unity observed were the Olympics with the Dream Team, 9/11, and COVID. These events create awareness of life's fragility and the need to function as a team.
A functioning team requires members to value each other. A team cannot function if teammates are poisoning each other, allowing rotten food consumption, providing inferior gear intentionally, or restricting sleep to prevent growth and advancement. The result is perpetual fatigue, drug use, and poverty.
Parenting is difficult when the primary goal is survival. Effective parenting requires operating from a comfortable space rather than nervous tension. The analogy given is that "nervous chickens really don't lay eggs."
The speaker's mother operated strictly from a survival mindset, working two jobs and attending school while raising children. This meant no family vacations. The speaker now parents from a different position, able to take children on vacations, and feels grateful for this difference. Parenting from frustration is understood but not ideal.
A balancing act exists in parenting: protecting children while preventing softness, teaching them to handle their own problems, and helping them understand consequences of actions. The line involves encouragement, punishment, and explaining that current circumstances are unusual and fortunate.
Children ultimately learn from parental behavior more than words. A lazy parent making constant excuses loses respect from children who recognize inauthenticity early.
Punishing children becomes complicated after achieving success. Telling a child they are on punishment and then taking them to Cabo creates confusion. The child questions whether they are actually being punished when receiving room service with Coca-Cola, French fries, lamb chops, and oysters while overlooking the ocean.
The speaker's mother would go to her room to watch Knots Landing and Dynasty while the children had no TV access since there was only one television. Modern homes have TVs in every room, making punishment different. One suggested punishment was watching Falcon Crest together, which led to the children becoming addicted to the show.
The speaker was punished while watching MASH and Bonanza and grew to love MASH, crying when the show ended.
Jamie Farr, who played Klinger on MASH, was the speaker's neighbor in California, living two houses down. He was described as cool and friendly.
The speaker used to listen to morning radio shows like Tom Joyner while driving children to school. Current radio content includes cursing and other elements the speaker does not want children exposed to. The B-word is now allowed on radio, though the F-word remains prohibited. With daughters in the car, certain content becomes problematic.
Alternative listening includes NPR and Urban Network, though political content creates questions from young children about voting.
The recommendation is to show children shows from previous generations: Perry Mason, Family Matters, The Cosby Show, A Different World, and Good Times. Current content is avoided.
The speaker took his 14-year-old son Hassan to a comedy show at a gym event for bodybuilders and trainers. The content went inappropriate, and they left. The speaker referenced Cosby's story about taking his son to see Eddie Murphy. The performer was doing shock-value comedy for adults drinking in nightclubs, not suitable for a child.
The speaker states he does not do shock value or excessive sexual content in his comedy because he has a life with other topics to discuss. He realized sex was not the primary focus when he wanted to actually watch a movie during a "Netflix and chill" situation.
Comedy lacks defined genres like music has blues, rock and roll, hip-hop, or EDM. It is simply comedy, representing different perspectives. People enjoy different styles: Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison, Jerry Seinfeld, Bonnie Raitt, James Brown, and others.
The speaker does not care what style comedians use as long as they enjoy what they are doing. Props, signs, impressions, and various approaches are all acceptable.
The speaker watched Carol Burnett and HBO comedy but knew Gallagher's style was not what he would pursue. Gallagher's act involved audience members wearing plastic garbage bags around their necks while he smashed watermelons, pineapples, coconuts, and cabbage, splattering the front six rows.
Gallagher retired and his brother took over as Gallagher 2. Gallagher later decided to return to performing and told his brother the arrangement was ending. The brother refused, stating he was making money as Gallagher 2.
A legal dispute occurred. Ron Gallagher, who resembled his brother Leo Gallagher, received permission to perform the Sledge-O-Matic routine with the condition that promotional materials clarify he was Ron Gallagher, not Leo. Ron performed in smaller venues.
Ron began promoting himself as Gallagher 2 or Gallagher TOO or TWWO, sometimes without clarifying he was not the original. Leo requested his brother stop using the Sledge-O-Matic routine. Ron continued anyway.
In August 2000, Leo sued Ron for trademark violations and false advertising. The court sided with Leo and granted an injunction prohibiting Ron from impersonating his brother in small clubs and venues, and from intentionally bearing likeness to Leo.
Gallagher had a special in 2007 and 2014. The concern was that audiences might choose the cheaper Gallagher 2 show over the original.
Carrot Top is mentioned as another prop-based comedian.
The speaker states he would not take young children to see comedians with very sexual, rowdy, or raunchy content. At one event, the speaker's son was in the green room and visible to the performer. The speaker simply left without confrontation, telling the host he was removing his child from the situation.
The speaker would not take his daughters to see such content.
The speaker had his six and eight-year-old daughters watch the original Alien movie and later realized they were too young. His son Hassan watched Annabelle at someone else's house with other children and was traumatized, requiring all lights on and sleeping in his parents' bed.
The Zak Bagans Haunted Museum in Las Vegas houses the real Annabelle doll. The movie version and real doll are displayed side by side. The real doll has eyes resembling a person's, making it particularly unsettling.
The speaker believes in ghosts and unsettled spirits. In his old house where his mother now lives, a female ghost resides, appearing only from the hallway bathroom to the kitchen. During the pandemic, while working in the den, the speaker turned and acknowledged the presence, asking if she was up.
Family members have had experiences with deceased relatives. An uncle saw his father (the speaker's grandfather) in his shoes. The mother saw the grandfather before he died in the Mississippi house.
The speaker's grandmother believed in ghosts. A man who rented an upstairs room in their home died, and she believed his spirit remained.
Traumatic deaths may leave residual energy or memory in spaces. This is why some jurisdictions require disclosure when someone has been murdered in a house before sale. The theory is that things retain energy from traumatic experiences.
There's something more to memory than just remembering events from childhood. There's a type of memory in things themselves. Belief in the unseen world includes jinns and angels, things that existed before humans and continue to exist alongside us.
Psychedelic experiences like DMT make people recognize that there are things around us influencing us constantly. Good energy and bad energy become clearly recognizable in these states. One experience involved seeing dark fractals when having negative thoughts, then realizing the patterns were caused by those thoughts. Releasing the negative thoughts transformed the patterns into beautiful geometric designs, demonstrating that the way you think changes the world around you and has a meaningful effect, even if not 100% of outcomes.
There are conscious entities around us that humans lack the senses to perceive, similar to how an earthworm has no awareness when a hand waves over it. Historical writings about these phenomena shouldn't be dismissed as lies or delusions just because the authors may have used drugs.
A drunk person doesn't tell many lies because they can't remember to fabricate stories. Hallucinogens like LSD and mushrooms may serve as portals to see certain things rather than just creating hallucinations. People block themselves from seeing certain things through protective instincts.
Weed dissolves artificial barriers between people and thoughts of real danger, making them realize their vulnerability. Marijuana was once taught to be a gateway drug to crack, though this correlation doesn't hold for everyone. Some people seek escalating highs and end up using multiple substances simultaneously including pills, coke, and lean.
A giant percentage of marijuana bought in illegal states comes from national forests in California grown by cartels using illegal toxic pesticides and herbicides. These operations are discovered frequently because growing marijuana is only a misdemeanor in California, making enforcement weak.
John Norris, a former game warden, wrote a book about his experience leading a tactical unit with Belgian Malinois dogs in bulletproof vests that had shootouts with cartel grow operations. A friend discovered one grow operation on Tahone Ranch outside Bakersfield by following PVC pipes diverting water.
Moonshining developed into NASCAR because runners had to outrun the cops. Al Capone and the mob ran alcohol operations, and many people made money from it including possibly JFK's father. Prohibiting marijuana empowers criminal empires by giving them immense amounts of money, leading to killings and robberies over competition.
Society romanticizes the bad guy to the point where John Wick, a contract killer for the Russian mob, is portrayed as the hero despite assassinating many people with families. The Iceman was considered a terrible person for using poison, while John Wick looks appealing in a suit.
Humans are weird animals in constant flux trying to figure out right and wrong ways to think. People join religions, cults, and political movements to find frameworks that make them feel better. Needing to feel better outside of yourself, family, or contributing to society is detrimental. If everyone in the community feels better, it creates a more harmonious environment.
There's an extreme lack of guidance on how to lead a solid life. Schools teach people to sit down, memorize irrelevant information, do well on tests, and get jobs they don't want to do. This leads people to seek escape through cough syrup, weed, and Adderall, which functions as a slow-drip amphetamine allowing people to sleep four hours and work excessively.
Having a team where not everyone is happy is terrible. There are people who can't be fixed. When producing other people's specials, the hardest part is explaining why it's a no, and that no comes from all five team members who each handle different aspects.
Every person involved must genuinely want to work on a project rather than doing it because it's part of the company. A test was conducted by submitting a knowingly bad special to the team, which resulted in five nos after discussion. This confirmed the democratic process works because everyone evaluated it honestly rather than flattering the leader.
For any project, approval must come from the financier, marketing person, director, manager, and all other stakeholders so everyone feels good about pushing it. This democratic approach means when costs arise, everyone works to figure it out because they believe in the project.
The special "Domino Effect" would never have become parts two, three, or four if the original name "1983" had been kept. The special "Rugged," which won three Rebbie awards, was originally titled "I'm Not Handy" before Eric suggested the new name after watching it repeatedly.
The "Custom Fit" tour is not becoming a special. The theme is about tailoring the people around you who can benefit you and whom you can benefit, rather than having people who secretly despise you and your success.
When owning a comedy club, delegating all scheduling and booking decisions to a trusted person like Adam Eyal removes the owner from those decisions. This allows focusing only on performing. People wanting to work the club are directed to Adam.
Having a club in Houston made performing impossible because of constant worry about operational issues like broken glasses. Moving people from the Comedy Store to Austin involved paying full salaries for a year and a half or two years before the club opened so they could settle in.
The Comedy Store in LA wouldn't allow outside shows in the parking lot during COVID closures. The La Jolla Comedy Store is considered superior with a beautiful environment, though it only serves popcorn and drinks. Food isn't believed to belong in comedy clubs.
The main room at the Comedy Store feels different with its big showroom design, brighter lighting, and taller ceilings. The original room is tight and perfect, serving as a truth serum where confident performers have rough sets. The belly room, seating only 70 people, is the ultimate truth serum for testing new jokes.
Small rooms are best for finding out if jokes are real. The Comedy Mothership has rooms named after bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with "Little Boy" having only 110 seats and a super low ceiling.
At a club in San Antonio owned by a man named Santa who also owned the whole strip, a rainstorm left only three people in the audience. Performing for an hour and thirty minutes for three people led to being paid $700 instead of the standard $100 because the owner appreciated the commitment.
At a WY college in the same auditorium where Denzel filmed "The Great Debaters," the sound system went out during Marcus's performance. Taking over without a microphone for an hour and twenty minutes demonstrated that figuring out how to perform is part of the job.
At the Improv in Hollywood, when power went out and cancellation was considered, emergency lights attached to generators were used by running wires through the crowd to keep the show going.
A power outage occurred during a show, leading to the decision to run wires through the crowd and set up an emergency light on stage. The entire performance proceeded without microphones, including the opening act, middle act, and a full hour set. The experience felt special and unusual, forcing adjustments to pacing and projection to reach the back of the room. The audience remained engaged throughout.
This type of experience develops different skills for comedians who come up through challenging conditions. Some nights at Just Joking would have only nine people in attendance, yet the show still had to proceed regardless of crowd size. The principle that the show must go on was reinforced through these situations.
Paul Mooney complimented Ali after a set performed for only 15 people. Mooney stated, "You're a real comic. That's what a real comic does." He contrasted this with other performers who asked the audience where they were from instead of telling jokes. This marked the first time Mooney had complimented Ali, who had previously been intimidated by him due to his legendary status as a writer for Richard Pryor.
Ali's initial admiration for Paul Mooney changed after meeting him. While featuring for Mooney at the Improv, Mooney asked Ali to count the room. When Ali refused, stating he did not work there and was the feature act, Mooney responded negatively. Ali threatened to fight Mooney if he continued with the negative comments. DL Hughley advised against fighting Mooney, noting that even winning would result in a loss because of Mooney's legendary status.
Later that weekend, Ali encountered Mooney's companion who had left her purse behind. Ali retrieved the purse to return it, but Mooney confronted him about handling it. Ali walked away without escalating, remembering DL's advice.
Three years before Mooney's death, both were booked at separate theaters connected to the Paramount in Austin without knowing about their prior conflict. Mooney passed by Ali's green room and leaned in to say "Hi Ali" as a form of apology. Joe noted that Mooney was likely struggling in his final years, which may have affected his behavior.
A club manager in Orlando informed Ali that Ron White wanted to feature for him. Initially confused, thinking it might be someone else with the same name, Ali agreed once confirming it was the comedian. Ron arrived in a large tour bus branded with his tequila line and stayed in the bus rather than the green room until asking permission to enter. Ron performed and destroyed the room, then watched Ali's set and expressed admiration.
Ron White moved to Austin before the pandemic around 2014 and became one of the main reasons Joe moved there in 2018. Ron cited the food, friendly people, and central location as advantages. Joe called Ron asking why he moved to Texas, then decided to relocate himself after becoming frustrated with COVID restrictions in California, including requirements for vaccination cards to enter restaurants in New York City.
Ron was the primary reason Joe moved to Austin, though others later followed. The normalcy of people in Austin, disconnected from show business, proved refreshing compared to California.
Texas has produced notable comedians including Bill Hicks and Sam Kinison from Houston. Joe considered purchasing Cap City Comedy Club along with the entire mall, but the seller demanded too high a price and was later arrested following an FBI investigation. Cap City was the first club Ali performed at on the road with DL Hughley.
Laugh Stop in River Oaks, Houston, was considered one of the greatest clubs. The building still exists in its original setup but remains empty. Other venues discussed include Secret Group and the second Cap City location that closed.
Ari Shafir performed at Cap City with a Hitler mustache. Ari moved to England, prompting concerns about safety. Ari is described as the craziest person known, surpassing even Ali's uncle M. Ari once tore up a $25,000 check from Bert, stating they would write another one.
Ari performed a Two-Face look by shaving only one side of his head. He began the "This Is Not Happening" storytelling show at the Lab at the Improv, explaining it helped develop material without strict punchlines by finding beats in stories.
After winning Comedy Central's "Comic to Watch" in 2013, Ali received offers to appear on various shows but declined until Chase Duso recommended "This Is Not Happening." Ari did not know Ali initially, but Eric Abrams vouched for him. Ali performed the "prison ride" story about a riot, known as "Mexican Got on Boots," telling only the first 16 minutes of a nine-hour ordeal.
When the show returned with Roy Wood Jr. after Ari lost it, Ali called Ari for permission before appearing. Ari encouraged him to do it and revealed he had wanted Ali to host. Ari had offered to take out a loan to pay crew members when Comedy Central canceled the show. Ali protested by telling an Ari-related mushroom story during his appearance.
Ari offered to host the show for free to ensure everyone got paid and suggested other comedians, but Comedy Central was not interested in anyone affiliated with him.
Ali Siddiq ate mushrooms without realizing what they were and had a long day. He had to fly the next day while still heavily affected. At the airport, he called his assistant Janice and described seeing people go through the TSA machine and then disappear. Janice explained they were going to various places. When he reached TSA and asked the same question, the agent gave the same answer, confirming he was correct. He got out of line and decided not to fly while in that state.
Siddiq describes mushrooms as a crazy substance. That same week, Joy Diaz gave him a black star edible. Someone warned him not to eat it if he wanted to stay together. On the Church of What's Happening Now podcast, he and the Flying Jew took edibles. Joey Diaz remained composed while both guests slowly melted on camera. Siddiq started speaking good English and then lost coherence. Joey Diaz has no concern about the effects and wants to see the devil.
Billy Sur, another comic on the same episode, took edibles but stayed outside the studio. He sat on the ground after learning the black stars were 500 mg each. Joe Rogan once ate two of them. Jamie does not feel effects from edibles due to a biological condition.
Siddiq has experienced two types of mushrooms. The first, given by Ari, produced intense effects. The second type made him very talkative. He called people at 3 a.m. wanting to discuss their lives. He told a comic named Delay about these mushrooms. Delay took them, called Siddiq, and talked for hours. Siddiq put the phone down and went to sleep, but Delay was still talking when he woke up.
Siddiq called the person who gave him the mushrooms to identify the strain. Jamie searched via Perplexity AI but found no specific mushroom reliably proven to make users talkative. Most people report difficulty speaking on mushrooms.
Perplexity identified Lan Moa aciatica, an edible mushroom reported to cause vivid hallucinations of little people when undercooked, known as Liliputian hallucinations. Rogan questions whether these are hallucinations or actual perception of entities documented throughout history. People have written about elves, fairies, gnomes, and magic people in the woods for centuries, possibly after consuming such mushrooms.
There are mushroom strains significantly more potent than standard varieties. A new hallucinogenic mushroom was reportedly found in China. The Liliputian variety is not psilocybin-based. Cooking it properly prevents the trip, but undercooked consumption allows the active compounds to remain.
Siddiq does not have issues with mushrooms in safe environments but warns against being at low points while under the influence. Fighting the experience makes it worse and can turn dark. He has consumed mushroom chocolate squares. Brian Simpson ate an entire forgotten mushroom chocolate bar from his freezer and experienced extreme effects, sitting in a lotus position like Dr. Manhattan.
Some substances produce the same experience for everyone who takes them. If experiences are repeatable across people and documented throughout history, it raises questions about whether these compounds allow interaction with something real.
Siddiq is watching season four of From on MGM and cannot explain what the show is about. People are trapped in a town they cannot leave due to a loop. At night, monsters emerge that look like normal people such as mailmen. The old lady knocking on windows is terrifying. The show creates anxiety despite being fictional. Season four is even more bizarre with unpredictable developments.
The same people who made Lost created From. It has the same unpredictable feel where nothing makes sense but remains entertaining. Lloyd's character is constantly angry about everything. The next season is scheduled for 2027 and will be the finale unless renewed.
Siddiq prefers shows with depth over typical content. He recommended Peaky Blinders to a friend who became invested. He turned Delay on to Sons of Anarchy, and Delay became deeply engaged with characters. Siddiq also enjoys Yellowstone and its spin-offs 1923 and the Dutton Ranch series.
Taylor Sheridan, creator of Yellowstone, was recently on the podcast. Rogan recommends Land Man, which explores the oil industry and reveals how the business operates behind the scenes.
Crude oil is a massive business that attracts ruthless and devious behavior. This explains current global conflicts. Siddiq does not understand fake meat promotion. Rogan argues that anti-meat messaging is profit-driven rather than health or environment-based. Meat provides necessary protein and is healthy. Regenerative farms do not pollute. Factory farming may need reform, but solutions must address feeding populations.
America consumes an estimated 24 to 26 million chickens daily. Siddiq buys three roasted chickens at once from a Muslim grocery store because he knows he will eat one entirely before arriving home, especially with garlic sauce and pita bread.
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon scenes show tables covered in multiple meat varieties, including entire pigs. During Eid celebrations, Muslim families require multiple whole lambs because one is insufficient. Siddiq does not listen to vegan arguments.
Life eats life. Factory farming is the uncomfortable element, but ranch environments represent natural processes. If animals are left unchecked, populations explode, as shown in I Am Legend with stampeding deer. Sardine populations remain sustainable despite predation by whales and sharks. Jellyfish populations are massive and someone should consume them. Edible jellyfish species like Rhopilema esculentum are used in Asian cuisine and can be found in Chinese restaurants.
As a child in Gainesville, Florida, Siddiq observed protected alligators at a lake where people fed them marshmallows. Alligator populations have since grown dramatically and now occupy every body of water. They appear on golf courses throughout the Everglades. Disney World regularly removes hundreds of alligators. Rogan notes they check daily. Siddiq avoids any standing water in Florida due to alligator presence.
Disney World has removed 414 alligators since a toddler's death 10 years ago. The park maintains a bass fishing lake where visitors can go on guided fishing trips. Alligators are considered legitimate monsters that require constant management to keep populations in check.
During a military operation in Guam, authorities killed snakes to protect a specific bird species. The snakes had been controlling the toad population. Once the snakes were eliminated, hundreds of thousands of frogs appeared at night, covering roads and making it impossible to avoid running them over. The removal of one predator created a massive new problem with another species.
People constantly meddle with ecosystems by introducing species to control others. Australia now has a giant feral cat problem after cats were brought in to kill a specific toad species. In neighborhoods, feeding stray cats leads to population explosions. House cats kill billions of birds and mammals in the United States every year.
In the 1960s, China launched the Four Pests campaign as part of the Great Leap Forward. The initiative targeted rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows to improve public hygiene and protect grain. Mass mobilization efforts included trapping and poisoning rats, swatting flies and mosquitoes, and organized campaigns to scare and kill sparrows.
Sparrows were killed because they ate grain seeds, but they also consumed large numbers of crop-eating insects. Their near-extinction caused insect populations to explode, which destroyed crops and contributed to the Great Chinese Famine that killed tens of millions of people.
Asian carp have infested lakes across the United States after being introduced to clean up algae. The fish eat everything in the water, leaving lakes looking like swimming pools with no remaining algae. They have no natural predators in these environments. When boats pass through infested waters, the carp jump out and fly through the air, sometimes landing in boats.
Bow fishing has become a popular sport for catching Asian carp. Participants wait for fish to jump and shoot them with bows and arrows attached to strings.
Asian carp are described as nutritious, lean, and having a clean, mild flavor. Some people eat regular carp, though it remains unclear how commonly Asian carp are consumed as food.
Louisiana produces 90% of the farm-raised crawfish in the United States. Texas and Louisiana together consume between 120 and 150 million pounds of crawfish annually. Approximately 70% of that total, nearly 100 million pounds, is eaten in Louisiana alone. Maryland's crab consumption is considered modest compared to Gulf Coast seafood consumption.
Ali Siddiq's new special "My Father Is Getting Busy" was recorded in Detroit and is available on YouTube. All of his specials can be found on YouTube or at aliadique.com. The conversation concluded with mutual appreciation for the discussion and plans to do it again.
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