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Joe Rogan · 2024-06-27 · 2h 46m

Joe Rogan Experience #2072 - Stavros Halkias

Stavros Halkias and Joe Rogan riff on comedy, martial arts, a Japanese squirting study, and Joe's wild early years.

Joe Rogan Experience #2072 - Stavros Halkias
The guest

Stavros Halkias — Stand-up comedian and podcaster promoting his Netflix special Fat Rascal; former kickboxer and aspiring comic-book illustrator.

The gist

Joe Rogan and comedian Stavros Halkias deliver a loose, raunchy, mostly comedic conversation with very few serious recommendations. They cover grass-fed beef, the Bert Kreischer/Shane Gillis/Ari Shaffir comedy world, the decline of terrestrial radio and rise of podcasting, and a long detour into a kidnapped New Zealand pilot held in West Papua. A huge chunk of the episode is spent on a Japanese urology study investigating whether female squirting is urine. Joe also shares formative stories: discovering Taekwondo as a teen, training under elite kickboxer John Lee, teaching an accredited course at Boston University at 19, and instructing a Whitey Bulger hitman. The pair close on movies (revenge films, The Killer, Sopranos), immigration and universal basic income, and a viral drive-by shooting video.

Big reveals

  • Stavros and Joe describe the Sambia/Sepik 'semen warrior' coming-of-age ritual of a Papua New Guinea tribe.
  • Stavros reveals he had three kickboxing fights while doing stand-up, losing his last by TKO, then chose comedy.
  • Stavros says he originally wanted to be a comic-book illustrator and could draw horror art as a kid.
  • Joe recounts teaching a hitman for Whitey Bulger how to fight when he was about 19.
  • Joe tells how he stumbled onto Taekwondo by chance and trained at an elite Boston gym under champion John Lee.
  • Joe describes teaching an accredited Taekwondo course at Boston University at age 19.
  • They walk through the actual Japanese urology study that recruited a man to make women squirt for analysis.

Things worth remembering

  • In ancient Greece pederasty was openly discussed, and being penetrated past adolescence was mocked.
  • A New Zealand pilot has been held hostage by separatist rebels in West Papua since February.
  • Jackie Gleason owned a Rolls-Royce golf cart with a built-in cooler and 'The Great One' clubs.
  • 'Minnesota Fats' was really New York Fats who renamed himself after the movie The Hustler.
  • Freeway Ricky Ross taught himself to read in prison, became a jailhouse lawyer, and got himself released.
  • The first UFC was 30 years ago and featured fighters with a single boxing glove fighting multiple bouts per night.
  • John Lee was renowned for the fastest spinning back kick in the world, which became Joe's signature move.
  • A Japanese Department of Urology study concluded squirting is largely involuntary urine emission.
  • Schwarzenegger can't run for president because the natural-born-citizen rule requires birth on US soil.
  • The US bought Alaska from Russia and made the Louisiana Purchase, framed as history's great bargain deals.

Recommended in this episode

Books, products and media the guest or host genuinely endorsed here — with the buy link.

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

RecommendedBook

Men Without Women

Haruki Murakami

“check it out man these are men without women peruki Mami great stuff what I talk about when I talk about running” — Stavros Halkias 01:36:52
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedBook

Murder Machine

“Joey Diaz gave it to me you got to read this book [ __ ] yeah these [ __ ] these [ __ ] were wild” — Joe Rogan 01:47:07
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedBook

The Five Families

“The five families is a it's almost like an encyclopedic thing of the entire I forget who who wrote it” — Stavros Halkias 01:47:39
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

Lady Snowblood

“have you seen Lady Snow blood no what's that that's a Japanese is like you're going to love that” — Stavros Halkias 01:39:53
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

Hard Boiled

John Woo

“I watched the first half of hard boil I'll pop that little bad boy come on what's hardboiled oh John Woo movie oh that's right dude yeah another Banger absolutely” — Stavros Halkias 01:42:28
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

The Killer

David Fincher

“have you seen the killer that just came out yes oh I love it the Killer's great Man Killer's great that's great” — Joe Rogan 01:42:59
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

Under the Skin

“did you ever see that alien movie that she did I think it's called Under the Skin oh I haven't seen it it's really good” — Joe Rogan 00:46:42
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

The Hustler

“F Minnesota F no I love that movie yeah you know there's a guy like a real pool player named Minnesota Fats” — Stavros Halkias 00:59:18
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

Atlanta

“I never saw any of that it's Atlanta's a great show great show but yeah it's he's just got so much depth” — Joe Rogan 01:05:35
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

The Sopranos

“but that's what's so awesome about Sopranos and that's why I think they put a couple of those episodes” — Stavros Halkias 01:45:05
Find it on Amazon
RecommendedMedia

Pimp Chronicles

Katt Williams

“that might be my favorite special of all time because it's he's just is that Pimp Chronicles yes” — Stavros Halkias 01:02:24
Find it on Amazon
Guest’s ownMedia

Fat Rascal

Stavros Halkias

“fat rasc on Netflix December oh my God that comes out tomorrow out tomorrow yeah that's fat Rascal shot here in the beautiful Paramount Theater” — Stavros Halkias 01:32:12
Find it on Amazon