[@joerogan] Joe Rogan Experience #2407 - Billy Bob Thornton

Link: https://youtu.be/0loSsJ1mHVE

Short Summary

This Joe Rogan Experience episode features Billy Bob Thornton discussing a wide range of topics including aging, fashion trends, Hollywood, and the entertainment industry's shifting landscape, with a focus on societal changes and the impact of social media. They delve into the nature of fame, the creative process, and the importance of authenticity in art, while also touching on personal experiences and perspectives on societal values.

Key Quotes

Okay, here are 5 quotes extracted from the provided Joe Rogan podcast transcript that represent valuable insights, interesting data points, surprising statements, or strong opinions:

1. "I think they cut everybody off from mushrooms and acid and anything that makes you think. And then they started giving them coke and no one knew what to do. And they were all just like and it was disco and the music kind of sucked and everybody got real weird." This is a humorous but provocative theory about the cultural shift in the 1970s, linking it to changes in drug use and policy.

2. "The phrase hookworm southern draw refers to historical connection between hookworm infections in the American South and certain stereotypes about southerners, including the way they spoke and behaved. In the late 19th and early 20th century, hookworm infestations were rampant with estimates suggesting that up to 40% of the people in the region were infected. So, hookworm causes symptoms like severe fatigue, anemia, and mental fog, which led to slowness in speech and thought. This contributed to the stereotype of southerners being lazy or slowwitted often associated with the southern draw." This is an informative and eye-opening data point that offers historical context to a cultural stereotype.

3. "I think what comedy is is it you're performing, you're doing but you're also hypnotizing people, right? What you're doing is you're getting them to think the way you think. You're putting people into your mindset. When when I watch a comic that's really good, when they're on stage, I let them think for me. I'm like, "Go ahead, think for me. take me on a trip, right? Take me on a trip to the way you think of things. And you lock in with these and it's much easier to do that." A compelling and insightful description of the role of comedy in shifting how one perceives the world.

4. "Well, you know, I have some songs about suicide." I said, "So, you think that's fun?" I said, "It's not fun." I I'm writing about [ __ ] from my soul that I grew up in. I'm also writing things that are hopeful songs. I'm writing a lot of stuff here. Uh we write original music and perform it. And people love this band. I said, "So don't ever [ __ ] come near me again. Don't ever come to one of our shows again if all you want to do is come back here because you're pissed that uh we just had a a record on the radio." Right. Right. You know what I and and then you were in a band from, you know, 30 years ago and now you're playing, you know, places that are smaller than where we are. So don't come back there and start that [ __ ] with me." This is a strong opinion, and emotional sharing of an experience where his own art is being dismissed.

5. "And because of that, like this is a thing, this is a completely alien way of being like a person that becomes especially I was I'm friends with Ricky Schroeder known Ricky for like 25 30 years [ __ ] and there is no way anybody becomes famous at like six [ __ ] and makes it out." This is an interesting reflection on fame and how it is nearly impossible to recover from gaining fame at a young age.

Detailed Summary

Okay, here is a detailed summary of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast episode featuring Billy Bob Thornton, using bullet points:

Key Topics & Arguments:

• Aging and Mortality:

  • Discussion of enjoying indulgences in later life (Long John Silver's, whiskey).
  • Wonders about potential future medical advancements reversing aging and the implications of a young body with an old brain.
  • Fantasies about reliving youth (junior high, high school) with current knowledge.
  • Reference to Demi Moore's movie "The Substance" regarding the fear of aging.

• Beauty Standards and Social Media:

  • Discussion of beauty filters on apps and their influence on attraction.
  • How trends spread in society, often based on one person's decision of something that looks good.

• Fashion Trends & Psychedelics:

  • Recollections of past fashion trends (bell bottoms, large collars, lime green shirts).
  • Theory that the end of psychedelics and the rise of cocaine/disco in the 1970s led to bizarre fashion choices and music.
  • Preference for 1960s muscle cars over those from the late 1970s/early 1980s (with exceptions like the Corvette).

• Muscle Cars and Nostalgia:

  • Personal anecdotes about favorite muscle cars (67 Chevelle, 70 Mustang).
  • Billy Bob's desire for a 64 GTO convertible.
  • Recollections of "cool" guys in their town with impressive cars.
  • Stories of cruising and car culture from their youth, reminiscent of "American Graffiti".

• "Box Master" Origin:

  • Discussion on how the name for Thornton's band, The Boxmasters, came about.
  • One story is that it came from the phrase referring to a playboy type.

• Southern Culture & Stereotypes:

  • Discussion of violence in the south and some European communities and that violence has an impact on the individuals and communities from these areas.
  • Personal anecdotes of being bullied and protected by older, tougher individuals in their hometown.
  • Harry and the bonfire incident, where Billy Bob was bullied and Harry broke his jaw and threw the guy in the fire.

• Hookworm and Cognitive Function:

  • Conversation about hookworm infections in the American South in the late 19th/early 20th century.
  • How hookworm affected cognitive function and potentially contributed to stereotypes about southerners being slow-witted.
  • Discussion of Rockefeller's Sanitation commission fixing the issues with deworming medicine.
  • The wearing of shoes fixed the problem, which is a surprising detail.

• Southern Stereotypes in Hollywood:

  • Experiences with prejudice in Hollywood regarding Southern accents and roles.
  • Limited roles/recognition for Southern actors in certain genres.

• Southern Rock and Musical Styles:

  • Discussion of Southern bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers not getting respect.
  • All southern music got "lumped in" to be Southern Rock, which is not true.

• Coastal Cities vs. Flyover States:

  • Discussion of the coastal cities of NY and LA and how they believe the rest of the country is "less than" them.

• Experiences in Hollywood:

  • Anecdote about being at a party and being asked by a famous singer what people "do down there" in Arkansas.
  • Claim that success in acting relies on innate talent more than formal training.

• The Acting Process and Personal Experiences:

  • How past life experiences and a photographic memory inform acting.
  • Belief that you're either born with the talent or you don't.

• Musicians and "Feel":

  • Discussion about drummers that have "feel" versus those that just have a bunch of drums and the feel is not there.
  • The ability to get along with bandmates is more important than their ego.
  • Anecdote about being congratulated on being an actor who is having fun as a musician but actually getting very upset and kicked the guy out.

• The Boxmasters' Career:

  • Band started out fighting against the stigma that it was just an actor who wanted to be a musician.
  • Discussed the negative impact on musicians who make friends with you as they think it will benefit their career.
  • Talked about critics digging at him for being a musician instead of an actor.

• Criticism and Success:

  • People love to find out that someone is secretly an a**hole.
  • Once you start to succeed, they start trying to get you or say shit.

• Overexposure & Lack of Mystery:

  • Theory that overexposure and access to celebrities have diminished the "magic" and mystery of stardom.
  • People are too easily grabby or rude.
  • People like to get close to famous individuals.

• Politics, Awards, and Authenticity:

  • Thoughts on actors becoming activists and the importance of studying an issue before speaking out.
  • Advocacy for a "common sense" political party that isn't captured by ideology.
  • Opinion that awards for art are stupid and the enjoyment of the audience is the true reward.
  • The most important thing is the show and the show has to stick.

• Historical Moments:

  • Discusses Marlon Brando's Native American acceptance of his award and how crazy that scene and time were in Hollywood.
  • Crazy hearing a guy on stage doing sign language who is actually just dancing.

• The Fear of Comedy & Stand-Up:

  • Fear of performing standup comedy.
  • The whole goal of being on stage is to make them laugh and if not, you are going to bomb.
  • What was it like in the beginning for someone like Stephen Wright to start out as a comedian?
  • Steve Martin used to play the banjo before the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band went on stage.

• The Early Days of Steven Wright:

  • Discussion about Steven Wright and other standup comedians from Boston.
  • After he performed on the Tonight Show, the scene changed.

• Lewis Black and the Blowup Tent:

  • Lewis did a gig and thought it would be cool as he had a huge crowd to perform for.
  • Lewis told him try performing comedy in a blowup tent with people in folding chairs.

• The Power of Hypnosis:

  • Comedy is hypnosis and you're getting people to get them to think the way you think.
  • Comedy is all about putting them into your mindset.

• The Modern Era of Comedy:

  • Lenny Bruce is the guy who kicked this all off.

• Rodney Dangerfield's Bizarre Act:

  • Used to perform at The Greatwoods in a bathrobe.
  • Did it to not care.

• Vicki Lewis and Nick Noly

• Was on a show called News Radio and Vicki Lewis was dating Nick Noly so he was always around.

• He was in an electronic store looking at motherboards so he went up and said what's up?

• Nick knew who he was and it was the coolest thing.

• Beauty of Music

• Drug

• Some songs are meant for the car and others are meant to play at home.

• Some songs like shooting star by Bad Company, everyone wants to be that guy and you say yeah that's me man.

• Personal Life

  • How it can be misconstrued how and who they are
  • You just stay out of it.
  • People behave strange.

• Social Media's Negativity:

  • Once start opening it up to well now everyone has opportunity.
  • Scary thing about you if you're not in a room where everybody gets everything that's bad
  • Nobody's going to get along with everybody.
  • Social media is a big part of it.

• Internet Dangers:

  • They want failure
  • What has happened with Richard Gear, they wanted it to be true so bad that everybody wanted it to be true.
  • Can't get taken down, have to prove who put it up

• Being Grounded:

  • Fans tell me well put my kids through the car
  • Used to having people do things for you.

• Old Men

  • I still have a lot of my friends
  • Things that I am able to to in shape
  • Working on a show, people who I like.
  • Not working all the time
  • That it may have gotten him on the radio.

• The Rolling Stones and The Who

  • Discuss about those 2 groups and ageism and their popularity.
  • It is weird and that people defy it.

This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the main points discussed in the podcast episode.