Joe Rogan on Growing Up Without A Dad

Are you close with your dad? I had never met my dad, you know single parent you never met my dad. So Thanks for bringing that up. I don't know my Mind's name is Joe Rogan Shit, he's out there someplace. He's out there. Yeah, I've never met my dad and then I thought People did you ever want to meet your dad? Did you ever see, you know, what's funny my mom? I mean, I met him. I knew him until I was like sick. Oh, that's worse I never knew so I think that that's when you if you know him a little bit and then they're gone that sucks The good thing is it made me realize that you can't count on people but you you can't trust issues Become someone that people count on right and count on people. That's what you do I have a tight group of friends like me and my friends are very close I get it. I would do anything for my friends and family too. See I have a certain There's a certain level loyalty that I have because of that because of that Yeah, well you were understand it where someone who grows up in a big household filled with people and the family was always there And everyone was there. You might take people for granted a little bit, you know, whereas for me Comeratory and closeness and all that that shit means a lot to me. It's very very important I remember asking my mom about my dad when I was like, I don't know 1718, you know and she got really offended, you know She was like I raised you and you know and that made me think like I was like but women have their secrets Like they have their things and I didn't want her to I never I don't regret her I didn't want to pry and I didn't want to find out like maybe he wanted to be in my life But my mom was like no, who knows, you know, she think my mom she could have been vindictive like that But I don't know but I didn't hold it against her But she told me his name and she was like if you wanted you this on your own You know that kind of thing. Mm-hmm, and I had the name for like a week and then I forgot it And that told me that it didn't matter So I had ever since I never worried about it good for you. Yeah, it's there's some people that bothers them for their whole life I'm gonna one thing happen though when you have kids You're bond with your kids. It's like it's I mean, I would assume that everyone's bond with their children is very tight because it's a Unbelievable love Connection that you have with children. It's a true unconditional love. It's not just true unconditional It's like they're a drug like they give you they give you love to the point like my daughter My my youngest was we were playing the other day in the pool and there's a point in time We were just laughing about something together just laughing and I'm looking at her face and she's laughing and I felt like I was on Drugs I was like love that I have for these people. So it's so intense. It's And it's also I didn't get that when I was kid I didn't know exactly what you're saying, man My parents my you know, my mom worked my stepdad was a really good guy, but no one was ever around You know, there's just there was no and when they were done working everybody was tired You know, I was a latchkey kid, you know when I was like seven years old I live in San Francisco would go out and do a magic show on Fisherman's Wharf by myself Just wander around the city just they would open the door you just leave seven. I can't imagine that I spent a lot of time by myself too because my mom was working and like I'm still by herself Trying to make it trying to make sure that I had a good life So I was by myself, you know Eric if you have kids with this young lady or another young lady Your connection with that kid will be it'll blow your fucking mind. I could change who you are I feel like that's what I've been lacking. That's why I've been more open to You know thinking about these kinds of things you seem like a dad. Yeah, well, cuz I'm looking I'm picturing you a dad But my whole life I've been like, you know, I've been that role for so many people in my life Right, you know holding a baby and yeah over drunk. Take you. Yeah, man. I've been taking care of people like paying I'm taking care of people my whole life man. It's crazy So that's why I always feel like I always feel like I've already had one of my best friends in the world is like Someone that I that's like I've had to take care of you know, he's had a little drinking problem And yeah, but I've been there the whole time and I and even though people would be like, you know You you have to like, you know that people they think that you know, yes I'm hit rock bottom and get but I'm just not like that. Yeah, I've been through that too I had a very good friend of mine. It's my best friend who died of heroin and He was Always fucked up there was always something it was always he had a crack problem for a while and then he got on pills And it was he was either snorting it or it was like he Already lying very much reminds me of this guy and Joey Diaz did a little bit too And I first met Joey it was like right after my friend Johnny Well, I was right before Johnny had died Johnny was still alive But I'd known people like Joey because of my friend Johnny, but um, you know, it's just I always was there for him I was always trying to take care of him. I was always trying to help him But it was just he was always there was always something going wrong and it never But there was these brief moments man where he'd be fine and we'd be laughing and we'd have the best time And that's why you fight for it. It's those times cuz I was always I was always thinking that one day Who's gonna get it together? I had the same thing with my friend is like it's still going on with me right now It's like, you know, you know when you have when you deal with someone that deals with depression real depression, you know Lost his mother and you know and how that affected his whole life and it's like so I'm there and he's younger than me So I feel this mentorship and I just feel like a loyalty that I just can't shake So I you know, so that's that and I know when I said when I go to therapy I I I want to ask Why am I this way right, you know, and then I realized that comedy has been dampering My own depressions or my own Feelings because I feel like I'm dealing with it in some way So well, sometimes I go and talk about things and I talk about things in a way I just know holds bar because I want to I want to get this out I feel like this, you know, or if I don't like something and and then Combine that with we live in a society right now where the people don't want to necessarily hear an opinion. It is not theirs Well, there's definitely a little of that right and so then therefore we get this like it becomes it's tougher and tougher to do What we do, but it's not gonna stop me from doing it, but that's it's sweeter and sweeter when you pull it off You know, especially yeah Controversial shit. Yeah, just gotta navigate the waters. Exactly what I feel like I've been I've been doing another I think I did it with this special. I think I tried to talk about things in a way where I was like Okay, you may not agree, but you don't have to vilify me, you know You don't have to like, you know, you know, but anyway, it all goes back to like, you know Like who we are as people because of like our parents, you know, you know It's like I I love my mom. I love my stepdad stepdad's a great guy. I'm glad he's in my mom's life You know, they're off in Spain right now They moved to Spain like a like I say like a year and a half ago And so they're there, you know, and I'm happy that she's happy in the later part of her life. That's awesome