“Burn the Boats” is an apt title for Joe Rogan’s latest Netflix special, as I found myself desperately searching for a vessel to escape this comedic shipwreck.
Rogan, once a vibrant voice in stand-up, now comes across as a caveman who’s just discovered fire – except the fire went out years ago, and he’s still rubbing sticks together.
This special is less a comedy routine and more a claustrophobic therapy session where we, the unwitting audience, are forced to endure Rogan’s dated grievances and half-baked conspiracy theories. His material on COVID-19 feels as fresh as last week’s sushi, while his LGBTQ “jokes” have all the subtlety and charm of a sledgehammer to the funny bone.
In one particularly cringe-worthy moment, Rogan compares transgender individuals to characters from “The Silence of the Lambs.” The joke didn’t kill, but the awkward, sporadic laughter nearly did.
Rogan, now the paragon of alt-right standup, seems to have mistaken volume for humor, as if by yelling loud enough, he might drown out the deafening silence of a joke falling flat.
In the end, “Burn the Boats” is on the money, as Rogan has torched any remaining goodwill I had for his comedy. There’s a reason you won’t see any jokes in the trailer; he’s no longer funny.
The only boat I wish he’d burned was the one carrying this special.