Joe Rogan has called out Robin Williams. He accuses the late star of stealing jokes from lesser-known comedians. Williams, who died by suicide at 63 in 2014, was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Despite his fame as a top comedian, Rogan shared a different view.
Rogan, a comedian and podcaster, discussed this with Harland Williams on The Joe Rogan Experience. They talked about comedians using others' jokes. Harland asked if Rogan had heard stories about Robin Williams doing this. "Yeah, I heard a lot of stories," Rogan said.
He explained that Williams' manic style might have driven him to use others' jokes. "He had a constant need to have a bit about anything," Rogan stated. Filling that need was more important than originality for Williams. "He would just do other people's stuff if he had nothing to say," Rogan added.
Harland Williams then asked if anyone had confronted Williams about this. Rogan mentioned that comedian Sam Kinison, who died in 1992, was angry with Williams. "He stole from everybody," Rogan said. There were many instances of Williams using others' material on talk shows and at clubs.
Harland suggested that maybe Williams' spontaneity led to using others' jokes. Rogan disagreed. "He wanted to kill more than he wanted to be ethical," he said. Especially in those days, it was hard for others to notice joke theft.
In the biography "Robin," Dave Itzkoff wrote about a 1979 incident. A comedian allegedly demanded $300 from Williams for using his material. Williams reportedly agreed to pay. Rogan commented on famous comedians using others' jokes, saying they usually get caught.
"When they get caught, their work goes downhill," Rogan said. He explained that real thieves don't have lasting creativity. They might start with a good special but soon show a drop-off in quality. "They don't have any legitimate points, where you're like, 'Wow, that is crazy,'" Rogan said. "It all goes away."
Rogan described joke thieves as "parasites" and "vampires." They have a few early successes but then produce terrible work. "They're not real," he emphasized. Their lack of creativity becomes apparent over time.
If you're thinking about suicide, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It's free and available 24/7.
