Coffee Talk #678: In Defense of Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan has been getting slaughtered in the mainstream media for his views on treating BOSH-19 COVID-19. Certainly some of what he said is misguided and considering that The Joe Rogan Experience is the most popular podcast in the world, spreading bad information or misinformation can be extremely dangerous. That said, I believe that he’s been getting more heat than he deserves and a lot of what he said has been taken out of context. More importantly, the media has manipulated many people into believing that he’s a malicious person.

Some of the opinions on Rogan have surprised me. Several people that I like and respect have been lashing out at him as if he were vile and the only thing that he’s done in his life is say controversial things about coronavirus treatments. The reality is that Joe Rogan has had a long and successful career that predates the success of his podcast. Some of his accomplishments include:

  • Acting (NewsRadio)
  • Hosting (Fear Factor)
  • MMA Commentary (UFC)
  • Stand-Up Comedy

That last point can’t be emphasized enough. Rogan is an absolute legend in the comedy world. As a fan of the Los Angeles stand-up scene, I have tremendous respect for his contributions to comedy. Whether it’s his own stand-up which dates back to the late ‘80s, providing a tremendous platform for incredibly talented comics, or calling out Carlos Mencia for stealing jokes, he is greatly respected by many comedians.

Despite his success in many areas of entertainment, some people believe that Rogan is just an evil guy with a humongous podcast. Don’t get me wrong; I disagree with some of what he’s said about COVID-19 vaccines and treatment, but I also see that some of his comments have been twisted and misrepresented by various news outlets. Check out the Russell Brand video below for an examination of why Joe Rogan has been vilified by the mainstream press.

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Coffee #677: Who’s the Best Supergroup?

The other day I was learning “Handle With Care” by The Traveling Wilburys and it got me thinking about supergroups. From Cream to Audioslave, supergroups have been a staple of music for decades. In today’s Coffee Talk, I’d love to hear who you think is the best supergroup. As for me, I’m (conveniently) going with The Traveling Wilburys.

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Coffee Talk #676: Your Black Friday 2020 Wishlist

It’s that time of the year again, RPadholics — Black Friday! This year’s shopping extravaganza will be quite different from years past, since the BOSH COVID-19 pandemic will limit most brick-and-mortar retail activity. Still, online retailers have already flooded Black Friday 2020 with fantastic deals, with more to come. The question for you is this: What’s on your Black Friday 20202 wishlist?

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Coffee Talk #676: Streaming Services and Social Layers

I’ve been wishing for the confluence of streaming services and social layers for a long time. With new services like Scener and Netflix Party, it’s finally happening. Although it’s not quite what I was looking for, these services are a welcome addition to the streaming video experience.

Netflix Party, Scener, and You

Netflix Party and Scener are extensions that work on top of streaming video services. Both add video and text chat windows to video. Netflix Party works with Netflix (duh), while Scener works with a number of streaming video services. Scener also has the added distinction of being officially supported by HBO Go and HBO Now.

These services aim to offer an experience that’s akin to watching a movie or television show with friends, sans physical presence. This is especially welcomed during a global pandemic, when social distancing and stay-at-home practices are strongly encouraged. Video calls through Facetime, Zoom, etc. are great, but watching movies and TV with your nearest and dearest takes it to another level.

If you’ve ever dreamed of starring in your own version of Mystery Science Theater 3000 or you simply miss watching TV with your friends, Netflix Party and Scener are worth checking out.

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Coffee Talk #675: How Much Time Should Elapse Before it’s Okay to Reveal Spoilers?

Last week I caught a bunch of heat on N4G. This article on Final Fantasy VII Remake discussed a major event from the original FFVII. The kids accused me of being the “spoilers!” guy. Initially, I dismissed it as Internet people being Internet people. Then RPadholic G-Iceman asked an interesting question in the RPadTV Slack:

“What is the appropriate amount of time that should pass before you can blurt out spoilers?”

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Coffee Talk #674: Should Netflix Be More Social?

Did you ever wish that Netflix had more social features? It’s something that I think about often. In many ways, it seems like a great opportunity; adding a social layer to Netflix would give it stickiness, increase the amount of time people use the service, and help the company retain subscribers. In my head, social features on Netflix would be fun and useful for several reasons.

  • You could get recommendations based on what your friends are watching.
  • You could see when friends are done binge-watching new shows and see who you can have spoiler-free discussions with.
  • You could see what your friends are watching and make fun of anyone that watches Maid in Manhattan.

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Coffee Talk #673: Low-Hanging Fruit

Several weeks ago in the RPad.TV chat, smartguy used the term “low-hanging fruit.” He was talking about politicians and their predilection for doing the bare minimum in order to get the job (kinda) done. As usual, I agreed with his take, but I also started having flashbacks (not quite flashbacks to ‘Nam, but along those lines in a less traumatic way).

You see, last year I worked for a website that constantly used the phrase low-hanging fruit in regards to editorial strategy.  Continue reading “Coffee Talk #673: Low-Hanging Fruit”

Coffee Talk #672: Emma Watson Will Rule 2017

Emma Watson is going to rule 2017. I’m fairly certain of this. This isn’t like the time I watched Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and thought, “That Alex Winter has a huge future in Hollywood.” It’s not like the first time I saw The Rockers and thought, “Man, Marty Janetty needs to get rid of that other guy.” Shortly before the release of Beauty and the Beast and for the rest of the year, Emma Watson will own 2017.

The early clips of Beauty and the Beast (a pair embedded below for your convenience) look amazing. It looks like a frame-for-frame real-life recreation of the best Disney animated movie of all time. Emma Watson is an intelligent and beautiful woman in real life. Beauty and the Beast’s Belle is an intelligent and beautiful woman in the movie. The casting is perfect and the role should show off Emma Watson’s gorgeous spunkiness brilliantly. She even does a commendable job (for someone that isn’t a professional singer) paying tribute to Paige O’Hara’s incredible voice from the animated movie. I’m positive that the movie will rule and elevate Emma Watson’s radiant star to a whole new stratosphere (in the atmospheric sense, not like that crap Las Vegas casino).

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Coffee Talk #671: The Best of 2016

Another year is in the books! Thanks so much for making RPad.TV a part of your 2016. To celebrate and reflect on the year that was, let’s take a look back at some of the best things of 2016. Naturally, when I mean “best,” I really mean “favorite.” (The idea of a movie or a record being “best” is…stupid.) Below is a “Best of 2016” list of my favorite movie, vaping gear, album, WWE Superstar, and more. I’d love to hear about your favorite anything and everything of 2016. Please share your personal highlights in the comments section. Now let’s do this!

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Coffee Talk #670: Help Me Understand Broken Matt Hardy

I don’t get Broken Matt Hardy. He looks stupid. He sounds stupid. And his gimmick is stupid. For reasons that completely escape me, Broken Matt Hardy is incredibly over with smart marks. While I respect and appreciate his late-career resurgence, I don’t understand why pro-wrestling fans are into Broken Matt Hardy (Matt Hardy Version 4?). Hopefully you can help me understand the phenomenon.

Let’s start with the new and not-at-all improved look. Broken Matt Hardy has a Gentile-fro…with a white streak. He was never chiseled, and at age 42 looks softer than ever. The first time I saw a photo of him in 2016, I thought it was a photo of Eugene, the mentally challenged WWE character. I can’t be the only smark that noticed the resemblance. Whatever the case, I can’t think of a reason why a pro-wrestler would want to look like Eugene, unless he was playing a mentally challenged character.

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