In a candid conversation on “The Joe Rogan Experience” with a fellow comedian Sam Tallent last year, Joe Rogan opened up about how his views on money have shifted as his wealth has grown. “I think of money as fun coupons. How much fun can I have with this?” he said. “Once you pass a certain bank account number, then it becomes fun coupons.”
Money Guilt And Perspective Shifts
Tallent admitted he struggles to spend on himself, even when he can afford it. He shared a story about flying first class from Australia for $600 and feeling guilty the whole time. “I was just pissed at myself for being such a bougie pig that needed to be comfortable,” he said. Rogan told him that guilt may only get stronger with success, saying, “You’re going to get weird with money.”
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Tallent also recalled celebrating when he saw a comma in his bank account for the first time by calling his dad to tell him that. This is something that billionaire Mark Cuban also did when he saw $100,000 for the first time in his bank account.
“Commas are nice, but the thing is, you’re still going to be you,” Rogan said. “You don’t have to sleep in the back of the bus and you don’t have to do anything stupid to just prove that you used to be poor. You have all these fun coupons.” For Rogan, there's no point in accumulating wealth if it's not being used to create enjoyable or meaningful experiences.
But even with success, old habits die hard. Tallent still drives a 2007 Chevy Impala and wears a modest $400 watch gifted by his wife. “I don't have a bunch of cool jewelry,” he said. What he does spend on is good food and gifts for loved ones. “That’s how I like to shower people with love and affection.”
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Most Americans Are Barely Getting By
While Rogan can now joke about treating money like play tokens, he's also brutally honest about how bad things are for many Americans. In his June conversation with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), he called the federal minimum wage “ridiculous.”
“How do you live off $7?” Rogan asked. “Imagine you have to work three and a half hours just to pay for a sandwich. That's insane.”
Sanders agreed, calling the $7.25 minimum wage “shameful” and pushing for a raise to $17 an hour. Rogan wasn't sure that's even enough. “It's going to be real difficult to live off of 17 bucks an hour, but at least you could get a sandwich in under two hours of work.”
In the end, Rogan seems to view money as a tool, something that can buy comfort or cause anxiety, depending on your situation. For some, it's survival. For financially successful people like him, it's about how to enjoy life more.
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