If you’re familiar with Netflix’s stand-up roster, it won’t surprise you to hear that Joe Rogan will premiere a new comedy special on the streamer on August 3. For one thing, his previous two specials, 2016’s Triggered and 2018’s Strange Times, were both hosted on Netflix. In a broader sense, Netflix’s comedy division enjoys edge and likes to court controversy. All sorts of comedians have worked there, but there’s a divisive subset that the company has particularly championed, including Ricky Gervais, Shane Gillis, and Rogan’s buddy Dave Chappelle. Joe Rogan: Burn The Boats fits right in.
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Burn The Boats is notable for being both Rogan’s first special in six years and for being Netflix’s third-ever live special, following Chris Rock: Selective Outrage and this year’s Katt Williams: Woke Foke. The streamer has increased its investment in live events of late, particularly under the comedy umbrella. During the 2024 Netflix Is A Joke festival, it put on the live shows The Greatest Roast Of All Time: Tom Brady and John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In L.A. in addition to Williams’ special. A few short months later, Rogan’s set will be livestreamed at 10 PM E.T. from the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, Texas.
A brief Burn The Boats teaser leans into Rogan’s controversial reputation, “Don’t get mad at me, you know why you came here,” he taunts in voice-over, joking about audience members having “ride home arguments.” The tagline is “There’s no coming back from this,” suggesting that the live element adds danger, like Rogan might say something irretrievably naughty. The truth is, though, that Rogan can come back from almost anything. He’s indulged in COVID-19 misinformation and interviewed Alex freakin’ Jones on his podcast, and he still inked a hefty new deal with Spotify to keep the good times rolling. That “hair’s breadth from cancelation” edge is so expected from him that it’s… not really edgy anymore. But if that sort of thing appeals to you, hey, August 3 is just around the corner.