Joe Rogan Experience #1583 — John Terzian & Craig Susser Transcript

Transcript

0:00 the joe rogan experience train by day joe rogan podcast by night all day and what this experience has been like and how poorly it's the way a lot of people in the industry feel because we're the ones that are being shut And so it's been really hard since, what, it started March 15th. I've personally spent $250,000 abiding by the rules that were set forth by the state,

2:53 and the servers that live day to day employees. And living in LA, it was so frustrating. And I can't quite figure out why. put you on phony task force. They lie. They have no idea how serious this is. And I commend So how do you do it well? you're negative, and have a conversation, where Dave Chappelle Like, oh, great. So they're having parties in LA.

6:19 we're living in like a dictatorship. they can just shut an industry down so easily get a name for themselves get It's pretty bad, right? going to put that genie back in the bottle now you've got they're trying to clean up because That's the hard part. I know that. But I'll give you an example. There's no evidence. So the county health officials shut us down, right, for three weeks, right around what

9:33 We have six studies and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. No, but now they're appealing it. This guy, Newsom wants a name for himself, and no one's calling him out, and it's absolutely insane to me. Why not get together as a community by the county state on any level. He's right. It's it's that's the problem. And I reached out It's like, that's, that's the time when people really start, start getting inebriated.

11:58 They went to a 10 PM curfew. Okay. This is what I understand. What? We had no representation. I mean, think about New York and L.A. were trendsetters, right? Yep. I was trying to get a back patio done That there's a big distinction. I mean, I will say, for alfresco? I said, okay. It's nothing personal. And the only reason, the way I got down here through JetEdge, by the way, thank you for

16:27 but I'm flying back United tonight and, I was around 150, You can grab some food to go. Now, one of the reasons they decided for shutting it down was they found that 10% of the restaurants And the fact that the mayor is actively targeting you guys because you've spoken out against these fucking ridiculous draconian restrictions that don't have any there's no logic

19:04 open. They don't know when they're going to get a paycheck, So, but when are we reopening? So that was a lie too. county order is over the county order the county order is over now but they're saying that the state order supersedes it because correct i icu numbers are high yes okay so And I don't know why no one has thought of this or is telling them this.

21:10 We've been closed since November 25th. And they're not abiding by the rules. And we're seeing it. We see orders come in for 30 people, 40 people at homes. I want people to have fun. And I'm born and raised LA. They had tables outside. find nothing to eat or drink and joe should be embarrassed and i'm i'm here to tell you all the rules. And the comedy store wanted

24:22 arguing for i own a bunch of nightclub stuff i'm not arguing for going, this is so bizarre. on their face like they're prohibition era it was. Well, it's the same logic. seeing right now and i will say like he said, a majority of what this is a voice for the employees, 100%. about is the fact that um the reason they shut down all of the restaurants was because they couldn't inspect 20,000 to 30,000 restaurants on a regular basis because they just didn't have the manpower.

26:59 That is corruption. And this whole scenario is maybe be like, should we move everything to places that want us? Well, that's how people feel about comedy clubs as well. the city's involved and the state's involved and yet there is no answer we can give them not like it wasn't like insane right so yes they were voting so and and and here's the thing besides

29:30 technology and our devices that kind of pull us apart. This time over the last eight or nine Drug addiction is up. But the unwillingness to course correct is one of the most disturbing things about this. that to me i think back when this all started we all when everyone thought this was like This is not something to destroy With that said, Correct.

32:15 Flatten the curve. Because it seems to show, it highlights the real inefficiencies of this system or the real flaws of this system. it's insane i understand it's unfair the film the film crew is being tested and that's why they're kind of like striking Well, they did, they recalled Gray in, One time. mean just it makes no sense but they're gonna they're gonna say that that the transmission

35:06 Neither do I. The whole thing is bananas. We don't want you. I think it's bureaucrats. Are giving their knowledge looking at statistics to the amount of income Supervisor Kuhl is single-handedly the one She resigned now. Don't do anything. This is really clown world's it's it's this It's like Garcetti came out saying that L.A. needs him, so he's choosing to not go to the White House.

38:02 And just a weirdly incompetent person. It made me sad. I never thought about it. Go to Felix. But here's the funny thing. They're getting shut out. think it's i really do think it's a small amount of people that are responsible for this i really And now they're exercising this newfound power that never existed before. to support your position. 100%.

41:06 There was no data. But why would they appeal the ruling? And then they said, you know, the big thing john and i hear and and and yes it does help a services win. Oh, Postmates plumbing not breaking or any of that stuff not happening, you might be at 15, 12% profit rate, So Postmates takes 18% and you need 15%. for one of our barbecue, our slab place.

43:36 have shit on you i like the guy and i just have there's something inside me that's like hoping Good for you for being so loyal to a friend that's fucking stabbing you in the back with Honestly. I'll put a stop to that. No, I think it's power hungry. I think he thinks he's going to be president. I think he thinks he's doing the right thing. He's doing the wrong thing. No, I think it's power hungry.

44:41 Yeah, I like eating out too, actually. deep that's you think there are no pictures? on the very day Claims she didn't eat. Oh, God. No one's not saying anything. And I lost a really good friend and a mentor, But well, that's the whole don't think anybody's saying that. Isn't there a way of doing this smartly? Going out to dinner is a huge part of people's social life.

48:29 Yeah. August, It was about the only thing They're all coming. I want Dice to move here. Tell the whole thing. Was it Ford Fairlane? There you go. and right then his mom's like head jerked up and she goes susser you know an owl and i go yeah That's insane. take a long time for you to figure out that's a movie by the way no and i remember back in the

51:18 They fixed a bullet hole in this. the crack sign i'm like why would you fix that yeah that's sam kinnison the bullet hole in the back is there, but they fixed the crack sign. I'm like, why would you fix that? Roaring 20s-ish. It will be the roaring 20s of be off the charts again. It's going to be nuts. Is it people relaxing a little bit? i don't believe so and i think if you do go they're very strict quarantines there's a girl who just got arrested she's a teenager she violated the

53:25 i can't uncover it and add come here i did not do that oh wow she got a reduced sentence what's if the county came back and said listen we've kind of rethought it why don't we reopen it like 40 that are upset with them. And it's a moment in their day that's like something normal. order any of the products that people have boring not good no one likes it everyone's you know what's 1 p.m curfew but do they have indoor

56:31 Yeah, but, I mean, look, they have 24, 25 million people. Alex Berenson, who was on the podcast yesterday, used to write for The New York Times. Yeah, I would say I'd be the first one to say look of all the draconianaconian measures that California has taken, if it had knocked down the number of infections, I'd have been, okay, I'm wrong. But it hasn't.

58:09 and if you're drinking more your immune system gets shattered there's so many different things And now it's just like... Because you're friends with Gavin? Do you shake your hand? Does he say, hi, Craig? Yes. It's home for a lot of people. And it's fun and it's personal and it's all that good stuff. Christmas. So does that mean like they. They're not,

1:00:56 for Christmas and New Year's and let's just see if through contactless operations They're going to fucking... He said the lockdowns are literally the worst thing we could do. he he actually made an argument that masks aren't effective yeah he's like they're just not it's That's the best thing about a mask. And we're going to do it. Yeah, that's what Felix did in Venice.

1:03:11 I mean, it's nuts. Yeah, I don't think people realize how much it takes to actually reopen these places. And to keep our employees employed and not furlough them and not let them go. But once you get up to eight, nine, 10 months, you know, the restaurants are efficient. And that's like, and then you're going to start to try the newer places that are,

1:05:06 I think they really don't think highly of our industry. maybe it'll be a different owner. or just are going to have a, you know, unfortunately. Zero. That's nuts. Even though it's not effective, at least they can show they're taking steps. certain industries and not shutting down other industries i don't think that that's an effective meal in your favorite place and even if it's socially distant and even if it's you know all

1:08:35 And I just check in on text and I'm like, I don't make a judgment. Like I get it. Yeah, but I mean, with all people and they're still not okay with that. I got to buy you a razor. What is the bet? All we do is bet each other and stuff. Yeah, a little swarmy, don't you think? from the people that are hearing this right now this shutdown you aren't saying you're anti-coveted safety you aren't some big bad person that wants

1:11:42 out to the LA County commissioners. Right now, if I science deniers. There's a disease. thought out risks that have been mitigated as much as possible like social distancing like There's never been an instance where a health inspector came in and Like if you had to guess, And if I think proving it to everyone that it's going safely, I think is all we're really asking for now.

1:14:55 that um we should spend a fortune or look they're spending so much money on so many other things why aren't they spending money and developing rapid testing rapid testing 8, you must get there at 7 to get You guys are good. So, yeah, and then just like add it to the bill. Just give people the option. nobody has been contacted by the county to ask them their opinion.

1:16:44 If you're not getting guidance businesses, you're going to lose all that money. Yeah. We're moving to Florida. Fucking Kat Von D just moved to Indiana. whatever the fuck they're calling it. They're not even talking about how to reopen. There's no consideration. So many social issues. that other people to contribute. you know, That might be our only hope.

1:21:22 and then you're looking kind of like and I'm hoping that that's kind of the road even meat eaters you know they're this new term called flexitarians where we you know people are And it'll be kind of like the first vegan ice cream scoop shop, which will be really, really cool. They've had to deal with, if you think about it internally, our crews. What they've had to do with if you think about it internally our crews what

1:23:18 Navigating. And they're trying to adhere And then we just noticed that about seven or eight years ago, else. So we started making vegan entrees that turned into a whole vegan section of the menu, burger has been great we're rolling into johnny rocket's we're at some of the shake at certain, you know, hamburger, Fatburger's been great. Uh-huh. So they made a certain product.

1:26:03 great thing is you go on craigsvegan.com on really good products. on craigsvegan.com and let's just see where we can go. disease. And people were really worried about dying. And we were hearing people about on Do you have like ice cream sandwiches? What's the meat? Yeah. How do I get the restaurant to survive? You have no power over yourself for the first time ever.

1:29:36 And they come back and they say, look, we just can't, whatever, you know, editor or media person or whatever. and I don't blame them, We've donated food and ice cream to Children's Hospital. and they had a lot of patients they picked up 100 meals And did it. To navigate this has been absolutely insane. He's like, I got to leave town. Take a look at it.

1:32:36 unhealthy because they have to go to these fast and they're selling them online and who knows where interesting thing is so so it's it's also thinking outside the box not just for us in the restaurant thing. And it's a new way of doing premieres. And I wonder if the old style of premieres are going It's not the same thing. It's devastated the comedy community.

1:34:54 on Ventura Boulevard. And then we were talking to our good friend Jeff, all the time. And he's like, you know, I think I'm kind of retired. It takes away from their mental health. away all these people all these great I'm like, fuck you very much. And there's no indication whatsoever I don't think they're even booking shows Maybe that's real. years ago so and so would be on zoom and you could buy tickets you'd be like right why are they doing

1:38:11 I think this is a real problem. This is really affecting our livelihoods. It didn't seem like a big deal. Who the fuck are you? Like what is that? They're all going to make the decisions. Is I've got people that go down to Orange County, Yeah. The Democrats... I mean, I am now. I have no hope. How do we do catering for Netflix? We started a COVID testing company.

1:41:41 We're talking about what's available right now. They would just be like, look, we want to go out. You have a couple of drinks. It's because these people have too much to think about. Exactly. Well, call your bestie. And if he does, it's because he's trying to get a name for himself. breaking the rules. have a leg to stand on. Literally, is this causing people to be scared to speak?

1:45:04 If they're visiting you every night, that means there's probably violations they're 10% of the people weren't following the rules, then why don't you stay on that 10%? who's on the payroll, All the people where the West Hollywood folks that are really trying to help businesses. And I can get to her. Yeah. a lot of people's eyes that it is important.

1:47:12 But he gets it. I just I'm really worried about places like California that have gone so far down the wrong path that I just don't see how it corrects course and comes back to some sort of a rational. Exactly. Totally. It's just an interesting community. You're not born being top of the heap comedian. But we've all kind of come up together, places that are going to not be able to reopen.

1:49:41 Nobody would have learned their craft. So everybody starts somewhere. yeah yeah it's Your graduation's virtual? It's not good. it's a lot. Do you email her or text her? I hope people are listening, and I hope that it has some sort of an effect, I mean, I just hope we all get through this, That's one thing that I think will come out of this Crack it because you never know what's coming tomorrow.

1:53:18 because there's not a lot of people You're not a part of some gigantic fast-food corporation that has a massive restaurants, bars,