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One World Theater (Laura Figi/Austonia)
Since making his well-documented move to Austin from Los Angeles, multi-million dollar podcaster Joe Rogan has been singing the praises of his new home and making himself right at home. So, what's next for Rogan and Austin?
Austonia has confirmed with multiple sources that Rogan is taking decades of experience in standup comedy—first starting his career in 1988—and finally, *drumroll* opening up his very own comedy club in the capital city.
Though rumors have also previously suggested he's purchased the now closed Alamo Ritz and the soon to reopen Cap City Comedy, multiple sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told Austonia that the new home to Rogan's latest endeavor is the One World Theatre. Located at 7701 Bee Cave Road, the theater is a convenient 10-minute drive from Rogan's $14.4 million dollar Westlake Hills mansion.
Rogan will run the theatre with fellow comedian Adam Eget, who has been on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast and made the journey from L.A. to Austin for the gig. The One World Theatre did not respond to numerous calls and messages from Austonia.
The One World Theatre opened its doors in 1999, when current owners Hartt and Nada Stearns decided to bring concerts, dance, theatrical and kid's productions to the new venue in association with an equal partner, the Barton Creek Art Center. The Stearns acquired 100% interest in the property in 2007 and have been running it since.
According to the Travis Central Appraisal District, the property is on its second foreclosure and likely sustained damages due to the winter storm.
We know it's been a long time coming for Rogan to finally buy his first-ever club. Here's what we've observed over the years.
Rogan has been planning to start a club for months, at least
Shortly after Rogan announced his California exodus, Rogan sat down for an August 2020 podcast with comedian Joey Diaz to talk about fracking and the effects it has had on the environment along the coast and how it was one of the reasons he wanted to leave. In response to his move, Diaz asked Rogan if he plans to do a comedy club once he breaks ground.
"Most likely I'm going to do a comedy club (in Austin). It'll be fun for all of us," Rogan said.
He's been keeping company with fellow funnies
The iconoclast has performed dozens of shows around Austin since he's made his move; Rogan frequents venues like Stubb's BBQ and ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Rogan recently appeared in a series of comedy shows alongside fellow comedian Dave Chapelle and has also been seen performing with Ron White, Donnell Rawlings and Michelle Wolfe. Rogan has also been coaxing friends, like Diaz, to follow his path down to Austin.
He was a longtime staple at The Comedy Store in L.A.
... and now he wants to move the L.A. hub to Austin. Rogan said he first started performing at The Comedy Store, one of the most prominent comedy venues in L.A., in 1994; it was a "mecca" for him and he performed there for 13 years. As the world changes and technology becomes more powerful than ever before, Rogan said he wants to steer people away from making Hollywood their end-all-be-all.
"For sure the best way to be free is not to be connected to the Hollywood machine because the Hollywood machine is all woke now," Rogan said. "It's completely ridiculous and everyone's full of shit. What we need is a machine that we create ourselves."
He's not looking to make money
With a podcast worth upwards of $100 million dollars—thanks to his high-profile licensing deal with Spotify—Rogan's pockets are lined. On yet another podcast in September, this time with White, Rogan said he was on the lookout for a ranch and a comedy club in Austin. Rogan said he wants to help local comics get on the up-and-up "when" he starts a club in Austin.
"The idea is if we open a club—when we open up a club I should say—is to have these local guys come in, pump them up, let people know there's a real scene here and help them," Rogan said. "Not just Austin comics but from everywhere, bring them into this place and have this be a hub."
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- Adam Eget confirms One World Theater comedy club opening - austonia ›
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- Joe Rogan moves into new well-lit studio in Austin - austonia ›
- Joe Rogan retracts telling young people not to get vaccine - austonia ›
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(Charlie L. Harper III)
After reaching Stage 4 last week of Austin Public Health's risk-based guidelines, Austin-Travis County is now at the Stage 5 threshold with a seven-day average of 50 hospitalizations and dwindling ICU capacity.
While unenforceable under Gov. Greg's Abbott order against local mandates, vaccinated individuals are asked to choose drive-through and curbside options, outdoor activities, social interactions with limited group sizes, as well as social distance and wearing masks indoors. Partially or unvaccinated individuals are asked to avoid gatherings, travel, dining and shopping, choose curbside and delivery options, as well as wear a mask on essential trips.
Flashing back to early-pandemic times, hospitals are at critical capacity—the 11 county Trauma Service Region of 2.3 million people is fluctuating at 16 staffed beds, according to APH.
In a statement on behalf of Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health and St. David's Healthcare, a spokesperson said that hospitals are asking residents to "help us and each other" by getting vaccinated and continuing to utilize safety practices to slow the spread of the virus.
According to the statement, a "longstanding" nurse staffing challenge combined with the recent COVID-19 spike is putting "extraordinary pressure" on hospital systems.
Along with the unmitigated spread of the virus in unvaccinated, the more contagious Delta variant is also to blame for the spike in cases. The seven-day moving average of COVID hospitalizations in the Austin area reached the Stage 5 threshold of 50 on Friday, triggering local health officials to ask residents to take action.
Local hospitals have a "surge plan" that includes utilization of "all available patient care space and employees within our hospitals and in other settings" that will go into effect when capacity is hit, according to the statement.
The hospitals are working on sourcing supplemental staff and emphasized that emergency care will still be available but it may involve patient transfers "in order to provide the most appropriate care."
Healthcare systems have hit this threshold previously during the pandemic: the city held an alternate care site at the Austin Convention Center from January to March of this year.
"Our responsibility during this pandemic continues to be balancing our readiness to care for patients with COVID-19, while making sure patients who depend on our hospitals receive needed and timely care," the statement said. "We do not want to see necessary non-COVID care delayed as it was during the early stages of the pandemic."
This story has been updated to after publication to include that Austin has reached the Stage 5 threshold.
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- Delta variant, unvaccinated fuel rise of Austin COVID cases - austonia ›
- Austin bars, restaurants respond to Abbott's reopening order - austonia ›
(Tito's Handmade Vodka)
Ingredients:
- 1 1/12 oz sweet pepper-infused Tito's Handmade Vodka
- 3 oz soda water
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/4 oz simple syrup
(Beto O'Rourke/Twitter)
Austin legend Willie Nelson will perform at the Texas Capitol today, his first large performance since the pandemic began, closing out a four-day long march across Central Texas to build support for federal voting protections.
Organized by The Poor People's Campaign, the march began in Georgetown on Wednesday and will end with a 10 a.m. rally at the Capitol featuring appearances from former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke and Rev. Dr. William Barber.
Willie Nelson (with Charlie Sexton & friends) will play a free concert at the Poor People's Campaign march for democracy & justice in Austin this Saturday! https://t.co/zZSA0BpbWA
Sign up to join us and see Willie at 10am Saturday: https://t.co/KrDPIFIvST
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 29, 2021
The rally calls on Congress to "stop attacks on democracy" by ending the filibuster, pass all provisions of the For the People Act, restore the 1965 Voting Rights Act, raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and pass permanent protections for all 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Nelson denounced election law proposals gaining traction in red states, such as Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 3 in Texas, which 55 House Democrats foiled by fleeing to Washington, D.C., on July 12.
The bills would require additional ID verifications for mail-in ballots, allow partisan poll watchers "free movement" and prohibit elections officials from sending absentee ballot applications to voters who didn't request one.
"Laws making it more difficult for people to vote are unAmerican and are intended to punish people of color, the elderly and disabled," Nelson said. "If you can't win by playing the rules, then it's you and your platform–not everyone else's ability to vote."
The march is in the spirit of the Selma to Montgomery March of 1965, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which protested the blocking of Black Americans' right to vote by Jim Crow laws.
