Phetasy News - My Trip Through a Wormhole
The Crazy Making of Colic, Jennifer Briney talks Congressional Dish on Walk-Ins Welcome, I Am So Politically Homeless, Bridget on The Joe Rogan Experience, Bridget on DarkHorse, and merch
Greetings from the Phetaverse!
And hello from the other side of a trip to Austin and the Joe Rogan Experience! People often ask me what it’s like to go on that show and I imagine it’s what it feels like to go through a wormhole. You enter the mothership, sit down, start chatting and time and space just disappear.
The conversation moves from one topic to another so quickly, like a stone skipping over the placid waters of a lake, until you sink into the latest report about seed oils or whatever rabbit hole Joe has been going down of late. It’s the conversational equivalent of someone’s browser history.
This appearance was more of a struggle for me than others because I am experiencing postpartum cognitive difficulties or “Mom brain” as it’s known colloquially. I didn’t feel as sharp. My ability to recall names and stats or bring up examples suffered greatly. And I’m mad at myself that in the moment, when I was struggling, I didn’t make the joke, “Now I know what Biden must feel like.”
The aftermath is usually a combination of coming down from a rush, beating myself up for not remembering something, or wishing we’d lingered on a topic. For example in this episode, I wished we’d stayed on parallel economies longer as I have lots of nuanced thoughts about them but the wormhole kept moving.
At some point, usually on the drive back to the hotel, you get hit with: WHAT DID I JUST SAY??? But that’s the beauty and appeal of the JRE and Joe—his endlessly curious mind combined with the freedom to say whatever comes into yours. It’s a conversation between friends, the way friends talk behind closed doors. And only after the fact are you reminded, “Oh shit, millions of people listen to this.”
I’m endlessly grateful to Joe. A huge portion of my audience has found me through him, probably many of you reading this. He’s one of the most generous people I know and for someone filling stadiums, one of the most down-to-earth and humble. He’s always giving us little guys a voice and I’m convinced that he has single-handedly held the center throughout all of the craziness of the past five years. Imagine where we would be without his voice and his influence?
I can’t. I don’t want to.
Thumbnail artwork by Lara Cullen.
Email laracullenstudio@gmail.com to inquire or contact her.