This edition of Short Tails is all about our first-ever visit to the Joe Rogan-owned Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas. It just so happened to fall on the night of the U.S. Presidential elections in November 2024. We hadn’t planned it that way, but it made for quite a momentous evening.
The Austin Comedy Scene
Hannah and I are avid fans of American comedy, and in recent years, many of the comedians we enjoy have moved to Austin. Joe Rogan, the biggest podcaster in the world, is credited with bringing many of his comedian friends to the city after finding refuge in Texas following harsh COVID restrictions in L.A.
Subsequently, Austin is booming. Real estate prices are soaring as a wave of people from across the U.S., including many hopeful comedians, have started calling the city home. Rogan even set up his own comedy club on East 6th Street in Downtown Austin – the Comedy Mothership.
Additional comedy clubs, bars, and open mics have opened since 2022, and 6th Street has become a buzzing nightlife hub. It still has a rough edge, which adds an exciting element to a night out, especially as several blocks are closed to cars on weekend evenings, allowing pedestrians to take over the streets.
House Sitting in Austin, Texas
Not only are we comedy fans, but we’re also devoted podcast listeners, so a trip to this comedy mecca has always been on our radar since leaving the U.K. in 2022. We had loved our previous trips to Texas (read Welcome to Texas), so we set house sitting alerts for stays in Austin for late 2024.
We landed a great house sit looking after two adorable dogs just north of the city in Pflugerville and started booking tickets for the comedy shows we wanted to see. First up was Ron White, a legend of the scene, followed by Tim Dillon – both performing at the Mothership.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t get tickets to Kill Tony, a show we watch religiously online. It’s the biggest live podcast in the world, and tickets – limited to a few hundred per show – sell out within minutes.
The Comedy Mothership
After hearing so much about it, our first trip to the Comedy Mothership didn’t disappoint. We had a drink in Rogan’s adjoining bar, Mitzi’s, and soaked in the atmosphere of this already legendary venue. Huge stars visit to perform or just hang out, so we were on high alert for any familiar faces.
Sadly, despite a few incorrect Wait, is that…? moments, we didn’t spot any big stars. But we were about to see Ron White, a Texas legend, perform live – a surreal experience after years of watching him on TV and online.
Billed as Ron White and Friends, we remained hopeful that another big name might be on the show. After all, White played a key role in convincing Joe Rogan to move to Austin and set up a comedy club – so who knew who might show up?
Joe Rogan and Donald Trump
I follow U.S. politics closely and will admit to being a bit addicted to the 2024 Presidential election. As a Brit, I have no real stake in it, but it’s a fascinating subject to follow.
A few days before our show at the Comedy Mothership, The Joe Rogan Experience hosted a three-hour episode with Donald Trump. The podcast drew a massive audience and solidified what many already knew – Rogan and much of the Austin comedy scene were backing Trump for President.
Then, just hours before our show, Rogan went live and officially endorsed Trump, making global headlines. His influence in the new media landscape added significant weight to what was already shaping up to be a tight election.
Ron White and Friends
Ron White and Friends kicked off with Cristina Mariani, an excellent rising comedian who later went viral for a joke she told on Kill Tony. Next was James McCann, a hilarious Australian comedian we recognized from his Kill Tony appearances.
Then came the surprise of the night. Theo Von – one of the biggest comedians in the podcast world – took the stage. We had tried (and failed) to get tickets to his show a few nights later, so seeing him perform a 15-minute set was an incredible bonus.
Theo Von then brought the house down by announcing, “Well, he owns the place – give it up for Joe Rogan!” We were sitting in the second row of this intimate comedy room, and one of the biggest names in comedy and podcasting was performing right in front of us. It was surreal!
Election Night at the Comedy Mothership
Rogan dived straight into election talk, jokingly checking his phone every two minutes. He admitted he was a little nervous, having firmly hitched his horse to the Trump wagon. But his set was fantastic, and then Ron White took over, closing the show as only he could.
It was an unforgettable night at the Comedy Mothership on a historic evening for the U.S. After catching the early show (they repeated it later), we got home in time to watch the election results roll in – Trump reclaiming the presidency.
We found out later that Tony Hinchcliffe, host of Kill Tony, attended the second show and later joined the after-party at Mitzi’s. He had recently made global headlines for a joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden that many Democrats took the wrong way.
Final Thoughts
We had hoped to see one or two big names in comedy while in Austin and were thrilled to catch several at our very first show. The Comedy Mothership is a must-visit, with major comedians frequently dropping in to test new material or perform surprise sets.
Our second visit was to see Tim Dillon, who delivered an hour-long set that had us laughing so hard it hurt. He also brought two rising young comedians as warm-up acts, making for another fantastic night on 6th Street.
House Sit in Austin
Accommodation in Austin – and the U.S. in general – can be pricey. Our experience at the Comedy Mothership on election night was only possible thanks to house sitting platforms like Trusted Housesitters.
For more information on how you can save thousands by paying nothing for accommodation in Austin and beyond, read Everything You Need to Know About Trusted Housesitters next and discover where house sitting can take you.
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