#2517 - Taylor Sheridan

Episode of The Joe Rogan Experience · June 23, 2026 · 2 h 50 min

Joe Rogan and Taylor Sheridan discuss ranching, his TV production methods, politics, COVID, fraud, ibogaine, espionage, and his new prison survival guide.

Summary

Joe Rogan hosted writer-producer and rancher Taylor Sheridan in a wide-ranging conversation. It opened with Sheridan's cutting horses and a discussion of ADHD, which both men described as a potential superpower, and moved to criticism of the education system, nonprofits and homelessness spending in California, and an Oregon ballot measure on animal cruelty. Sheridan explained the economics of the beef industry and how the Four Sixes Ranch is run by a small crew, and attributed his prolific output of series such as Yellowstone, Landman and Lioness to a long-standing, promoted-from-within crew and a streamlined process free of network meetings.

The two discussed dependence on petroleum, the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. operation that captured Nicolás Maduro, which Sheridan called implausible if written as fiction. Rogan argued that many UAP sightings are secret U.S. aircraft. Sheridan warned about erosion of the rule of law, collectivism, and politicians reshaping government structures, and advocated congressional term limits. Rogan expressed concern about precedents set by ICE enforcement tactics. Both criticized mainstream news, with Rogan asserting the lab-leak origin of COVID-19 was settled and discussing Tulsi Gabbard's allegations about Anthony Fauci.

Later segments covered government fraud, the fentanyl crisis, Sheridan's neck surgery and Rogan's recommendations of Regenokine and stem-cell treatments, and Rogan's advocacy for ibogaine as an addiction treatment. They praised self-reliant lives such as Dick Proenneke's, discussed fossils and early human history, and Sheridan described researching 1883 through family pioneer journals. They discussed espionage tradecraft, drone warfare, and a series of missing or dead scientists.

Sheridan closed by describing his book How to Not Die in Prison, co-written with former inmate turned trainer Tom Nelson, which he conceived as a travel guide to prison to help Nelson financially, and criticized the U.S. prison system's high recidivism. The episode ended with praise for Justin Gaethje's upset win over Ilia Topuria at the UFC White House event.

Chapters

0:14
Horses, ADHD and education
Sheridan describes his prize-winning cutting horses, and the pair discuss hyper-focus, ADHD medication and a school system they see as stifling children.
9:00
Nonprofits, homelessness and Oregon's animal measure
They criticize NGOs and California homelessness spending and mock an Oregon ballot measure that would restrict killing animals.
23:30
Beef industry and ranch life
Sheridan explains cattle grazing economics, meatpacking concentration, and how the Four Sixes is run by a dozen cowboys.
29:39
How Sheridan makes so many shows
Sheridan credits a loyal, promoted-from-within crew and minimal network bureaucracy, and recounts pitching Landman to Billy Bob Thornton.
33:40
Oil, Iran, the Maduro raid and UAPs
Discussion of petroleum dependence, the Strait of Hormuz, the Venezuela operation's reported sonic weapon, and Rogan's view that many UAPs are secret U.S. craft.
42:32
Collectivism, rule of law and term limits
Sheridan warns about collectivism and eroding legal norms, Rogan about ICE precedents, and Sheridan calls for congressional term limits.
52:35
News media, Fauci and COVID origins
They criticize 24-hour news and discuss Tulsi Gabbard's allegations about Anthony Fauci and the lab-leak theory.
1:06:31
Fraud, fentanyl and spinal treatments
They discuss government fraud revelations, fentanyl on city streets, Sheridan's neck surgery and Rogan's recommended alternatives.
1:26:13
Ibogaine and simple living
Rogan explains ibogaine's promise for addiction, and both praise self-reliant lives like Dick Proenneke's and Heimo Korth's.
1:42:07
Ancient history and researching 1883
They discuss fossils, early humans and arrowheads, and Sheridan describes pioneer journals that informed 1883.
2:05:17
Espionage, drones and missing scientists
Sheridan discusses Lioness, tradecraft and AI drone warfare, and they speculate about dead or missing scientists and foreign spies.
2:29:02
How to Not Die in Prison and UFC
Sheridan recounts creating a prison travel guide with Tom Nelson, criticizes recidivism, and both celebrate Justin Gaethje's win.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan argues that NGOs lack incentive to solve problems like homelessness because solving them would end their funding.
“So they don't create them to solve problems. Anything exacerbate the problem. Make the problem worse”
Listen from 11:25 · Homelessness in Los Angeles
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan states that four major meatpackers control over 90 percent of the beef industry, though small USDA facilities have grown since COVID.
“you've got four major packing houses that control 90-something percent of the beef industry”
Listen from 24:56
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan says the Four Sixes covers 300,000 acres but is worked by only twelve cowboys.
“You know, four sixes is 300,000 acres, but there's 12 cowboys”
Listen from 26:21 · Four Sixes Ranch
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan says his productions prep in a third of the usual time because of a streamlined, experienced crew.
“Typically a TV show will start up and they'll prep for 12 weeks before they start filming. We do it in four”
Listen from 32:01 · Landman (TV series)
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan recounts pitching Landman to Billy Bob Thornton as his Bad Santa character running a West Texas oil company.
“I want to take your character from Bad Santa and put him in West Texas and run an oil company”
Listen from 33:15 · Landman (TV series)
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan argues there is currently no viable alternative to petroleum.
“The reality is we don't have an alternative. Like it does not exist. It simply doesn't exist”
Listen from 33:57
Joe Rogan
Rogan believes much of what people report as UAPs is secret U.S. technology, while not ruling out something else.
“I think there's a giant chunk of the shit that people are seeing that's ours”
Listen from 40:02 · Unidentified flying objects and government disclosure
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan warns that openly defying federal law under one president sets a precedent the other side will follow, eroding the rule of law.
“So when a president gets in that you do support, then the other side, because we've established this precedent, they're just not going to follow his laws either”
Listen from 47:32
Joe Rogan
Rogan says that while he opposes illegal immigration, ICE's masked, militarized raids set a dangerous precedent a future government could misuse.
“However, we're setting a very alarming precedent where you have masked criminals. militarized police with no ID that are running around the cities snatching people up”
Listen from 47:58 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Linked moment · 51:14Skip to 51:14 using a listen link in the info box.
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan calls congressional term limits of about twelve years the most important legislation that could be passed.
“The most important legislation that we could pass right now is term limits. I think 12 years tops in Congress”
Listen from 51:14 · Term limits in the United States Congress
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan argues 24-hour cable news degraded journalism by forcing outlets to fill time with opinion and fear.
“CNN's the worst thing that ever happened to news because it's 24 hours”
Listen from 52:35
Joe Rogan
Rogan asserts that the debate over COVID-19's origins is settled in favor of a lab leak.
“The fight's over. It's a fucking lab leak”
Listen from 1:02:53 · COVID-19 pandemic response
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan argues that providing phones and needles to addicted homeless people is cruel and they should instead be taken off the street for treatment.
“Like if someone's to that point and you want to help them, don't give them a fucking iPhone and some more needles”
Listen from 1:16:33 · Opioid addiction
Joe Rogan
Rogan claims a single ibogaine dose frees many people from addictions of all kinds.
“for a large percentage of people, just one dose is good enough to get them off of everything, whatever they're on”
Listen from 1:27:19 · Ibogaine
Joe Rogan
Rogan recounts that Trump was receptive when Rogan brought ibogaine to him and signed a related measure a week later.
“But Trump was very open to it. He said, what are you looking for? Are you looking for FDA approval?”
Listen from 1:28:52 · Ibogaine
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan says Lioness fictionalizes his guesses about political developments, which have repeatedly come true, such as cartels being designated terrorist organizations.
“I've tried to guess what's going to happen politically and then fictionalize that. And the fact that I've managed to be right has been pretty fucking wild”
Listen from 2:05:44
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan says espionage relies mostly on low-tech leverage, chiefly bribery and blackmail.
“You're either bribing someone with money or blackmailing them”
Listen from 2:09:39
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan predicts AI and drones will rapidly transform warfare in frightening ways.
“AI and drones are gonna alter the landscape of war. We're getting real close to some Terminator shit”
Listen from 2:12:34
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan says he conceived the book as a Lonely Planet-style travel guide to prison to help his friend Tom Nelson support his family.
“We're gonna write a travel guide to prison. for the accidental inmate, right?”
Listen from 2:33:28 · How to Not Die in Prison
Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan argues U.S. prisons are not designed to rehabilitate and instead produce criminals, citing a recidivism rate he puts around 80 percent.
“It's an institution that guarantees you're a criminal when you come out”
Listen from 2:38:11 · Incarceration in the United States
Joe Rogan
Rogan suggests Topuria's loss to Gaethje may benefit him, arguing losses teach fighters they are beatable.
“I think sometimes a loss is like one of the most important things a fighter can ever have”
Listen from 2:41:27 · UFC White House event

People

In the conversation

Joe RoganAmerican comedian and host of The Joe Rogan Experience
Taylor SheridanAmerican screenwriter and producer, creator of Tulsa King

Discussed

Tom NelsonFormer inmate turned personal trainer and co-author of How to Not Die in Prison
Billy Bob ThorntonAmerican actor who stars in Landman
Anthony FauciFormer U.S. public health official criticized by Rogan
Tulsi GabbardDirector of National Intelligence
Nicolás MaduroPresident of Venezuela, described by Jiang as imprisoned in New York
Rick PerryFormer Texas governor involved in the Texas ibogaine initiative
Nancy PelosiUS congresswoman whose husband was attacked with a hammer in their San Francisco home
Nick ShirleyIndependent investigator cited for exposing government fraud in California
Gavin NewsomGovernor of California, cited for his 2018 primary strategy
Dick ProennekeNaturalist who lived alone in a self-built Alaskan cabin for decades
Eric WeinsteinAmerican mathematician, former managing director of Thiel Capital and creator of Geometric Unity
Steve BullockFormer Democratic governor of Montana
Justin GaethjeAmerican mixed martial artist and Nurmagomedov's final opponent
Ilia TopuriaUFC lightweight champion
Timothy DaltonBritish actor who played the villain in 1923

Topics

A Crazy NBA Month With Zach Lowe, Plus Taylor Sheridan on Building a TV Empire and the Problems With Hollywood
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 29, 2026 · 2 h 45 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe debate Jaylen Brown trade rumors, the LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges trades and LeBron's future, then Taylor Sheridan discusses his prison book and TV empire.

From the publisher

Taylor Sheridan is a writer, director, and producer of multiple series and films, including “Landman,” “Lioness,” “The Madison,” “Sicario,” and “Hell or High Water.” He is also a restaurateur, rancher, and author. His new book, “How Not to Die in Prison: A Survival Guide,” co-written with ex-convict turned personal trainer Tom Nelson, will be available June 23.www.simonandschuster.com/books/How-to-Not-Die-in-Prison/Taylor-Sheridan/9781668213452www.cattlemenssteakhouse.comwww.6666beef.comwww.bosqueranchheadquarters.com Perplexity: Download the app or ask Perplexity anything at https://pplx.ai/rogan. Visit https://wildpastures.com/rogan for 20% Off + Free Shipping Switch today at https://Visible.com for just 25/mo. Or Save $10 on your first month of Visible+ Pro with code ROGAN. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Society & Culture·Politics·TV & Film