“What started as a surfing book became a story about whether an Obama speechwriter and a Joe Rogan superfan can become friends..."
Very few saw this coming. Surfing, our very and most favorite pastime, has been lightly regarded for much of modern history. The pursuit of dropouts and derelicts. Non-serious folk who need only a tasty buzz and some cool waves to be fine. Well, as it turns out, it might also be the only glue strong enough to unite the very polarized men in these-once United States of America.
Former Obama speechwriter David Litt stumbled upon this wild truth after asking his Joe Rogan-loving brother-in-law for surf lessons. Litt describes himself as “a high-functioning, high-anxiety person who experienced situational depression during the coronavirus pandemic. He had a feeling of overwhelming dread, difficulty getting out of bed and found himself endlessly doomscrolling.” Brother-in-law, on the other hand, “a guitar player, a motorcycle enthusiast and a daredevil surfer.”
“He played electric guitar in a ska band that is a big deal on the Shore; I played ultimate frisbee. He was into death metal and I was into Stephen Sondheim. So we never had anything in common. In the run up to the pandemic all of these differences weren’t always political but then somehow they started to feel like they were telling us what team we were on. It felt like we’d been drafted into opposite sides of the culture war,” Litt shared with The Guardian.
“He did well during the pandemic and he seemed resilient in a way that, to be totally honest, I didn’t,” the lightly built brunette continued. “I definitely was not about to get tattoos or try to drive a truck because I would bump into things, but I could see myself trying to surf and that’s what happened.”
His goal, to see if he could ride “a big wave in Hawaii.
That’s when surfing’s shocking magic ignited.
“What started as a surfing book became a story about basically a will-they won’t-they?, except it’s whether an Obama speechwriter and a Joe Rogan superfan can become friends,” Litt explained. “Like a lot of Democrats, my natural inclination is to be a little annoying and condescending. I certainly wasn’t doing that when I was the one who desperately needed to learn from him.”
Spoiler alert… surfing worked!
But do you have a similar tale of bonding with someone you otherwise despise whilst bobbing in the brine or has it mostly gone the other way for you? Learning to hate basically everyone on board?
Likes death metal, and plays in a ska band. Fucking unicorn.
Ha!
The guy didn’t want to drive a truck cause he would bump into things? I really don’t know what that means.
He would bump into guys to get their number.
Xox
Admission of beta status.
4 wheel drive maybe….?
Does Turtle make an appearance?
‘Surfing The Magic Glue” sounds like a really good way to lose lots of brain cells.
Spoiler! It’s jizz!
Xox
you see a picture of Lil’ Litt and you know it is.
Unfortunately there are worldwide forces in and out of governments trying to globalize and neuter every western nation.
Big oil, 1%, etc…
How many speechwriters/boyfriends does one president need?
Surfing doesn’t seem to be doing much good for French and German relations lately, if anything it’s causing more antagonism than ever.
So goodness knows how it’ll mend the differences between Faria and Kaikoura…
I was in Biarritz a few weeks ago and there was a badass girl absolutely ripping a break away from the guys. Now I’m left to contemplate if she was avoiding mean french men…
When it comes right down to it people are somewhat the same. With variations good and bad. But excuses for this aberration or that won’t cut the mustard in court under my scrutiny.
Joe Rogan is not MAGA Conservative, nor conservative Republican in any sense. What makes him so dangerous to the left is that he’s willing to have a freeform lengthy interview where he’s engaged with his guest and willing to listen.
I think that used to be the case but he seems really into drinking his own bath water nowadays.
When was the last time he had someone on the show that might have a different view point to him? It’s been a while. The vaccine issue is the perfect example, he only has people on who agree and reinforce his view.
Needs to get Bill Burr back on, regularly.
Indeed. Josh Szeps was good too for not just agreeing with everything Joe says.
Bill Burr has become insufferable in the last few years. He seems to cower under the cloud of his wife’s TDS.
What’s his viewpoint?
The vaccine issue is not a good example. Take a look through his shows.
While he has his views on the vaccine, as he should, cause the mRNA vaccine is problematic, you’d be hard pressed to do a 5 month run through of shows and not conclude that it’s mostly comedians, thoroughly random and hardly partisan.
I probably listen to one in five, there’s only so much time but certainly feels like it comes up quite often.
He recently had a Dr on to talk about the dangers of the vaccine but she was an ENT.
Bit of balance would be good even if he doesn’t want to hear it.
Agree that he’s not partisan. It’s become mostly the same comedians now though. He’s used to get good guests that you’d never hear of otherwise (and who were interesting) – Maynard from Tool, Billy Corgan etc.
Clickbait headline gotta clickbait headline. I listen to Rogan when driving cross country and get so bored with the same three things he discusses plus stories about self.
Which, to your point, ain’t MAGA at all. Nutrition, cars, working out.
Drugs.
I think that’s what he means by nutrition. One and the same to Joe
He mostly has other comedians on. I think he figures his far reach can only help careers for touring comedians.
He’s got an extensive car collection. Can’t blame him for having passions.
Did you listen to his recent podcast with Oliver Anthony? While I don’t listen to most of his podcasts, every now and then I’ll dive in for a listen. That one was good.
This was a mega MAGA podcast. Fortunately he’s back in the administration(Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States). You could write an article about the resonant quality of his voice. 😄 https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
The cliffnote or soundbite recap version of Rogan is the only way to stomach him.
Joe’s comedy is trash. Can we at least agree on that?
MAGA or Dem, one thing we can all agree on is we don’t need more clowns like this in the water, let alone writing books about it.
That conservative is doing a terrible job conserving if he’s teaching people to surf.
Build the wall!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyvxt1svxso
I first heard Mr Carlin in the early 70s and never once did I disagree with his words or wisdom.
“Have you ever noticed your own farts don’t smell that bad?” -GC
My poor wife…
+1
“Like a lot of Democrats, my natural inclination is to be a little annoying and condescending.” Clearly he’s not hung out with the Republicans and global MAGA below the line at BG. The fuckers. Or Negs when it comes to pictures of food. The fucker.
I try hard to avoid the far right and the far left, except of course the BG crew as surfers are kind, loving and accepting of all of us.
fuck you…..ugh…..I mean that kindly, lovingly and acceptingly.
THIS is why I ache for you OTTO! Keeping it real bro!
https://youtu.be/vDjbZVawd68?si=GmNoMbsigno340aM
So we are left to wonder why Elizabeth Hurley would hang with Billy Ray?
Or our Warney!!
Xox
A question best asked of Hugh Grant.