About this episodeSimon Rex discusses his career evolution from 90s VJ to indie film actor, highlighting the importance of adapt…AI summary
Simon Rex discusses his career evolution from 90s VJ to indie film actor, highlighting the importance of adaptability and the challenges of impostor syndrome. He shares personal insights on family history, DNA results, and the impact of social media on children, while also touching on health trends like peptides and ADHD management.
Key takeaways 5
Simon Rex experiences significant impostor syndrome despite critical acclaim for his role in 'Red Rocket', attributing it to his background in comedy and music rather than traditional acting training.
Rex advocates for protecting children from early fame and social media, comparing it to allowing children to smoke, citing the psychological damage seen in former child stars like Amanda Bynes.
The conversation reveals that Simon Rex is half Ashkenazi Jewish but has no cultural connection, having discovered his heritage through 23andMe; he also has a great-great-grandfather who was a prominent rabbi.
Rex was diagnosed with combination ADHD at age 47, describing it as both a superpower for his career and a crippling factor for relationships, and he manages it with non-stimulant medication (Strattera).
He believes the future of Hollywood lies in independent films rather than big-budget blockbusters, noting that audiences still support well-made smaller films even if they can't compete with streaming content on phones.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“Fame is a mask that eats away at the skull. 100% the soul.”
▶ 40:56Simon Rex reflecting on the negative impact of early fame on child actors like Amanda Bynes.
“I think we're going to look back at social media for kids like we do smoking on an airplane. How did we let people do this? What wrong with us as a collective?”
▶ 42:06Rex expressing concern about the normalization of children being on social media platforms.
“The older I get, I don't know anything. What if it's both? What if it's a little bit? I like that. You know what? There's a lot of truth to two things could be true at once.”
▶ 1:16:19Discussing the balance between randomness and design/free will in life events.
“I need my memory. I got to remember lines. It takes all of my RAM random access memory to access uh my brain power to remember monologues and [ __ ] like that.”
▶ 35:47Explaining why he quit smoking weed to maintain his cognitive function for acting.
Chapters & Sections (59)▼
0:00Physical Appearance and Perception in Mediachapter3
2:02The Benefits and Risks of Performance-Enhancing Peptides
3:43The Importance of Natural Beauty in Men
5:02Parental Insecurities and Child Media Consumption
6:34Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in Creative Careerschapter2
8:20The Struggle of Constant Creativity and Motivation
10:06The Benefits and Risks of Sperm Freezing
11:26Exploring Family History and Cultural Identitychapter3
12:50Rebooting a History Podcast After a Hiatus
14:12Rise of Anti-Semitism in Modern Society
15:29Challenges of Podcasting and Celebrity Encounters
18:45The Future of Hollywood and Indie Filmschapter2
20:56Using YouTube Blockers and Cosmetic Procedures
22:12Oral Hygiene Habits and Ancient Practices
23:27Benefits of Natural Dog Food Supplementschapter1
25:13Building Credit with Credit Building Apps
27:43Origins of Left and Right Political Terminologychapter1
30:17Genetics and Attraction to Opposite Genetics
32:17Racial Stereotypes and Cultural Generalizationschapter1
33:57Geographic Identity and Cultural Arrogance
36:09The Importance of Good Writing in Actingchapter4
38:11Career Highlights and Midlife Crisis Reflections
39:42The Dangers of Child Stardom and Fame
41:06Concerns about Child Stardom on Social Media
42:22Adapting to Life's Transitions and Purpose
43:50Critique of Selfishness and Societal Expectationschapter1
46:20Blue Chew Product Review and Sponsorship
48:22The Importance of Quality and Durability in Clothingchapter1
50:04Exploring Jewish Heritage and Family Roots
52:18Animal Bisexuality and Historical Social Normschapter2
54:17The Benefits and Challenges of Aging
56:14Abuse of Power Throughout History
58:30The Dangers of Us vs. Them Mentalitychapter1
1:01:07Identity and Cultural Heritage Discussion
1:02:24The Allure and Frustration of Cults and Blind Faithchapter2
1:03:57Importance of Kindness in Daily Interactions
1:05:22The Decline of Movie Attendance and Screen Time
1:06:41Rise of Rebellion Against Social Mediachapter1
1:08:11The Dangers of Excessive Screen Time
1:10:22The Dangers of the Attention Economychapter2
1:11:53The Nature of Faith and Secularism
1:12:54The Misconceptions of Jesus' Physical Appearance
1:14:21The Benefits of Embracing Boredom and Mindfulnesschapter2
1:16:03The Nature of Free Will and Destiny
1:17:17Astrology and Relationships in Modern Society
1:18:35The Importance of Opposites in Relationshipschapter1
1:20:07Kinks and Preferences in Relationships
1:22:38The History and Significance of the Dominican Republicchapter2
1:24:32Farting on Airplanes and Unique Animal Traits
1:25:39Reading Patreon Names with Live Audience
1:27:03Anti-Semitic and Threatening Language in Online Communitieschapter2
1:28:15Threats and Aggressive Behavior in Relationships
1:29:37Humor and Satire in Pop Culture
1:31:05Racist and Inflammatory Language in Online Communitieschapter1
1:33:20Absurd Humor and Wordplay Examples
1:35:15Absurd and humorous list makingchapter1
1:38:19Absurd and Crude Humor and Jokes
1:40:37Humor and Satire in Creative Writingchapter1
1:42:48The Importance of Making Decisions in High-Stakes Situations
1h 17m⏭ 3
1h 14m⏭ 5
1h 7m⏭ 1
1h 11m⏭ 1
1h 12m⏭ 4
49m
1h 12m⏭ 1
1h 10m⏭ 1
1h 17m⏭ 3
45m⏭ 1
1h 12m⏭ 3
1h 17m⏭ 3
2h 48m⏭ 3
1h 25m⏭ 1
1h 4m⏭ 2
56m
3h 1m⏭ 1
2h 49m⏭ 3
9h 51m
2h 42m
2h 13m⏭ 3
1h 32m
1h 7m
10h 35m⏭ 3
1h 0m⏭ 1
33m
46m
3h 54m⏭ 7
3h 59m⏭ 5
54m⏭ 1
1h 13m
54m⏭ 2
1h 26m
45m⏭ 2
58m⏭ 5
25m