Jack Kenmare
Joe Rogan fought back tears as he reflected on the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and the impact they've had on people close to him.
Last month, out-of-control wildfires ripped across parts of LA, destroying thousands of homes and businesses.
In fact, it was estimated that 180,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes as seven ferocious wildfires cost at least 29 people their lives and upward of $250 billion in economic costs.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience alongside Rick Caruso – who has launched a non-profit to help people rebuild after the fires – Rogan opened up on being evacuated three times during wildfires in the past.
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Recalling what happened during the 2018 California wildfires, the UFC commentator explained: "Two of my neighbors lost their homes. And watching those folks cry in front of the rubble where they lived, it’s just, it’s just horrible."
Rogan, who was wiping away tears while speaking, added: "They rebuilt some of them. Two of the houses are still gone in my old neighborhood. They never rebuilt, they just pulled out.
"It’s like, 'What am I going to do? I lost everything.' I mean, Mel Gibson lost books from the 1600s."
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Gibson lost his home in the January wildfires while he was in Austin filming a podcast episode with Rogan.
The 69-year-old, best known for starring in films such as Braveheart and Ransom, opened up to NewsNation about losing the home he had lived in for around 15 years.
“Obviously, it’s kind of devastating. It’s emotional,” he told Elizabeth Vargas. “You live there for a long time, and you had all your stuff... I’ve been relieved from the burden of my stuff, because it’s all in cinders.”
As mentioned above, Gibson also revealed that he was in Texas filming a podcast with Joe Rogan as the wildfires ripped through LA.
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“I was doing the Rogan podcast and [I was] kind of ill at ease while we were talking, because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, I wonder if my place is still there," he said.
"But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there. I went home and I said to myself, well, at least I haven’t got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore.”
He added: “I had a lot of personal things there that I can’t get back. All kinds of stuff, everything from photographs to files to just personal things that I had from over the years, and clothing. But you know that can all be replaced.
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“These are only things. And the good news is that, those in my family and those I love are all well, and we’re all happy and healthy and out of harm’s way, that’s all I can care about, really.”