The comedy club that knows the importance of private security.

Love him or not, Joe Rogan host of the most popular podcast in the world. In early March 2023, Rogan opened his new comedy club in Austin, Texas called The Comedy Mothership.

I was fortunate to attend a show at the Austin club on 6th Street, while I was in town for an Arc One Protective Services photo shoot. And, I have to say, I was very impressed by the visible security presence at the club.

This may not speak to private security guards, but one security measure in place was that all ticket holder’s phones are locked away from the start. Rogan isn’t the first to do this. My first encounter with these “Yondr” pouches was at an Aziz Ansari show years ago. Plenty of comedians (and even musicians) have followed suit in recent years. There’s good reason to protect comedians’ sets in this way, though many may find it hard to go a few hours without their beloved cell phones. It limits liability and decreases distractions.

It wasn’t apparent that any particular private security company “got the gig” for Rogan’s club. Instead, it appeared that each security professional was independently contracted by Rogan’s team to provide front door (bouncer-like) security complete with bag checks and wand metal detectors. Each security guard was wearing a Comedy Mothership shirt, and no firearms or utility belts were visible.

What wasn’t apparent, is a security measure Rogan mentioned on his show a time or two. He stated recently that he also has plain clothes police officers in the venue at all times during open hours. This is an additional measure that is taken to provide covert security at the club.

Whenever there’s a 2 drink minimum, or, whenever there’s stand-up comedy in general, you can expect people to drink a lot and maybe, get a little rowdy. The visible security presence made me feel comfortable and that nothing was falling through the cracks. And, at The Mothership, there’s no tolerance for hecklers or guests acting out. Upon entering the main room, a sign reads “Hecklers Will Be Alienated.”

In my own experience, someone sitting near me was spoken to by the headliner. This type of engagement with the crowd is very common in stand-up. But, the unspoken rule is, to speak only when spoken to. And, the guest near me didn’t seem to get that memo. As the set progressed, when this guest had made one too many comments, a security guard kneeled down and whispered something to him. Needless to say, he didn’t make another sound for the rest of the show.

Some have reported that face scanning was required at the club. While this may have been enforced in the club’s early months, I personally did not experience that level of airport-like measures when attending The Mothership.

As Rogan has mentioned on his show, 6th Street in Austin isn’t the safest place. For starters, downtown Austin has admittedly had a homeless problem in the past. These communities are more properly coined as open drug scenes. Since moving to Austin in 2020, Rogan has worked with the city’s government to clean up certain areas of the city. He even had Mayor Steve Adler on his show to discuss the crisis. To their credit, downtown Austin in 2023 looks much better than downtown Austin in 2021, when I last visited.

Still, the popular area of 6th Street reminds you of a wild night on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. There are tourists, sure. But, there are also a lot of drunk locals behaving like drunk people typically do. Just walking to the club, you’ll see a handful of police officers patrolling the area. This, to me, was reassuring. It’s why Rogan decided to have a super secure comedy club where, as he says, people feel safe entering.

The fact of the matter is, if you want your business to succeed, people need to feel safe walking in your doors. Rogan, an excellent businessman, knew the importance of hiring private security and invested wisely. And, we should note that his investment involved local law enforcement and private security officers. We do better when we’re working together.

With the private security industry growing at an exceptional rate, we’re sure to see more venues and clubs following Joe Rogan’s lead.