Russians Attempted Human-Chimpanzee Hybrid Soldiers After World War II
"There was a program that they do a lot of things where they just run it up the chain. What if we make a hybrid just for war? We know chimpanzees are incredibly strong and they're smart. What if we made an incredibly strong, very violent species that's more intelligent than chimpanzees, and we can control them, and we'll use them as our soldiers?"
About this episode
Joe Rogan sat down with Canadian comedian and actor Harlan Williams for a wide-ranging three-hour conversation covering everything from military submarines and wolf reintroduction programs to artificial intelligence, ancient civilizations, and the state of modern comedy. Williams, who recently earned Kill Tony's Guest of the Year award, brought his trademark absurdist humor while also engaging in serious debates about humanity's place in nature and technological evolution. The conversation opened with Williams discussing bizarre details like the massive underwater submarine fleet (40,000-70,000 personnel deployed globally) and little-known historical programs including Soviet attempts to create human-chimpanzee hybrid soldiers after World War II. A major theme emerged around team human versus team animal, with Williams controversially stating he'd choose animals over humans if forced to pick, while Rogan firmly defended humanity despite acknowledging environmental destruction. They debated wolf reintroduction programs in Colorado, with Rogan criticizing ballot-box biology where urban voters impose wildlife on rural ranchers, leading to livestock deaths. The pair also explored simulation theory, AI's potential to democratize creativity, and whether ancient civilizations might explain UFO phenomena in ocean bases. Williams promoted his new film Wingman and announced he's directing an upcoming comedy called Rednecks starring Tony Hinchcliffe. Rogan delivered a forceful defense of Kill Tony roast comedians facing backlash, calling critics who label them racists or Nazis 'fucking traitors' exploiting controversy. The episode showcased Williams' unique comedic perspective while touching on military history, evolutionary biology, the decline of sitcoms, and the future of artificial intelligence.
Key takeaways
- Rogan passionately defended Kill Tony roast comedians against accusations of racism and Nazism, calling fellow comics who criticized them traitors exploiting controversy for personal gain.
- Williams cited estimates that 40,000 to 70,000 military and civilian personnel operate underwater in nuclear submarines globally at any time, with exact deployment numbers classified.
- Rogan detailed a Soviet-era program where scientist Ilya Ivanov attempted to create human-chimpanzee hybrid soldiers by inseminating women with chimp sperm before being arrested and exiled.
- The pair debated wolf reintroduction in Colorado, with Rogan criticizing urban voters imposing predators on ranchers and citing a WWI ceasefire between Russia and Germany to hunt wolves.
- Williams argued AI democratizes creativity by allowing ordinary people to express artistic visions previously limited to elite trained artists, comparing it to past technological shifts.
- Rogan revealed he rarely watches TV anymore and hasn't turned on a hotel television in six years, consuming content almost exclusively on his phone.
- Williams disclosed John Larroquette rejected him from a sitcom guest role for wanting his own show, which he got immediately after with Simon co-starring Jason Bateman.