“Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote a version of this script before Rodman went to North Korea. It was actually long enough ago, it was Kim Jong-un’s father,” explained James Franco while discussing the highly controversial film The Interview. Franco pointed out the eerie timing of the movie’s release, as its storyline ended up mirroring real-world events—specifically Dennis Rodman’s bizarre visits to North Korea. The unexpected overlap drew laughter from fans, especially among movie lovers who appreciated the strange coincidence.
What makes it even more surreal is that the filmmakers wrote and finalized The Interview well before Rodman’s documentary took shape. In the film, Franco’s character, Dave Skylark, befriends North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (credited as “Kim”). They hang out, play basketball, and build an unusual bond — a fictional scenario that ended up reflecting Rodman’s real-life friendship with Kim. Comedian humorously recounted that backstory Big Jay Oakerson during his recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience.
Joe Rogan’s guest shares wild story about Dennis Rodman’s North Korea trip
Back in 2013, retired NBA legend Dennis Rodman made headlines when he meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The former Chicago Bulls star had flown to Pyongyang to film a documentary under the pretense of organizing a friendly basketball game between North Korean players and a group of former NBA athletes — a bizarre gesture later dubbed “basketball diplomacy.” HBO aired the event, marked the beginning of Rodman’s unexpected friendship with the Supreme Leader.
Rodman’s relationship with Kim Jong-un quickly deepened — to the point where he reportedly became the first known foreigner to meet Kim’s daughter, Ju-ae. Despite its strange significance, the documentary remained under the radar for some. During episode #2239 of The Joe Rogan Experience, the podcaster admitted he hadn’t seen it. His guest, comedian Big Jay Oakerson, described it with enthusiasm,
“He goes over there and hangs with Kim Jong. It’s the best documentary… as soon as humanly possible to Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang in Pyongyang.”
As Oakerson recounted the surreal events of the basketball game, he didn’t mince words, calling the whole experience “nonsense.” He recalled how Rodman, who was expected to play, suddenly bailed on the game — in a scene that felt like it came straight from The Interview movie — and instead chose to spend time with Kim Jong-un,
“Dennis Rodman stops playing — he just changes out of his uniform and puts on street clothes, and goes and hangs out with Kim Jong-un right away… He also has the audience try to sing along Happy Birthday to Kim Jong-un at the start of the game. But the audience doesn’t know what he’s singing, so they just start clapping too fast while he’s singing.”
MMA: UFC 274-Cortez vs Gatto, May 7, 2022 Phoenix, Arizona, USA UFC host Joe Rogan during UFC 274 at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports, 07.05.2022 15:43:40, 18687974, UFC, Joe Rogan, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMarkxJ.xRebilasx 18687974
Over the years, Dennis Rodman has traveled to North Korea five times, with his final visit taking place in 2017. That trip, which drew global headlines, was sponsored by the cryptocurrency company PotCoin. At the time, U.S.–North Korea relations were highly tense, and Rodman stated that his visit was intended to promote peace and mutual understanding. Since then, Rodman hasn’t returned to the country, despite continued diplomatic strain. Still, it’s notable that during that period, Rodman maintained a Neutral relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Donald Trump shares details of Kim Jong-un relationship with Rogan
While North Korea has long had a tense and hostile relationship with the United States, Donald Trump’s approach to the regime — and its leader, Kim Jong-un — has been anything but conventional. Known for his off-the-cuff humor, Trump didn’t shy away from taunting the North Korean dictator, both publicly and online. One of their most memorable exchanges saw Trump tweeting thatthe dictator was “short and fat” after the North Korean leader called him “old.”
Despite the public barbs and mounting global concern over North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal, Trump never viewed Kim as America’s biggest threat. In fact, he often claimed to have developed a personal rapport with the leader. Appearing on episode #2229 of The Joe Rogan Experience, Trump reflected on that unusual dynamic, saying he actually knows Kim Jong-un “very well.” He even recalled a moment when he offered the dictator a piece of advice,
“I said: ‘Do you ever do anything else? Why don’t you go take it easy? Go to the beach, relax.’ I said, ‘You’re always building nuclear, you don’t have to do it. Relax!’ I said, ‘Let’s build some condos on your shore.’”
Today, however, Donald Trump appears to have turned his attention away from North Korea — a nation that has largely gone quiet in recent times. His current focus has shifted toward the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, a crisis that has significantly reshaped the global geopolitical landscape.
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