There are few men in media as sensational as Joe Rogan. Since his early beginnings as a struggling stand-up comedian, he has made a point of adopting a style and aproach which sets him apart. This is what made him a mainstay on Fear Factor, as well as UFC later on, and helped turn his career into what it is today.
Of course, it can be easy to forget who the real Joe Rogan is behind all that hype. Today, he's become known for a wide variety of things. He is most often remembered as a color commentator for the UFC, where he started back in 1997 doing ringside and backstage interviews.
He has branched out into his well-known podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, where he covers a wide range of topics including martial arts and conspiracy theories. Some facts about Joe's life can be very surprising, and often reveal subtle details about Joe that can fall by the wayside from time to time.
15 He's From New Jersey
Coming as a complete surprise to nobody, Joe Rogan hails from Newark, New Jersey. Rogan mentioned in one of his podcasts that his grandfather had moved the family there in the 1940's. His father, Joseph, served as a Newark Police Officer.
14 He Never Knew His Dad
Joe's parents divorced when Joe was only 5 years old. Joe revealed this fact to Rolling Stone Magazine in 2016. It gives a lot of perspective to the adoption of martial arts as a sort of coping mechanism. Joe seems to have turned out all right despite growing up without a dad.
13 He Performed For 13 Years For Free
Sometime after Joe got his break with Hardball, he began performing at The Comedy Store, an influential comedy club owned by a woman named Mitzy Shore. Rogan reportedly worked at the club for 13 years for free performing comedy routines.
12 He Declined The Role Of Color Commentator
Joe Rogan started with the UFC in 1997 as a backstage and post-fight interviewer. Most people don't know that Joe actually turned down the color commentator position initially, saying that he "just wanted to go to the fights and drink".
11 He Was Named Four-Time MMA Personality Of The Year
Joe's energetic commentating and unique point of view has made him a stand-out personality in the world of sports commentating. He is often referred to as one of the best commentators in the sport of MMA, and has been awarded the "MMA Personality Of The Year Award" four times in total by the World MMA Awards.
10 He Co-Hosted The Man Show
Some people may be too young to remember Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Corolla sleazing around on Spike TV on The Man Show, talking about women and alcohol, as well as sports and other generally masculine topics. Fewer people will remember that Joe had a stint on this sideshow alongside Doug Stanhope.
9 He And Gerard Way Are Cousins
My Chemical Romance rarely conjures images as electrified and masculine as Joe Rogan. Although the two have reportedly never met, Joe confirmed in a podcast that he is in fact cousins with Gerard Way, the lead vocalist of MCR.
8 He Accused And Confronted Carlos Mencia
Unlike comedy, joke theft is very serious business. Some comedians, such as Carlos Mencia, have become notorious for widespread accusations of comedy theft. Joe Rogan, in a display of obstinate rage, accused and later confronted Mencia regarding his illicit jokes. The stunt ended up getting Joe in hot water with the Gersh Agency, which represented both comedians at the time.
7 He Is An Avid Hunter
Much like with his cannabis advocacy, Joe is quite enthusiastic about the manly sport of hunting. Unlike with other gun nuts, Joe seems to have a very sober and open-minded attitude towards hunting, which he discussed with Russel Brand on his podcast.
6 He Suffers From Vitiligo
Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder that is most commonly known for causing the pigment loss in Michael Jackson's skin. Joe, obviously, has a much more mild form of it which mostly affects his hands and feet. Since Joe is also white, it carries less risk and has a less dramatic effect.
5 He Almost Fought Wesley Snipes
At one point, Wesley Snipes approached the UFC to propose a fight between him and Jean Claude Van Damme. Although UFC officials wouldn't agree to a fight with Van Damme, they suggested Joe Rogan instead. Joe Reportedly was training for the fight, which got canceled due to Snipes running into problems with the IRS.
4 He Takes HGH And Testosterone
Many people with highly involved fitness routines turn towards less natural supplements and solutions in order to "maximize their gains", so to speak. Joe is no exception, and after some fans became concerned about the look of his abdominal muscles, he revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that he does in fact take testosterone and HGH.
3 He Tried To Convince Phil Hartman To Leave His Wife
Actor Phil Hartman was a good friend of Joe Rogan's in the 90's. Joe Reportedly had repeated conversations in which he tried to convince Phil to leave Brynn. Domestic issues and drug problems eventually led Brynn to murder Hartman with a .38 revolver while he slept.
2 He Acted Alongside Kevin James Twice
When you think of something like Paul Blart: Mall Cop, it doesn't typically conjure the kind of perceptive discussion or manly rambling that usually typifies Joe Rogan's presence. Nevertheless, Joe has acted alongside Kevin James not once, but twice. First in Zookeeper, and also in Here Comes The Boom.
1 He Hosted A Game Show Produced By Ashton Kutcher
Another surprising little twist. Fellow martial arts enthusiast Ashton Kutcher actually acted as producer on a short-lived game show fronted by Rogan known as Game Show In My Head. The show had a single eight-episode run during 2009.
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