Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Joe Rogan
Discover the career path of Joe Rogan, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, comedian, and UFC color commentator, best known for hosting The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the world's most popular podcasts. The podcast, which has been the most streamed on Spotify since 2020, features long-form conversations with a wide variety of guests, covering topics ranging from science and philosophy to comedy and current events. Rogan's background also includes stand-up comedy, acting, and hosting television shows. His podcast has garnered considerable attention and influence, making him a prominent figure in media and popular culture.
14 hours ago : Joe Rogan Describes Trump as 'Odd' After Receiving a Random Call From Him.
Joe Rogan described his experience with Donald Trump, after a phone call happened. Rogan finds Trump to be an 'odd guy' and commented on his weird texting habits.
August 27, 1988: Performs First Stand-Up Routine
On August 27, 1988, Joe Rogan performed his first stand-up routine at an open-mic night at a Stitches comedy club in Boston.
1988: Begins Career in Comedy
In 1988, Joe Rogan began his career in comedy in the Boston area.
1990: Moves to New York City
In 1990, Joe Rogan moved to New York City to pursue comedy full-time.
1994: Relocates to Los Angeles and Signs Deal with Disney
In 1994, Joe Rogan relocated to Los Angeles and signed an exclusive developmental deal with Disney.
1994: Relocates to Los Angeles and Lands Role in Hardball
In 1994, Joe Rogan relocated to Los Angeles, appeared on MTV's Half-Hour Comedy Hour, and secured his first major acting role in the Fox sitcom Hardball.
February 7, 1997: First UFC Show
On February 7, 1997, Joe Rogan's first UFC show took place at UFC 12: Judgement Day in Dothan, Alabama.
1997: Starts Working for the UFC
In 1997, Joe Rogan began working for the UFC as an interviewer and color commentator.
December 1999: Records First Stand-Up Comedy Album
In December 1999, Joe Rogan recorded his first stand-up comedy album at the Comedy Connection in Boston.
August 2000: Releases First Stand-Up Comedy Album
In August 2000, Joe Rogan's first stand-up comedy album, I'm Gonna Be Dead Some Day..., was released.
2000: Releases First Comedy Special
In 2000, Joe Rogan released his first comedy special, "I'm Gonna Be Dead Someday..."
2001: Hosts Fear Factor
From 2001, Joe Rogan hosted the game show Fear Factor.
2001: Accepts Offer to Host Fear Factor
In 2001, Joe Rogan accepted an offer from NBC to host the American edition of Fear Factor.
December 2002: Emcees Blockbuster Hollywood Spectacular
In December 2002, Joe Rogan was the emcee for the 2002 Blockbuster Hollywood Spectacular, a Christmas parade in Hollywood.
2002: Hired as UFC Color Commentator
In 2002, Dana White hired Joe Rogan as a color commentator for the UFC, initially for free in exchange for prime event tickets.
February 2003: Becomes Co-Host of The Man Show
In February 2003, Joe Rogan became the new co-host of The Man Show on Comedy Central.
August 2003: Starts Co-Hosting The Man Show
In August 2003, Joe Rogan started co-hosting The Man Show on Comedy Central for its fifth season.
2004: The Man Show Ends
In 2004, Joe Rogan and Doug Stanhope entered disagreements with Comedy Central over content, and The Man Show ended.
May 2005: Signs Deal with Endeavor Talent Agency
In May 2005, Joe Rogan signed a deal with the Endeavor Talent Agency.
September 2006: Shiny Happy Jihad Recorded
In September 2006, Joe Rogan recorded his fourth comedy special, Shiny Happy Jihad at Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco.
2006: Fear Factor Ends
From 2001 to 2006, Fear Factor ran for an initial six seasons.
April 2007: Shiny Happy Jihad Released
In April 2007, Comedy Central Records released Joe Rogan's fourth comedy special, Shiny Happy Jihad.
2007: Second Stand-up Comedy Special Premieres
In 2007, Joe Rogan's second stand-up comedy special, Joe Rogan: Live, which was filmed in Phoenix, Arizona, premiered on Showtime.
January 2009: Hosts Game Show in My Head
In January 2009, Joe Rogan hosted the short-lived CBS show Game Show in My Head, produced by Ashton Kutcher.
December 2009: Podcast Launch
In December 2009, Joe Rogan launched a free podcast with Brian Redban. The first episode was recorded on December 24 as a live weekly broadcast on Ustream.
2009: Launches The Joe Rogan Experience
In 2009, Joe Rogan launched The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
August 2010: Podcast Named 'The Joe Rogan Experience'
By August 2010, the podcast was named The Joe Rogan Experience and entered the list of Top 100 podcasts on iTunes.
2010: Presenter in DMT documentary
In 2010, Joe Rogan was the presenter in the documentary DMT: The Spirit Molecule.
2011: Endorsement of Ron Paul
In 2011, Joe Rogan endorsed Congressman Ron Paul and his presidential campaign during the Republican primaries.
2011: Resuming Fear Factor Host Role and Film Debut
In 2011, Joe Rogan resumed hosting duties for the seventh and final season of Fear Factor. He also played Gale in the film Zookeeper, marking his first major film character. Additionally, in 2011, Rogan was working on a book based on his blog entries, tentatively titled Irresponsible Advice from a Man with No Credibility.
2011: Podcast Picked Up by SiriusXM
In 2011, The Joe Rogan Experience podcast was picked up by SiriusXM Satellite Radio, expanding its reach.
December 2012: Release of 'Live from the Tabernacle'
In December 2012, Joe Rogan released his sixth comedy special, Live from the Tabernacle, exclusively as a download on his website for $5, following Louis C.K.'s example.
2012: Role in 'Here Comes the Boom'
In 2012, Joe Rogan played himself in the action-comedy film Here Comes the Boom, starring Kevin James.
2013: Hosting 'Joe Rogan Questions Everything'
In 2013, Joe Rogan hosted the television show Joe Rogan Questions Everything on the SyFy network. The show covered topics from his podcasts, like Bigfoot and UFOs, and featured comedians, experts, and scientists. The aim was to explore these subjects with an open-minded perspective.
January 2015: Podcast Downloads Reach 11 Million
By January 2015, The Joe Rogan Experience podcast reached over 11 million monthly downloads, highlighting its growing popularity.
2015: The Joe Rogan Experience Gains Popularity
By 2015, The Joe Rogan Experience became one of the most popular podcasts in the world.
2016: Worked Alongside Mike Goldberg Until the End of the Year
Joe Rogan worked alongside Mike Goldberg as a UFC commentator until the end of 2016.
May 19, 2020: Licensing Deal with Spotify
On May 19, 2020, Joe Rogan announced a multiyear licensing deal with Spotify, estimated at $200 million.
September 1, 2020: The Joe Rogan Experience on Spotify
On September 1, 2020, The Joe Rogan Experience became available on Spotify as part of the licensing deal.
2020: Spotify Obtains Exclusive Rights to The Joe Rogan Experience
In 2020, Spotify obtained exclusive distribution rights to The Joe Rogan Experience for $200 million.
2020: The Joe Rogan Experience Becomes Most Streamed Podcast on Spotify
In 2020, The Joe Rogan Experience became the most streamed podcast on Spotify.
January 2021: Exclusivity on Spotify
From January 2021, The Joe Rogan Experience became exclusive to the Spotify platform, with both audio and video content.
2021: Onnit Sold to Unilever
In 2021, the supplements and fitness company Onnit, co-founded by Joe Rogan, was sold to Unilever.
2022: Comments on Ron DeSantis
In 2022, Joe Rogan said that Republican Ron DeSantis would be "a good president", expressing a positive view of DeSantis' potential leadership.
2022: Rumble Offer
In early 2022, Rumble offered Joe Rogan $100 million to switch platforms from Spotify, but he declined the offer.
March 2023: Opening of Comedy Mothership
In March 2023, Joe Rogan opened the Comedy Mothership comedy club in Austin, Texas.
November 4, 2024: Endorsement of Donald Trump
On November 4, 2024, Joe Rogan endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump for the 2024 United States presidential election, citing Elon Musk's compelling case for Trump.
December 2024: Top Podcast on Spotify for Fifth Year
In December 2024, Spotify confirmed that The Joe Rogan Experience was the top podcast on its platform for a fifth consecutive year.
2024: Renews Deal with Spotify
In 2024, Joe Rogan renewed his deal with Spotify for an estimated $250 million, but will no longer be exclusive to them.
January 10, 2025: Joe Rogan Interviews Mark Zuckerberg
On January 10, 2025, Joe Rogan published an interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, where Zuckerberg alleged that the Biden administration had pressured Facebook to take down posts claiming that the COVID-19 vaccine had side effects.
July 2025: Urging James Talarico to Run for President
In July 2025, Joe Rogan urged up-and-coming Texas Democrat James Talarico to run for President on his podcast, emphasizing the need for someone who is a good person.
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