History of Joe Rogan in Timeline
Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. He is best known for hosting The Joe Rogan Experience, a highly popular podcast. Since 2020, it has been the most streamed podcast on Spotify, achieving widespread popularity and influence in the podcasting world.
August 11, 1967: Joseph James Rogan Jr. born
On August 11, 1967, Joseph James Rogan Jr. was born. He later became an American podcaster, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host.
1985: Graduated from high school
In 1985, Joe Rogan graduated from Newton South High School.
August 27, 1988: 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: Began comedy career
In 1988, Joe Rogan started his career in comedy in the Boston area.
1990: Moved to New York City
In 1990, Joe Rogan moved to New York City to pursue comedy full-time.
1993: Accusation of joke thievery
Since 1993, Joe Rogan had been accusing comedian Carlos Mencia of joke thievery.
1994: Became interested in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
In 1994, Joe Rogan became interested in Brazilian jiu-jitsu after watching Royce Gracie fight at UFC 2: No Way Out.
1994: Relocated to Los Angeles and landed television spot
In 1994, Joe Rogan relocated to Los Angeles and secured his first national television spot on MTV's Half-Hour Comedy Hour. He later accepted a development deal with the Disney network, and his first major acting role in the 1994 nine-episode Fox sitcom Hardball.
1994: Interest in Jiu-Jitsu
In 1994, Rogan became interested in jiu-jitsu after watching Royce Gracie fight at UFC 2: No Way Out.
1994: Relocated to Los Angeles and signed deal with Disney
In 1994, Rogan moved to Los Angeles and signed an exclusive developmental deal with Disney.
1995: Starred in NewsRadio
From 1995 to 1999, Joe Rogan starred in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio as Joe Garrelli.
1996: Training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
In 1996, Rogan began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Carlson Gracie at his school in Los Angeles, California.
February 7, 1997: First UFC show
On February 7, 1997, Joe Rogan's first show as a backstage and post-fight interviewer took place at UFC 12: Judgement Day in Dothan, Alabama.
1997: Began working for the UFC
In 1997, Joe Rogan started working for the UFC as an interviewer and color commentator.
1998: Phil Hartman's death affected Rogan
In 1998, the death of Joe Rogan's NewsRadio cast mate Phil Hartman affected his ability to perform stand-up, causing him to cancel a week of scheduled gigs.
December 1999: Recorded first stand-up comedy album
In December 1999, Joe Rogan recorded his first stand-up comedy album at the Comedy Connection in Boston.
1999: Starred in NewsRadio
From 1995 to 1999, Joe Rogan starred in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio as Joe Garrelli.
August 2000: Released comedy album
In August 2000, Joe Rogan released his first stand-up comedy album, I'm Gonna Be Dead Some Day...
2000: Released first comedy special
In 2000, Joe Rogan released his first comedy special, I'm Gonna Be Dead Someday...
2001: Hosted Fear Factor
From 2001 to 2006, Joe Rogan hosted the game show Fear Factor.
2001: UFC taken over by Zuffa
In 2001, the UFC was taken over by Zuffa, leading to Joe Rogan befriending Dana White.
December 2002: Emceed Blockbuster Hollywood Spectacular
In December 2002, Joe Rogan was the emcee for the 2002 Blockbuster Hollywood Spectacular Christmas parade.
2002: Hired by UFC as a 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: Became 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: Hosted The Man Show's fifth season
In August 2003, Joe Rogan co-hosted the fifth season of The Man Show on Comedy Central with Doug Stanhope.
2003: Living in Bell Canyon, California
In 2003, Rogan had lived on and off in Bell Canyon, California.
2004: The Man Show ended
In 2004, Joe Rogan and Doug Stanhope's disagreements with Comedy Central led to the end of The Man Show.
May 2005: Signed with Endeavor Talent Agency
In May 2005, Joe Rogan signed a deal with the Endeavor Talent Agency.
2005: Accusation of joke thievery
In 2005, Joe Rogan wrote a blog entry accusing comedian Carlos Mencia of joke thievery.
2005: Wesley Snipes challenged Rogan to a cage fight
In 2005, actor Wesley Snipes challenged Joe Rogan to a cage fight, but Snipes backed out due to an IRS investigation.
September 2006: Recorded Shiny Happy Jihad
In September 2006, Joe Rogan recorded his fourth comedy special, Shiny Happy Jihad, at Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco.
2006: Fear Factor concluded
From 2001 to 2006, Joe Rogan hosted Fear Factor for six seasons.
2006: Left Fear Factor
In 2006, Joe Rogan concluded his role as the host of Fear Factor.
February 2007: Confronted Carlos Mencia on stage
In February 2007, Joe Rogan confronted Carlos Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, resulting in Rogan being expelled by his talent agent and banned from The Comedy Store. He then signed with William Morris Agency.
April 2007: Comedy Central released Shiny Happy Jihad
In April 2007, Comedy Central Records released Joe Rogan's fourth comedy special, Shiny Happy Jihad.
2007: Joe Rogan: Live premiered on Showtime
In 2007, Joe Rogan's second stand-up comedy special, Joe Rogan: Live, which was filmed in May 2005 in Phoenix, Arizona, premiered on Showtime.
2008: Birth of First Daughter and Move to Colorado
In 2008, Rogan and his wife Jessica Ditzel had their first daughter. Also in 2008, the family moved to Gold Hill, Colorado, but returned to Southern California four months later when Ditzel became pregnant.
January 2009: Hosted Game Show in My Head
In January 2009, Joe Rogan hosted the short-lived CBS show Game Show in My Head, which aired for eight episodes.
December 2009: Launch of Free Podcast with Brian Redban
In December 2009, Joe Rogan launched a free podcast with comedian Brian Redban, which was recorded on December 24 and intended to be a weekly live broadcast on Ustream.
2009: Launched The Joe Rogan Experience
In 2009, Joe Rogan launched The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
2009: Marriage to Jessica Ditzel
In 2009, Rogan married Jessica Ditzel, a former cocktail waitress.
August 2010: Podcast Named "The Joe Rogan Experience" and Enters iTunes Top 100
By August 2010, Joe Rogan's podcast was named "The Joe Rogan Experience" and entered the list of Top 100 podcasts on iTunes.
2010: Accusation of Joke Thievery Against Dane Cook
In 2010, Joe Rogan accused comedian Dane Cook of stealing jokes.
2010: Birth of Second Daughter
In 2010, Rogan and his wife Jessica Ditzel had their second daughter.
2010: Presenter in documentary DMT: The Spirit Molecule.
Joe Rogan was the presenter in the 2010 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, First Major Film Role, and Book Project
In 2011, Joe Rogan resumed hosting "Fear Factor" for its final season. He also played Gale in the film "Zookeeper" and worked on a book tentatively titled "Irresponsible Advice from a Man with No Credibility".
2011: The Joe Rogan Experience picked up by SiriusXM Satellite Radio
In 2011, The Joe Rogan Experience was picked up by SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
December 2012: Release of "Live from the Tabernacle" Comedy Special
In December 2012, Joe Rogan released his sixth comedy special, "Live from the Tabernacle", exclusively as a download on his website for $5.
2012: Appearance in "Here Comes the Boom"
In 2012, Joe Rogan played himself in the action-comedy film "Here Comes the Boom", starring Kevin James.
2012: Endorsed Ron Paul
In 2012, Joe Rogan voiced his support for Ron Paul.
2013: Hosting "Joe Rogan Questions Everything" on SyFy
In 2013, Joe Rogan hosted the television show "Joe Rogan Questions Everything" on the SyFy network, which covered topics discussed on his podcasts, including Bigfoot and UFOs.
January 2015: The Joe Rogan Experience reaches over 11 Million monthly downloads.
By January 2015, The Joe Rogan Experience reached over 11 million monthly downloads.
2015: Podcast popularity soared
By 2015, The Joe Rogan Experience became one of the most popular podcasts, receiving millions of plays per episode.
2016: Worked alongside Mike Goldberg at UFC
From 2002 until the end of 2016, Joe Rogan worked alongside Mike Goldberg as a UFC commentator.
2018: Purchase of New Home in Bell Canyon
In 2018, Rogan and his wife purchased a new home in Bell Canyon, California for almost $5 million.
October 2019: Relationship to My Chemical Romance Members Revealed
In October 2019, Rogan revealed that he is a first cousin once removed of My Chemical Romance members Gerard Way and Mikey Way, although he has never met them.
2019: Rogan Describes Himself as Socially Liberal
In 2019, Joe Rogan described himself as socially liberal, supporting same-sex marriage, gay rights, women's rights, recreational drug use, universal health care, universal basic income, and gun rights.
May 19, 2020: Licensing Deal with Spotify Announced
On May 19, 2020, Joe Rogan announced he signed a multiyear licensing deal with Spotify worth an estimated $200 million.
September 1, 2020: The Joe Rogan Experience Becomes Available on Spotify
Starting September 1, 2020, The Joe Rogan Experience became available on Spotify.
2020: CNN Describes Rogan as "libertarian-leaning"
In 2020, CNN described Joe Rogan as "libertarian-leaning".
2020: Endorsed Bernie Sanders
In 2020, Joe Rogan endorsed Bernie Sanders for president.
2020: Move to Lake Austin, Texas
In 2020, Rogan and his family moved into a $14 million home on Lake Austin in Austin, Texas.
2020: Spotify obtained exclusive rights to The Joe Rogan Experience
In 2020, Spotify acquired exclusive distribution rights to The Joe Rogan Experience for $200 million.
2020: Most streamed podcast on Spotify
In 2020, The Joe Rogan Experience became the most streamed podcast on Spotify.
January 2021: The Joe Rogan Experience Becomes Exclusive to Spotify
Starting in January 2021, The Joe Rogan Experience became exclusive to the Spotify platform.
April 2021: Contentious Remarks about COVID-19 Vaccines
In April 2021, Joe Rogan made contentious remarks about COVID-19 vaccines, claiming young, healthy people do not need vaccination, drawing criticism from health experts and media outlets.
September 1, 2021: Rogan Tests Positive for COVID-19
On September 1, 2021, Joe Rogan tested positive for COVID-19 and began a regimen including monoclonal antibodies, prednisone, azithromycin, NAD drip, a vitamin drip, and ivermectin.
September 3, 2021: Negative COVID-19 Retest
On September 3, 2021, Joe Rogan retested for COVID-19 and the results were negative.
2021: Onnit Sold to Unilever
In 2021, Onnit, the supplements and fitness company co-founded by Joe Rogan, was sold to Unilever.
January 2022: Open Letter from Scientists and Healthcare Workers to Spotify
In January 2022, 270 scientists, physicians, and healthcare workers wrote an open letter to Spotify expressing concern over misinformation on "The Joe Rogan Experience" and asking for a clear policy to moderate misinformation.
January 24, 2022: Neil Young Demands Removal of Music from Spotify
On January 24, 2022, Neil Young posted an open letter demanding Spotify remove his music if they would not remove "The Joe Rogan Experience" due to concerns about misinformation.
February 4, 2022: Spotify Removes 70 Joe Rogan Episodes
On February 4, 2022, Spotify removed 70 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, which pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic, after speaking with Rogan about his "history of using some racially insensitive language".
February 2022: Spotify Removes Episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience"
In February 2022, Spotify removed 113 episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience" due to perceived racist and insensitive language in some episodes.
February 2022: Controversy Over Racial Slur Usage and Apology
In February 2022, singer India Arie shared a compilation of Joe Rogan saying the racial slur "nigger" on "The Joe Rogan Experience" on Instagram, leading to an apology from Rogan.
April 2022: Comments on Transgender Athletes
In April 2022, Rogan criticized transgender women in women's sports, including MMA, and referred to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as potentially "the woke straw that breaks society's camel's back". He also critiqued transgender martial artist Fallon Fox, citing bone structure differences. Rogan expressed support for trans people's rights but acknowledged differing opinions on the issue in April 2022.
October 2022: Litter Boxes in Schools Hoax
In October 2022, during an interview with Tulsi Gabbard, Rogan promoted the debunked conspiracy theory about public schools providing litter boxes to students who identify as cats. He later acknowledged a lack of evidence but falsely claimed ongoing discussions about the idea.
2022: Stating Ron DeSantis would be "a good president"
In 2022, Joe Rogan stated that Republican Ron DeSantis would be "a good president".
2022: Rumble's Offer to Rogan
In early 2022, the video platform Rumble offered Joe Rogan $100 million to switch from Spotify, but Rogan declined the offer.
February 2023: Comments on Jewish People and Money
In February 2023, Rogan stated on his podcast that the "idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous", defending Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The Anti-Defamation League condemned his comments as promoting antisemitic tropes about Jews and money.
March 2023: Opening of Comedy Mothership Comedy Club
In March 2023, Joe Rogan opened the Comedy Mothership comedy club in Austin, Texas.
February 2024: Promotion of Debunked AIDS Claims
In February 2024, during a podcast with Bret Weinstein, Rogan promoted the false claim that party drugs were a key factor in AIDS and that the antiviral drug AZT was more lethal than AIDS. He and Weinstein praised AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg. The American Foundation for AIDS Research criticized the podcast for spreading misinformation.
March 2024: Rogan Describes Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide"
In March 2024, Joe Rogan described Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide", but later acknowledged he might not be fully informed on the topic.
April 2024: Lawsuit Filed Against Onnit
In April 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Onnit, alleging that its 'Alpha BRAIN' supplement performed no better than a placebo in a clinical study and that the product was surrounded by "false, misleading and deceptive advertising".
November 4, 2024: Endorsement of Donald Trump for President
On November 4, 2024, the day before the 2024 United States presidential election, Joe Rogan endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump.
November 2024: Criticism of Putin, Biden, and Zelenskyy Regarding the War in Ukraine
In November 2024, Joe Rogan criticized Vladimir Putin's leadership as "evil" but "impressive", called the Russian invasion of Ukraine "100% wrong", and criticized Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the conflict, leading to accusations of repeating Russian propaganda.
December 2024: The Joe Rogan Experience: Top Podcast on Spotify for the Fifth Consecutive Year
In December 2024, Spotify confirmed that The Joe Rogan Experience was the top podcast on its platform for a fifth consecutive year.
2024: Supported and criticized Donald Trump
In 2024, Joe Rogan initially supported Donald Trump but later criticized some of his policies.
2024: Renewed deal with Spotify
In 2024, Joe Rogan renewed his deal with Spotify for an estimated $250 million, ending the exclusive agreement.
January 10, 2025: Joe Rogan Interview with Mark Zuckerberg
On January 10, 2025, Joe Rogan released an interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, where Zuckerberg claimed that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to remove posts alleging side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.
March 2025: Criticism of Trump's Feud with Canada
In March 2025, Joe Rogan criticized Donald Trump’s feud with Canada as "stupid".
April 2025: Reference to Deportation Operations to El Salvador as "Horrific"
By April 2025, Joe Rogan referred to the Trump administration's operation to deport immigrants to El Salvador as "horrific".
April 2025: Comments on the Re-emergence of the Word 'Retard'
In April 2025, Rogan commented that the re-emergence of the disability slur "retard" is a cultural victory spurred on by podcasts.
June 2025: Fitness Influencer Arrested for Threats Against Rogan
In June 2025, fitness influencer Liver King was arrested after making violent threats against Rogan on social media.
July 2025: Urging James Talarico to Run for President
In July 2025, Joe Rogan urged Texas Democrat James Talarico to run for President on his podcast.
2025: Belief in Religion
In 2025, when questioned by Zahi Hawass, Rogan affirmed his belief in religion, having softened his previous stance in recent years. According to Christian apologist Wesley Huff, Rogan attends church every Sunday.
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