Early life and background
Rogan was born in Newark, New Jersey, on August 11, 1967. His mother was a florist and his father a police sergeant.
He has Italian and Irish ancestry and was raised Catholic. His parents divorced when he was five, and his mother raised him in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts. He graduated from Newton South High School in 1985. He started martial arts young, entering his first karate school at 14 and taking up taekwondo at 15. That's where his kicking power came from, which you can see in videos of him hitting a punching bag or a power measurer.
Martial arts and BJJ
At 19 he won the US Open Taekwondo Championship. A video of young Rogan showing off his fighting skills circulated online for years.
He started Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) after watching Royce Gracie fight at UFC 2: No Way Out in 1994. After his first class he was hooked, and he began training under Carlson Gracie at his school in Hollywood, California. He received his black belt in gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Jean Jacques Machado and is also a black belt under Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu (no-gi).
He retired from competition at 21 because he was getting frequent headaches and feared worse injuries.
Stand-up and acting
Rogan started doing comedy in 1988. His stand-up is raw, high-energy and bold, and it has influenced many younger comedians. He has played comedy festivals and released several specials.
He played Joe Garelli on the NBC comedy series 'NewsRadio.' Despite his other pursuits, he keeps coming back to stand-up.
Joining the UFC as a commentator
Rogan joined the UFC in 1997, not as a fighter but as a backstage and post-fight interviewer. His first show was UFC 12: Judgement Day on February 7, 1997. He quit in 1999. In 2001 he became good friends with new UFC president Dana White, who offered him a job as color commentator.
He's one of the most famous martial arts commentators in the world, if not the most famous.
As the UFC grew, so did Rogan's profile, and he took the job hosting the TV show "Fear Factor," which he hosted from 2001 to 2006. It led to more acting roles.
On his podcast he regularly hosts UFC fighters and coaches such as GSP, Brendan Schaub and Jon Jones, and they talk MMA, jiu-jitsu, diet, training and more.
He's known for in-depth and often controversial interviews with fighters, coaches and other MMA figures. His commentary and post-fight interviews have produced too many standout moments to list, and a high share of the clips go viral.
The Joe Rogan Experience
On Christmas Eve 2009 he started a podcast with his comedian friend Brian Redban. The premise was simple: two pranksters goofing around on air.
Guests have included comedians, actors, scientists, politicians and experts in various fields. Rogan's knack for digging into complex topics and presenting them accessibly is a big part of why it works.
In 2020 he signed an exclusive deal with Spotify.
Personal life and views
Rogan is married to Jessica Ditzel. They have two daughters. He's private about his personal life but occasionally shares glimpses of family life on social media. The family lives in Austin, Texas, where he moved his podcast studio in 2020.
He cites Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison, Roseanne Barr and George Carlin as comedy influences. He likes heavy metal and names Metallica, Pantera, Slayer and Megadeth as favorite bands. In 2020 he endorsed Bernie Sanders for President.
Health and fitness
Rogan shares his workouts on social media, often weight training, martial arts and yoga.
He follows a modified ketogenic diet and often eats game meat that he hunts himself. He frequently has health and fitness experts on his podcast.