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Joe Rogan currently hosts one of Spotify's most-streamed podcasts, The Joe Rogan Experience, as he has amassed a large fanbase over the past few years.
Although he originally had his sights set on acting and stand-up, Rogan's interests and career path have fluctuated over the years, leading him to a very different spot.
Here's some key information about Rogan's career through the years.
Television Acting
Rogan started doing stand-up comedy at age 21, before ultimately moving to Los Angeles in the mid-90s. There, he made his way into the acting world, taking a part as Frank Valente in the sitcom Hardball — which focused on professional baseball. "It was a great show on paper until a horrible executive producer with a big ego was hired by Fox to run the show and he rewrote it," Rogan described to Shecky Magazine.
He then joined the cast of the NBC series NewsRadio as Joe Garrelli, a handyman that he played from 1995 to 1999. However, Rogan was affected by the 1998 death of his fellow cast mate, Phil Hartman, who was murdered by his wife, Brynn Omdahl Hartman (who committed suicide after killing her husband.)
Per the Boston Herald, Rogan said of his co-star and friend's death, "[He's] totally and completely in denial." Rogan canceled a week of stand-up shows after Hartman's passing, and NewsRadio ended in 1999.
UFC
Around the time that Rogan was on NewsRadio, he also started his involvement with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), with his first show taking place in 1997.
He initially worked backstage, then served as an interviewer after the fights, working his way up to eventually being a commentator. Rogan is still involved with the UFC, however his appearances have dwindled over the years.
Fear Factor
Rogan accepted the role of hosting the U.S. version of Fear Factor on NBC in 2001, boosting his star power farther in the process.
He led contestants through the gross challenges until 2006. Throughout this period, Rogan worked primarily as a comic, also agreeing to co-host The Man Show on Comedy Central, after the original hosts (Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla) left. Rogan briefly returned to Fear Factor in 2011 to host it's seventh and final season.
Podcast Host
In 2009, Rogan launched his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience for free, and hosted alongside his friend Brian Redban. Two years later, the pod joined SiriusXM's Satellite Radio, picking up steam with each year and showcasing a range of guests such as Neil Degrass Tyson, Kevin Hart, and Lance Armstrong, among many others.
By 2020, Rogan signed a multi-year deal with Spotify for $200 million, making the podcast exclusive to the platform for all future episodes.
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