Who is the ‘Liver King'?
Brian Johnson, known as 'The Liver King' online for his raw 'ancestral-based' diet, made headlines this week for his beef with podcaster Joe Rogan.
Johnson was arrested Tuesday after making a series of threats on Instagram against Rogan, one of the most popular podcasters in the world. Austin police arrested Johnson after he traveled to the city where Rogan lives.
'Joe Rogan, I'm calling you out. My name's Liver King. Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you,' Johnson said in a video he posted Monday. 'I have no training in jiu-jitsu; you're a black belt, you should dismantle me. But I'm picking a fight with you. Your rules. I'll come to you, whenever you're ready.'
Johnson, who has never been a guest on Rogan's podcast, was charged with making terroristic threats, a class B misdemeanor.
While Johnson has entered the mainstream since his arrest, his erratic and alternative lifestyle have long fascinated and disgusted followers as he consumed raw meat, including animal testicles.
Who is 'The Liver King?
Johnson, an influencer on YouTube and Instagram, rose to fame for his alternative diet, which he calls an 'ancestral lifestyle' — or living in the ways ancient civilizations may have survived.
He earned the moniker 'The Liver King' because of his diet of raw organs and meat in an attempt to avoid processed food and eat like ancient humans. He also highlighted a strict exercise regimen, to which he once attributed his massive, muscular frame.
Other 'ancestral' behaviors Johnson engaged in included sleeping on a bed of wooden slats.
Johnson, who is often shirtless and sports a long, scraggly beard, has 1.21 million subscribers on YouTube, 3 million followers on Instagram, and 6.1 million followers on TikTok.
It's not just his physique or his preaching about ancestral living that have captivated audiences, but the spectacle of watching Johnson consume foods like animal liver, fish and bull testicles. He also promoted walking barefoot outside and taking ice baths.
Others have tried to emulate Johnson's lifestyle and purchased his 'supplement bar,' which is available on his website. He also offers recipes, and instructions on how to eat like a 'Liver King' on his site.
He also owns two companies: Ancestral Supplements and The Fittest.
Johnson's online presence became so popular, last month Netflix released a documentary called 'UNTOLD: The Liver King,' which documents Johnson's rise to fame and how he built his social media brand.
Controversies and lawsuits
Throughout his time as an influencer, Johnson preached that his muscular physique was all attributable to his raw diet and his intense exercise regimen.
In December 2022, Johnson posted a video to YouTube admitting that he had been and was currently using steroids after leaked emails appeared to show he was spending approximately $11,000 a month on the performance-enhancing drugs.
'I've been on several podcasts and when asked if I've ever taken steroids, I've always said, 'No. I've never touched the stuff. I'm not going to touch the stuff,'' he said in the video. 'That was a lie.'
Following this admission, a $25 million lawsuit was filed against Johnson in the state of New York, claiming he promoted his 'ancestral lifestyle' to elevate his business and sell products. In 2023 a settlement was reached and the lawsuit was dismissed.
However, the revelation that Johnson was using steroids seemed to disillusion some who had attempted to follow his regime.
So what's the beef with Rogan?
The simple answer: It's unclear.
In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department said detectives 'contacted Mr. Rogan, who stated he had never had any interaction with Johnson and considered the posts to be threatening. Based on this information, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Johnson on a charge of Terroristic Threat.'
Johnson was arrested at a Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. Rogan lives in Texas.
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