The Unexpected Actor Who Inspired Joe Rogan's Podcast

For better or worse, almost everyone with internet access has heard of Joe Rogan. Starting as a comedian, he transitioned into the host of "Fear Factor" in the early 2000s. For half a decade, that's what he was best known for. However, things slowly began to change when the comedian launched "The Joe Rogan Experience" in 2009.

Although mired in controversy, Rogan's podcast is one of the most listened-to on Spotify. His detractors have called him out for making various polarizing statements, including views on the transgender community that many have called transphobic (via Men's Health). Additionally, certain decisions he's made — such as allowing Alex Jones onto his show in 2020 — have garnered additional criticism. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Rogan also came under fire from Dr. Anthony Fauci after he downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. This all came to a head when musician Neil Young threatened to pull his music from Spotify if they didn't drop Rogan.

While several other celebrities have stepped up to criticize Rogan, their efforts have only resulted in the removal of specific controversial episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience." Spotify CEO Daniel Ek decided to keep Rogan on the platform, stating that "silencing Joe is not the answer" and "canceling voices is a slippery slope" (via NPR). Interestingly, Rogan once revealed that his no-holding-back approach was partially inspired by another controversial comedian.

While Joe Rogan is a hot topic in 2022, Tom Green was the comedian no one could agree on back in 2002. Like Rogan, Tom Green started his career as a standup comedian before finding success as a television host. Hosting "The Tom Green Show" on MTV from 1994 to 2000, Green became known for his specific brand of shock humor. He then set his sights on a movie career, but the critical failure of one film — "Freddy Got Fingered" — forced the comedian to change his plans.

Though he made a few attempts at returning to television, Green ultimately switched gears and started a show from home called "Tom Green's House Tonight." He eventually migrated the series to television, but it was initially hosted on his website. In an appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience," Green recalled when Rogan appeared on his podcast in 2007. He explained that Rogan had joked that "we gotta figure out how we're going to make some money off this." He then gestured around Rogan's studio and quipped, "clearly, you've figured out how to make money off of it."

Rogan praised the setup Green had back in the day, explaining how his "sophisticated" studio "could have run a network." They also discussed how Green initially wanted to be "autonomous" so he could have full control over his content. Indirectly, this inspired Rogan to have the same level of independence when putting himself out there as a podcaster.

Unsurprisingly, both Tom Green and Joe Rogan have a controversial history. While Green gained notoriety for his erotic acts on a dead moose, Rogan became known for making people drink donkey semen on national television. The sensationalized, shocking humor gave both men a less-than-stellar reputation during their early careers. However, both of them made the call to move away from their roots and toward a platform with more freedom.

In Green's case, this marked a departure from the spotlight. For Rogan, it was the opposite. Green's past mistakes are largely written off as ancient history, but Rogan still finds himself in trouble for his controversial moments. When opening up about the flack he's received, Rogan remained largely unapologetic.  

"I talk s**t for a living," Rogan explained, per The Hollywood Reporter. "If you're taking vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault? What dumb s**t were you about to do when my stupid idea sounded better?" He then mocked anyone willing to take advice from the former host of "Fear Factor," pointing out all of the gross stunts he used to pull on the series. "If you want my advice, don't take my advice."