AUSTIN, Texas (Court TV) — A disgraced social media influencer known as “Liver King” was arrested for allegedly threatening Joe Rogan.
Brian Michael Johnson, 47, was arrested Tuesday by the Austin Police Department on a misdemeanor charge of Terroristic Threat, according to Travis County Jail records.
FILE – Joe Rogan looks on at the ceremonial weigh-in for the UFC 292 mixed martial arts event, Aug. 18, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)
In a series of videos posted to Johnson’s Instagram account this week, Johnson appears to threaten Rogan repeatedly.
In one video, Johnson says, “Joe Rogan, I’m calling you out, my name’s Liver King. Man to man, I’m picking a fight with you. 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.”
In a statement to ABC News, Austin Police said, “Detectives reviewed the posts and observed that Johnson was traveling to Austin while continuing to make threatening statements. 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.”
A video posted to Johnson’s Instagram Tuesday evening shows his wife walking through a hotel discussing the arrest with another man before she encounters Johnson being placed into a police car.
Johnson rose to fame through his supplement company and “ancestral lifestyle.” In 2022, he was the center of controversy after a series of leaked emails indicated he used steroids, which he previously adamantly denied. His rise and fall is the focus of a recent Netflix documentary, “Untold: The Liver King“.
Rogan, a comedian, is widely known for his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, which has more than 2,340 episodes. In one 2023 episode, Rogan comments on Johnson’s steroid use. Johnson has never been a guest on Rogan’s podcast.
Court records show Johnson was released Wednesday on a $20,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with Rogan. His release conditions also include a mental health evaluation within one week and GPS monitoring.
Following his release, Johnson posted another series of videos. In one video, Johnson stated that he was going to visit Austin’s Capitol and asked that anyone with the last name Rogan stay at least 200 yards away from him so he wouldn’t violate any orders.
According to court documents cited by TMZ, Rogan told police Johnson “appears to be significantly unstable and seems like he needs help.”
