Social Media Influencer Arrested for Threatening Joe Rogan in Austin Hotel

The Arrest That Shocked Social Media

Social media influencer Brian Johnson, better known to millions of followers as "Liver King," was arrested Tuesday evening at Austin's Four Seasons Hotel after making threats against podcast host Joe Rogan on social media. The Austin Police Department took Johnson into custody around 6 p.m. after he posted a video challenging Rogan to a fight. "Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you," Johnson had declared in an Instagram video posted Monday.

Despite having no martial arts training, Johnson challenged Rogan, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, saying he would fight "whenever you're ready." In this video, Johnson is seen shirtless, wearing an animal-fur headdress and holding what appear to be two short-barrel AR-15-style rifles plated in gold. Detectives contacted Mr. Rogan, who stated he had never had any interaction with Johnson and considered the posts to be threatening.

Johnson, who gained fame for his muscular physique and controversial raw meat diet, was charged with making terroristic threats, a Class B misdemeanor. Released on $20,000 bond with strict conditions, including a no-contact/200-yard stay-away from Rogan, an ankle monitor and a mental-health evaluation.

A Pattern of Escalating Behavior

"Detectives reviewed the posts and observed that Johnson was traveling to Austin while continuing to make threatening statements. Johnson has never been a guest of Rogan's highly successful podcast. However, Johnson and his alleged steroid use — which Johnson initially denied and then later apologized for — were the subject of one of Rogan's podcast episodes in 2023, which has more than 8.7 million views on YouTube.

"You never come across something like this, willing to die, hoping that you'll choke me out because that's a dream come true," Johnson said in another post. The posts created a concerning pattern that prompted authorities to act swiftly. On Tuesday, a post on the Liver King Instagram account shows Johnson in handcuffs being placed in the back of a police car by officers at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin.

Liver King has more than 6 million followers on TikTok, nearly 3 million Instagram followers and more than 1 million subscribers on YouTube. His massive platform amplified the threat, making the situation more concerning for law enforcement officials who monitored his travel from out of state to Austin.

The Steroid Scandal Connection

The arrest marks another dramatic turn for the influencer, who faced major backlash in December 2022 after admitting he had lied to his followers about steroid use. Johnson, 47, had built his brand around what he called an "ancestral lifestyle," claiming his impressive muscles came from following nine special tenets and eating raw meat.

"There's no way you can look like that in your 40s," Rogan said at the time. "I mean, he's preposterously jacked." Later that year, Johnson admitted to steroid use. "I'm here now to set the record straight," Johnson said in his video addressing the matter. "Yes, I've done steroids, and yes, I'm on steroids, monitored and managed by a trained hormone clinician." However, he was exposed for being on steroids and human growth hormone in late 2022 after leaked emails revealed he had been spending $11,000 a month on muscle-building drugs.

Defiant Response Despite Legal Restrictions

"I have been given the gift of a restraining order," Johnson said in a video. Johnson said he was going to the Capitol and showed his ankle monitor in the video. That's how you get ready for a fight, and you thought the videos would stop. But they will never stop.

The terms of Johnson's bond include no contact and a requirement to stay 200 yards away from Rogan and his family members, including their homes and places of business, no possession of firearms, wearing of an ankle monitor and a mental health evaluation within one week of release. Johnson was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation within the next week.

This case highlights the growing intersection between social media influence and real-world consequences.