Joe Rogan is a tough guy.
Born 52 years ago in Newark, N.J.
Tough town.
Father a cop, mother a "free spirit," divorced when he was 5.
Tough childhood.
Took up karate at 14, full-contact Taekwondo state champion four straight years, U.S. Open Taekwondo Champion at 19. Black Belts in Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Tough kid.
At 21, stand-up comedian. Played bars, comedy houses, strip joints, bachelor parties.
Tough business.
At 24, moved to LA. Made it big time, deals with Disney and others.
At 30, blow-by-blow and color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championships — and still is.
Next, host of controversial reality TV show "Fear Factor" for more than a decade.
In 2009, he launched (on a lark) a free podcast — "The Joe Rogan Experience" — with friend and fellow comedian Brian Redman. Guests include marijuana activists, comedians, former porn stars, philosophers, former LAPD cops, outdoorsmen, futurists, neuroscientists, whistle-blowers, former CIA operatives, and conspiracy theorists, among others.
Six years later, his pioneering long-form podcasts of casual conversations in an hour-long format, are downloaded 16 million times a month, according to www.stillfeel21.com.
Comedian at heart, recurring themes of deconstructing life, also a magnet for viewers coming back for more.
At 51, recipient of iHeartRadio Podcast Award for Best Comedy Podcast.
Currently makes $100,000 per podcast, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Net worth about $25 million, making him one of the richest comedians in the world.
Among tips for fellow entrepreneurs:
"Excellence in anything increases your potential in everything."
