Brian Johnson aka ‘Liver King’ was arrested in Austin after threatening Joe Rogan on social media

Brian Johnson aka “Liver King” arrested in Austin after threatening Joe Rogan: another warning about the extremes of fitness cults

Popular fitness influencer Brian Johnson —widely known as “Liver King”— was arrested Tuesday in Austin, Texas, after posting explicit threats on social media against commentator and media figure Joe Rogan. The incident has raised serious concerns about the direction taken by some figures in the fitness world, whose journey from extreme lifestyle promotion has now veered into dangerous and unstable behavior.

Johnson, who built his brand around an “ancestral lifestyle” based on raw organ consumption and military-style discipline, had already come under public scrutiny several times. First, for his adamant denial of steroid use—which he later admitted was false—and second, for his influence on vulnerable young men who try to replicate his methods, often at great personal risk. What once seemed like another eccentricity of the fitness world has become a platform for aesthetic and ideological radicalization, where “health” becomes a form of fanaticism.

The threats against Rogan were not spontaneous. Joe Rogan, host of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” had repeatedly questioned Johnson’s dishonesty regarding steroid use and criticized the pseudoscientific nature of his diet. What should have remained a battle of ideas escalated into intimidation, with Johnson posting violent language, images of weapons, and open calls to “settle this like real men.” Austin police acted quickly as the posts escalated and moved to arrest him.

The Liver King case is a symptom of a broader problem: the glorification of extreme lifestyles that verge on cult-like behavior. Influencers with millions of followers, backed by commercial interests and social media algorithms, become modern-day “prophets” preaching everything from paleo to paranoia. Masculinity is portrayed as a mix of testosterone, raw meat, and disdain for anyone who questions the narrative.

It’s ironic that while the radical left promotes a completely denatured version of manhood—feminized, submissive, and guilty by birth—some fall into the trap of reacting by embracing the opposite: aggressive, self-destructive, and anti-intellectual masculinity. The result is fertile ground for symbolic—and in this case, literal—violence.

Freedom of speech cannot be used to justify threats or violence. Just as we condemn Big Tech’s selective censorship of conservative voices, we must also condemn the irresponsible use of influence by figures like Johnson. His arrest sends a clear message: radicalization, from any side of the spectrum, carries consequences.

Meanwhile, Joe Rogan has remained composed, releasing only a brief message thanking authorities and reaffirming his commitment to free thought. His calm response stands in stark contrast to the visceral aggression of those like Liver King, who confuse physical strength with moral authority.

The conservative right must stay grounded in the defense of traditional values—but without falling into the excesses of a body-worshipping culture that replaces God with aesthetics and character with arrogance. True strength lies not in muscle, but in self-control and respect for moral order.

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