Infamous influencer Brian Johnson, known as “Liver King,” was arrested Tuesday in Austin for allegedly making a terroristic threat against podcaster Joe Rogan, with a disheveled mugshot revealing a stark contrast to his polished YouTube persona.
The 47-year-old YouTuber appeared on Joe’s property, reportedly discussing “picking a fight” while carrying what appeared to be two golden firearms, as seen in social media footage.
Liver King, once celebrated for his muscular physique and unconventional diet of animal testicles, liver, and fertilized eggs, admitted in 2022 to spending $11,000 monthly on steroids. His booking photo shows a haggard appearance, with heavy eye bags and little emotion.
Johnson, absent from his YouTube channel for eight months, has been posting daily on Instagram, raising concern among fans with erratic content.
On Wednesday, he shared a rambling video promoting Blue Scorpion Venom, a product marketed for pain relief but unproven for cancer treatment, per the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
In it, he referenced his arrest, calling Joe“some guy” and mentioning a “present” for Rogan’s comedy club, Mothership, while denying any bomb-related threat. Johnson has continued to push for a cage match with Rogan, a black belt, despite fan criticism urging him to move on and protect his legacy.
Joe has not addressed Johnson’s arrest or fight challenges. Johnson faces a class B misdemeanor charge for the alleged threat and was released from Travis County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Also read: The real reason behind Joe Rogan and Liver King’s fallout
Fans expressed disappointment online, with one commenting, “This is not the way. Too much testosterone and pride here,” while another urged him to “clean yourself up” for his family’s sake.
“Liver King” insisted no laws would be broken in his pursuit of a fight, though he withheld further details.