The Joe Rogan Experience

#2463 - Steve-O

March 4, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Steve-O experienced a massive career high in 2022, followed by feeling the internet turn against him, which prompted him to mindfully address valid criticisms. 
  • The overwhelming nature of internet criticism is detrimental, especially when the criticism is accurate, leading Steve-O to stop reacting strongly to audience disruption during his live shows. 
  • The conversation detailed several extreme physical stunts and injuries from Steve-O's career, including being repeatedly choked out by Ryan Dunn and a severe concussion from a treadmill stunt for *Jackass Forever*. 
  • Steve-O decided to stop promoting products that he felt were not beneficial or potentially harmful, such as gambling sites, to restore his personal integrity. 
  • The conversation heavily featured Steve-O's recent negative experiences with public backlash following sarcastic or poorly contextualized comments made on his podcast, 'Wild Ride! with Steve-O,' particularly regarding immigration and politics. 
  • Both speakers agreed that the internet accelerates negative feedback, leading successful individuals to dwell on criticism rather than the widespread positive reception they receive, which is detrimental to mental health. 
  • Worrying excessively about public image, career status, or others' opinions is detrimental to life, and one should focus on doing their best in what they enjoy. 
  • The brain may function as an antenna rather than a generator of consciousness, which could explain phenomena like reincarnation and near-death experiences. 
  • Steve-O is channeling his anxiety and past wreckage into positive actions, such as establishing the 'Radical Ranch' animal sanctuary, as a way to ensure a better 'life review.' 

Segments

Post-2022 Career Reflection
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O’s 2022 was his most successful year ever, fueled by the Jackass movie release and post-pandemic spending, but this success led to negative online scrutiny.
  • Summary: The year 2022 was Steve-O’s most successful year, more than doubling his next best year due to the Jackass movie and revenge spending post-pandemic. This success brought intense online criticism, particularly regarding merchandise promotion, which bothered him because he agreed with some of the points. He resolved to mindfully address the criticism he agreed with throughout 2024 and 2025.
Eyebrow Tattoo and Criticism
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O has a tattoo of a penis on his right eyebrow, done by Post Malone, which he views as an ongoing experiment rather than a bet.
  • Summary: Steve-O confirmed he has a tattoo of a penis on his right eyebrow, which was done by Post Malone. He considers it an experiment to see how long he keeps it before laser removal. He noted that unlike a politician, his life did not significantly change after getting the tattoo.
Mr. Beast Competition Win
Copied to clipboard!
(00:04:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O won a Mr. Beast competition involving 30 celebrities competing for charity, which was an exercise promoting the phenomenal TV show Beast Games on Prime.
  • Summary: Steve-O won a competition organized by Mr. Beast featuring 30 celebrities competing for a million dollars for charity. He praised Beast Games as an unbelievably good show and noted Mr. Beast is a wizard at manipulating algorithms for engagement. Mr. Beast was also planning a podcast appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience atop the pyramid.
Mr. Beast Controversy Discussion
Copied to clipboard!
(00:06:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Mr. Beast faced backlash for featuring Zahi Hawass, who promotes a narrative about pyramid construction that defies other uncovered evidence.
  • Summary: Mr. Beast received criticism for filming in Egypt with Zahi Hawass, the former head of the Ministry of Antiquities, who pushes the narrative that the pyramids were built as a national project, ignoring evidence about moving massive stones. Steve-O agreed that the internet is overwhelming, and people will criticize successful figures like Mr. Beast regardless of their actions.
Audience Disruption Management
Copied to clipboard!
(00:08:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O previously reacted strongly to disruptive audience members but has since stopped scolding them, finding that reducing his reaction mellowed the problem.
  • Summary: During 2022 and 2023, Steve-O would snap and throw out audience members yelling during his shows, believing they disrespected the paying crowd. He realized he was overreacting and has not scolded an audience member in over two years, noting that reducing his reaction caused the disruption problem to subside. He acknowledged that as a disruptor himself, disruptive people are naturally drawn to his shows.
Choking Stunts and Injuries
Copied to clipboard!
(00:11:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O was choked unconscious by Tim Kennedy and dropped onto the floor, and he also endured six consecutive chokings by Ryan Dunn in one day, resulting in a face-first landing.
  • Summary: Steve-O recalled being choked unconscious by Tim Kennedy and dropped without a cushion, which he found disturbing in hindsight. He also recounted an experience where Ryan Dunn choked him out six times in one day, with the final instance resulting in him landing violently on his face, chipping a tooth. This was done while Steve-O was on cocaine, seeking to generate intense footage.
WWE Stunt Knockout
Copied to clipboard!
(00:09:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O was knocked unconscious by Umaga during a planned WWE segment promoting the second Jackass movie after moving post-impact, leading Umaga to hit him again.
  • Summary: While promoting the second Jackass movie on WWE’s Monday Night Raw, Steve-O was hit by Umaga (the Samoan Bulldozer) with a top-rope splash, followed by an elbow that knocked him out. Because Steve-O reacted and moved after the initial move, Umaga hit him again, and the segment went to commercial because it was too violent for WWE standards.
Wrestling Career Physical Toll
Copied to clipboard!
(00:29:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Professional wrestlers often suffer severe, long-term physical damage, exemplified by Hulk Hogan’s need for spinal fusion surgery due to repeated high-impact drops.
  • Summary: Hulk Hogan’s spine was severely damaged from repeatedly dropping onto his tailbone while performing moves while weighing over 300 pounds, leading to multiple disc fusions and a significant loss of height. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson appears to be an outlier among wrestlers for maintaining mobility despite his career. Pro wrestlers frequently require fake hips and fused backs after their careers end.
Health Tracking and Peptides
Copied to clipboard!
(00:33:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O maintains good health metrics, evidenced by a high HRV (113) on his Whoop band, and he previously used testosterone and peptides sourced via Donald Cerrone’s connection to Transcend.
  • Summary: Steve-O monitors his health using a Whoop band, noting his current HRV of 113 is super good compared to his average of 90. He previously used testosterone after his testosterone levels were found to be low (around 300) by Transcend, but stopped due to travel difficulties with refrigerated medication. Strength training, including deadlifts and squats, is noted to naturally ramp up testosterone.
NFL Content Consumption Strategy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:38:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The NFL successfully converted Steve-O into a full-season viewer by uploading digestible 8-16 minute condensed game videos to YouTube, which strategically excluded downtime and non-exciting plays.
  • Summary: The NFL’s strategy of uploading condensed game recaps (8-16 minutes) to YouTube was highly effective in engaging viewers by showing only the exciting moments, such as touchdowns or turnovers, while omitting downtime. Steve-O became so invested through these videos that he subscribed to all necessary platforms for the playoffs. He advised the NFL to ensure video thumbnails remain neutral to avoid spoiling game outcomes, a problem previously experienced by the UFC.
Comedy Special Distribution
Copied to clipboard!
(00:48:38)
  • Key Takeaway: HBO provided the gold standard for comedy and boxing production quality, but modern distribution favors free platforms like YouTube for maximum visibility over paywalls, especially for less established acts.
  • Summary: HBO’s boxing and comedy specials were considered the peak of production quality, featuring top talent and high-level presentation without unnecessary downtime. Steve-O regrets using a paywall for his last special, believing free distribution on his website (due to its explicit content) would have generated more long-term visibility than immediate revenue. Louis C.K. masterfully balances capitalism and artistry by using his website and mailing list as a one-stop shop for his content.
Integrity and Ad Sponsorships
Copied to clipboard!
(00:53:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Steve-O resolved to only promote products that are beneficial or harmless after realizing the hypocrisy of following a spiritual conversation with a gambling advertisement.
  • Summary: Steve-O spent time adjusting his approach to feel better about his career choices, focusing on spirituality in early 2025. He recognized the hypocrisy of transitioning from a thoughtful conversation about faith with Mark Wahlberg to promoting gambling ads on the same episode. This realization led him to stop promoting anything unless he genuinely believed it was good for people.
Tushy Bidet Endorsement
Copied to clipboard!
(00:56:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The Tushy bidet is highly recommended by Steve-O as a superior cleaning method compared to wet wipes, which create sanitary waste disposal issues.
  • Summary: Steve-O passionately endorses the Tushy bidet, calling it his favorite sponsor ever, even though they are no longer affiliated. He argues that using water to clean is fundamentally better than wiping, which smears waste onto butt hairs and results in unsanitary wet wipes in the garbage. The Tushy Ace model, with warm water and a blow-dry feature, is highlighted as a life-changing upgrade.
Sarcasm Misinterpreted Politically
Copied to clipboard!
(01:01:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Sarcastic commentary intended for absurdity with Harlan Williams was taken literally online, resulting in a tsunami of hate mail.
  • Summary: While trying to engage in absurd banter with Harlan Williams, Steve-O made a deliberately sarcastic comment about immigrants and murder, which was clipped and shared out of context. This led to severe public backlash, forcing him to post a clarification on Instagram. He subsequently doubled down in his clarification by stating that ICE agents were more likely to commit murder, which then caused the opposite side of the political spectrum to hate him.
Dealing with Online Criticism
Copied to clipboard!
(01:08:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The human brain disproportionately focuses on negative feedback, and successful people often dwell on haters, a tendency exacerbated by the permanence of the internet.
  • Summary: Joe Rogan noted that Steve-O’s issue stems from seeking feedback and dwelling on the one person who hates him among a hundred who love him, which is unhealthy for someone famous. Louis C.K.’s observation that the internet is just ’talk’ written down is cited to emphasize that online opinions are often irrational and should not be given undue weight. The feeling of being hated by the whole world during backlash is an internal perception, not necessarily reality.
Comedy and Subjectivity
Copied to clipboard!
(01:14:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The idea that underground status makes art superior is ‘retarded,’ as truly great work, like Nirvana, deserves widespread recognition.
  • Summary: The speakers dismissed the notion that being underground or mainstream determines the quality of art; if something is great, more people should know about it. They discussed how comedians like Dave Chappelle masterfully handle criticism, such as the backlash over performing in Riyadh, by remaining unapologetic and not paying attention to social media opinions. The ability to joke about anything, even tragedy, is a sign of its validity, as sacred clowns historically mocked things that needed scrutiny.
Transgender Issues and Biological Reality
Copied to clipboard!
(01:35:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The core issue with allowing biological males into women’s spaces is the loophole it creates for non-dysphoric men (perverts) to gain access, prioritizing women’s safety over accommodating this loophole.
  • Summary: Steve-O shared an experience that made him compassionate toward transgender individuals after hearing about oppression, but he ultimately concluded that biological reality (chromosomes) must dictate access to sex-segregated spaces like women’s prisons and bathrooms. He argued that while gender dysphoria is a real mental struggle, allowing men who identify as women access creates a loophole exploited by ‘creeps’ and sex offenders, endangering biological women.
Health Choices and Worry
Copied to clipboard!
(01:46:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Worrying excessively about public image or minor health supplements like AG1 distracts from the limited time available on the planet.
  • Summary: Steve-O decided to only promote things that are healthy or harmless, which brought him into conflict with Brian Johnson’s criticism of AG1, a multivitamin Steve-O takes daily. They concluded that while AG1 is not a cure-all, vitamins are inherently good for filling dietary gaps, and people worry too much about trivial matters. The final advice was to stop being in one’s head about public image and career status, and simply do one’s best.
Worrying and Public Image
Copied to clipboard!
(01:47:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Worrying excessively about public image and external opinions is a major source of life sabotage and mental burden.
  • Summary: People worry too much about trivial matters when their time on the planet is brief. Living for other people’s opinions is the surest way to ruin one’s life. Self-auditing and fixing personal shortcomings is productive, unlike dwelling on external commentary.
Social Media and Addiction Parallels
Copied to clipboard!
(01:49:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Social media, like gambling or pornography, is a powerful tool that can consume one’s entire life if not managed.
  • Summary: Social media is an amazing tool that has changed society, but it can become one’s whole life if allowed. Steve-O noted he has been abstinent from pornography for over a decade. The discussion highlighted the massive scale of platforms like OnlyFans, with over 100 million subscribers.
Prostitution Loopholes and OnlyFans Statistics
Copied to clipboard!
(01:51:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The legality of sex work becomes complex when considering platforms like OnlyFans, where transactional sex is monetized digitally.
  • Summary: A hypothetical scenario was proposed involving a legal loophole for prostitution via immediate marriage and annulment. Statistics suggested that approximately 14% of American women aged 18 to 24 have an OnlyFans account, though only about 4% of users engage in paid transactions.
Genetic Memory and Reincarnation Evidence
Copied to clipboard!
(01:56:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Irrational fears like arachnophobia may stem from genetic memory transferred through lineage, suggesting memory can exist outside direct experience.
  • Summary: Evidence for reincarnation includes young children providing verifiable details about past lives, though genetic memory is an alternative explanation for certain inherited fears. Behaviors like a retriever’s instinct to retrieve are known genetic memories in animals. Children’s fear of monsters, rather than real dangers, is theorized to be a genetic memory of being preyed upon by large cats hiding in the dark.
Consciousness as an Antenna
Copied to clipboard!
(02:02:53)
  • Key Takeaway: The brain might operate as an antenna receiving consciousness rather than generating it, which supports concepts of reincarnation and life after death.
  • Summary: Near-death experiences (NDEs) provide evidence of consciousness operating separate from the brain, such as patients describing events occurring elsewhere in the hospital. The brain flooding with DMT during NDEs is one chemical explanation for the tunnel and light phenomenon. If the brain is an antenna, destroying it does not disrupt the signal, allowing the consciousness to tune into another ‘radio’ (body).
Life Review and Motivation for Goodness
Copied to clipboard!
(02:07:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Near-death experience life reviews involve experiencing one’s impact on others from their perspective, fostering heightened compassion and reduced interest in material things.
  • Summary: The life review is described as an unfathomable, timeless immersion where one experiences the consequences of their actions through the eyes of those they affected. This process encourages remorse and increased compassion, motivating individuals like Steve-O to actively stack good deeds. Anything that motivates a person to be a better human being, even if selfishly motivated by a better afterlife review, is beneficial.
Escaping Self-Analysis and Finding Balance
Copied to clipboard!
(02:17:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Addiction to self-analysis and living in one’s head prevents effective action and progression, requiring mental discipline akin to dog training.
  • Summary: Being addicted to self-analysis, often seen in excessive therapy use, is unproductive and narcissistic. Physical activity like yoga helps drain anxiety and provides an outlet from overthinking. One must learn to corral runaway thoughts, treating the mind like a dog that needs training to stop destructive behaviors like worrying about comment sections.