Comedians turn 'fat shaming' joke on Joe Rogan's podcast into annual 5K that is changing lives
What started as a self-deprecating fat joke between two comedians has now become an annual 5K for thousands of fans – but this isn't your average race.
Instead of chasing record times, world-famous comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura are inviting fans to grab a beer, have some fun, and maybe squeeze in a 5K.
"We mistakenly said that we should do 5Ks every year. And so now, we have thousands of people coming out. We are at Raymond James Stadium, and we're doing a 5K. We have like [6,000] people [who] will come here throughout the day," Segura, co-host of the "Two Bears, One Cave" podcast, told Fox News Digital.
The seed for the "2 Bears 5K" idea traces back to an episode of the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, where the duo agreed to a weight-loss challenge against each other.
This hilarious, competitive spirit continued to fuel a lifestyle change between the two co-hosts.
"Do something really good for yourself, and then negate it all afterwards,"
Kreischer admitted that although the idea began with a lighthearted lark, it has since transformed into a full-blown event that has attracted thousands of fans from across the country.
"This all started with us fat-shaming each other – something you're not allowed to do, I guess," Kreischer laughed.
"And we did it publicly on the biggest platform in the world on Joe Rogan's podcast [The Joe Rogan Experience]. And so, our approach to this has always been lighthearted fun. You bust your buddy's balls. That's how we kind of operate. And this is, I mean, this is great."
When participants aren't running, there is a wide variety of activities offered. Fans can enjoy everything from a post-run recovery to a spear-throwing game.
"It's just a way to bring people together and do something really good for yourself, and then negate it all afterwards," Segura joked. So, it's have fun and then party."
Though the event prides itself on being low-pressure, it has inspired many to make lasting lifestyle changes, including Emmy-nominated country star Jelly Roll.
Jelly Roll vowed to support the event and attended last year's 5K, but that promise quickly turned into a pivotal shift in his life.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord went from unable to walk a mile in January 2024 to completing a 3.1-mile race in May of that year – a tear-jerking accomplishment that has motivated others to get in shape. According to an interview with NBC's TODAY, the country star is currently down 183 pounds.
"He's such a sincere, awesome guy. And a lot of people could have said, 'Oh, I'm going to start changing now that I got this going,' and then regress. But he's continued to take care of himself," Segura gushed.
"He's down over a hundred pounds now from where he was," Segura said. "And you can tell. I mean, he looks so much healthier. He feels better. He's awesome. And yeah, he's inspiring, I think to all of us, honestly."
Jelly Roll's weight loss journey is far from over, according to Kreischer.
"Jelly getting behind this race really kind of inspired a lot of people to try to change a little bit," Kreischer said. "I mean we're looking at one lady who was 500 pounds, the guy over there lost 120 pounds. And that's awesome."
In addition to Jelly Roll, retired Philadelphia Eagles center and Super Bowl champion Jason Kelce also participated, along with Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Graham Barton and Elijah Klein.
When they are not planning a 5K, Segura and Kreischer have been hard at work selling out arenas and making people around the world laugh.
Segura's latest special is titled "Sledgehammer," and his new dark comedy series, "Bad Thoughts," debuts May 13 on Netflix.
Kreischer has recently launched a new special called "Lucky," and stars in the movie "The Machine," a film inspired by his viral 2016 stand-up routine.
"We both like doing, you know, multiple mediums of entertainment," Segura concluded. "We have fun doing it all, and we totally… we support each other."
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