Latest news with #TheLiverKing
NBC News
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Who is the ‘Liver King'?
Brian Johnson, known as 'The Liver King' online for his raw 'ancestral-based' diet, made headlines this week for his beef with podcaster Joe Rogan. Johnson was arrested Tuesday after making a series of threats on Instagram against Rogan, one of the most popular podcasters in the world. Austin police arrested Johnson after he traveled to the city where Rogan lives. 'Joe Rogan, I'm calling you out. My name's Liver King. Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you,' Johnson said in a video he posted Monday. 'I have no training in jiu-jitsu; you're a black belt, you should dismantle me. But I'm picking a fight with you. Your rules. I'll come to you, whenever you're ready.' Johnson, who has never been a guest on Rogan's podcast, was charged with making terroristic threats, a class B misdemeanor. While Johnson has entered the mainstream since his arrest, his erratic and alternative lifestyle have long fascinated and disgusted followers as he consumed raw meat, including animal testicles. Who is 'The Liver King? Johnson, an influencer on YouTube and Instagram, rose to fame for his alternative diet, which he calls an 'ancestral lifestyle' — or living in the ways ancient civilizations may have survived. He earned the moniker 'The Liver King' because of his diet of raw organs and meat in an attempt to avoid processed food and eat like ancient humans. He also highlighted a strict exercise regimen, to which he once attributed his massive, muscular frame. Other 'ancestral' behaviors Johnson engaged in included sleeping on a bed of wooden slats. Johnson, who is often shirtless and sports a long, scraggly beard, has 1.21 million subscribers on YouTube, 3 million followers on Instagram, and 6.1 million followers on TikTok. It's not just his physique or his preaching about ancestral living that have captivated audiences, but the spectacle of watching Johnson consume foods like animal liver, fish and bull testicles. He also promoted walking barefoot outside and taking ice baths. Others have tried to emulate Johnson's lifestyle and purchased his 'supplement bar,' which is available on his website. He also offers recipes, and instructions on how to eat like a 'Liver King' on his site. He also owns two companies: Ancestral Supplements and The Fittest. Johnson's online presence became so popular, last month Netflix released a documentary called 'UNTOLD: The Liver King,' which documents Johnson's rise to fame and how he built his social media brand. Controversies and lawsuits Throughout his time as an influencer, Johnson preached that his muscular physique was all attributable to his raw diet and his intense exercise regimen. In December 2022, Johnson posted a video to YouTube admitting that he had been and was currently using steroids after leaked emails appeared to show he was spending approximately $11,000 a month on the performance-enhancing drugs. 'I've been on several podcasts and when asked if I've ever taken steroids, I've always said, 'No. I've never touched the stuff. I'm not going to touch the stuff,'' he said in the video. 'That was a lie.' Following this admission, a $25 million lawsuit was filed against Johnson in the state of New York, claiming he promoted his 'ancestral lifestyle' to elevate his business and sell products. In 2023 a settlement was reached and the lawsuit was dismissed. However, the revelation that Johnson was using steroids seemed to disillusion some who had attempted to follow his regime. So what's the beef with Rogan? The simple answer: It's unclear. In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department said detectives 'contacted Mr. Rogan, who stated he had never had any interaction with Johnson and considered the posts to be threatening. Based on this information, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Johnson on a charge of Terroristic Threat.' Johnson was arrested at a Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. Rogan lives in Texas.
Scottish Sun
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Joe Rogan breaks silence after Netflix star Liver King challenged him to fight in unhinged rant
PODCASTER Joe Rogan has broken his silence after the Netflix star Liver King challenged him to a fight in a bizarre Instagram video. Liver King, whose real name is Brian Johnson, was charged after making threats to the commentator and UFC star. 3 Joe Rogan has broken his silence after Liver King threatened him to a fight Credit: YouTube 3 Liver King threatened to come to Rogan as he issued the challenge Credit: Austin Police Department Court documents, obtained by TMZ, revealed Rogan, who hosts the hit Spotify podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, was taken aback by Johnson's threats. He reportedly told cops he wasn't sure why Johnson was threatening him. Rogan also claimed it appeared Johnson, 47, needed help. The U.S. Sun has approached Johnson for comment. read more on news SHOCK ARREST Liver King arrested after 'making threats' to Joe Rogan in bizarre Insta vid Johnson was arrested at the Four Seasons hotel in Austin, Texas, after making the threats to Rogan. 'Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you,' he told Rogan in a clip that has gone viral. Johnson claimed Rogan should win any bout comprehensively given his martial arts background. Rogan is a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Johnson was holding gold guns and wearing a wolf hat as he issued the threat to Rogan. 'Your rules, I'll come to you, whenever you're ready,' the Netflix star said. Three testicles a day, 50 eggs & $100m 'scam' - inside bizarre life of 'muscled Andrew Tate' star The Liver King A clip of Johnson being arrested was uploaded to his Instagram account. He was seen being led into a police car in the hotel parking lot. Johnson was charged with making a terroristic threat. If convicted, he could face a six month jail sentence and a fine of up to $2,000, according to the Law Office of E. Jason Leach. 'Man to man, I'm picking a fight with you. Liver King Bearded Johnson looked disheveled in his mugshot as he stared at the camera. Cops revealed their investigation remains ongoing. Johnson describes himself as a barbarian and went viral for his unconventional lifestyle, and his predominantly raw meat diet. 'Why would I have vegetables when I can eat testicles,' he quipped in a previous interview. He credited the rather unique diet for giving him his physique. But, he has been embroiled in controversy. In 2022, he was sued for $26 million after admitting to steroid use. Johnson had previously denied using performance enhancing drugs. He spoke of his regret during a sitdown with Piers Morgan. 'I feel like a total piece of crap,' he said. 'I know what I did was wrong. I lied about it. I feel like I've let an entire generation down.' It emerged that he spent around $11,000 per month on the drugs. Johnson features in the Netflix film: Untold The Liver King.
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First Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Netflix's Liver King: Who is Brian Johnson, the health influencer who promoted eating raw meat?
He became famous on social media for eating raw meat and performing bizarre feats of strength. American influencer Brian Johnson, also known as The Liver King, amassed a massive following and built a business empire worth millions of dollars. But it came tumbling down with a steroid scandal. He's now the subject of Netflix's new documentary — 'Untold: The Liver King' read more The Liver King, aka Brian Johnson, is the subject of Netflix's latest documentary, Untold: The Liver King, which explores the rise and fall of the fitness influencer who built an empire by eating raw organs and taking on intense fitness challenges, before being caught lying about his steroid use. Image Courtesy: Netflix Are you flummoxed on what to watch on television? For those looking to sink their teeth into something interesting, we have an excellent pick for you — Netflix's latest documentary, Untold: The Liver King, which premiered on May 13. The examines the rise and fall of American social media influencer Brian Johnson, widely known as the Liver King, who rose to fame for promoting an 'ancestral lifestyle' centred around consuming raw meat, particularly organ meats like liver, and adhering to nine 'ancestral tenets' emphasising practices like raw food consumption, exposure to cold and sun, and intense physical activity. And then crashed and burned in 2022 for being caught lying about his steroid use. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Untold: The Liver King premieres May 13. He built an online fitness empire by devouring raw meat and promoting an all-natural lifestyle. Now he, his family, and business partners unravel his rapid rise to fame and subsequent backlash once a steroid scandal came to light. — Netflix (@netflix) April 22, 2025 Here's what you need to know about the Liver King, his dethroning, and where he is now. Brian Johnson becomes the Liver King The Liver King is a moniker for Brian Johnson, a 48-year-old father of two who transformed himself into a social media sensation. Before his fame as a social media influencer, Johnson studied biochemistry and worked in the pharmaceutical and supplement sectors. A Texan, he began to find success on social media in early 2016 by promoting an all-natural diet comprised primarily of bone broth, uncooked eggs, and raw, unprocessed beef livers, testicles, tongues, and other organs. Video after video showed a muscled-ridden and sinewy Johnson performing bizarre feats of strength, such as dragging 4X4s, walking underwater with kettlebells, and bench-pressing his wife Liver Queen, all while bellowing the benefits of the diet he followed — which he termed as the 'ancestral diet'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the Netflix documentary, he states that his passion for his body came following the death of his father when he was a toddler. Moreover, he grew up idolising movies such as Rambo and Conan the Barbarian. What made his tale even more compelling on social media was that his sons Rad and Stryker suffered persistent poor health during their childhoods, and that switching to an organ-heavy diet had cured their ills. The rise and rise of Liver King Soon, with the help of his wife, Barbara (the Liver Queen), and his two sons – who began to share content as 'Liver Boy Rad' and 'Stryker the Barbarian' – the Liver King built a full-fledged digital empire and lifestyle brand based on the 'ancestral lifestyle.' He amassed millions of followers, appeared on podcasts hosted by Logan Paul and others wherein he promoted his 'ancestral lifestyle' and his Ancestral Supplements. The documentary reveals that this became a $100 million business. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Brian Johnson, aka The Liver King, enjoyed a meteoric rise in the early 2020s by posting videos of himself performing bizarre feats of strength. Image Courtesy: Netflix The dramatic fall of Liver King But as is the case with many health influencers, many questioned whether Johnson's ripped body was the result of his ancestral diet and lifestyle and not steroids. Appearing shirtless in his videos, he would trash theories linking his muscular form to the use of steroids. He insisted that the nine tenets of the 'ancestral life' — sleep, eat, move, shield (avoid excessive exposure to WiFi and electromagnetic fields), connect, cold, sun, fight (embrace physical and mental challenges), and bond — were enough. Health experts also raised concerns about his diet, especially on the issue of consuming raw meat, stating that this practice would increase the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and digestive issues. But Johnson repeatedly denied using steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. He told Mark Bell's Power Project podcast in 2022: 'I don't touch the stuff. I've never done the stuff. I'm not going to do the stuff.' However, his fame came crashing down on him in 2022 when an email and blood test leak was shared on the channel of fitness YouTuber 'More Plates More Dates'. It showed that the Liver King was secretly consuming $11,000 of steroids per month. Within three days, Johnson posted a YouTube video titled 'Liver King Confession… I Lied,' admitting that he had been injecting steroids and human growth hormone (HGH). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I never expected this exposure in the public eye, and it's been tricky as f**k to navigate,' he said, adding that he's 'as sorry as a man could be.' He promised to 'be better" moving forward. Soon after the apology, he retreated from social media. But that wasn't the end of it; he was slapped with a $25 million lawsuit, accusing him of fraud and deception. In March 2023, the case against Johnson was dropped; his reputation, however, was irreparably damaged. In the Netflix documentary, Johnson explained that he lied about his steroid use on social media because he believed he was still spreading the message of ancestral living. However, according to interviews in the documentary with Ben Johnson (CEO of a holding company for lifestyle brands) and John Hyland (CEO of a digital marketing company), both men told Netflix that Johnson had also lied to them about using steroids too. 'He told all of us, 'No.' It was very much like, 'No, steroids are not even a question.' So much so that we're creating parodies and content,' Hyland said in film. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It all came crashing down for the Liver King in 2022 when it was revealed that he was taking steroids. Image Courtesy: Netflix Liver King's life post-scandal Following the scandal, Johnson retreated from the public eye — his only posts on TikTok, X, and Instagram since mid-March are to promote the documentary. In the Netflix movie, he reveals that he has also stopped taking performance-enhancing drugs as well as tweaked his diet. No longer does he adhere to a strict carnivore diet and has begun eating fruits and vegetables again. 'Vegetables and testicles, I can have all of it,' he says in the movie, while roaming the garden on his ranch. 'I was so convinced, all the carnivore stuff, that's what you need to really kick ass in life. I'm convinced now that I was starving myself.' He adds, 'I guess I want the world to know I was wrong. I got all of it wrong… [An] extreme approach to anything probably ain't f**kin' working out.' However, he still lives by his ancestral tenets and also hopes to open 302 health retreats in the coming years. If you want the entire meaty story of The Liver King, we suggest you watch the Netflix documentary now. With inputs from agencies
Irish Independent
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming picks: Uncharted With Ray Goggins, 25 Years of Location, Location, Location and A British Horror Story
Uncharted with Ray Goggins RTÉ One, 9.35pm Move over Bear Grylls, Ray Goggins is out to steal your crown as TV's top survival expert. Although now best known as a bestselling author and for his appearances on RTÉ's Ultimate Hell Week, Goggins spent 30 years as an Irish Special Forces Operator specialising in such tricky situations as hostage rescue and counter terrorism. His life is a lot less stressful these days, but he's about to call on his old skills during an exciting new series. Each edition sees him take a pair of famous folk into some of the planet's most treacherous environments, pushing them far outside their comfort zones during mentally and physically punishing adventures. During each edition, the duos form a close bond, finding the experience exhilarating and life-changing. In between experiencing adrenaline rushes, they talk about their lives, opening up emotionally. The first episode features a pair who, on paper at least, are a real odd couple – former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Laura McNamara, aka singer-songwriter Lyra. They're journeying with Goggins to the wild, untamed mountains of Drakensberg, South Africa, where they sleep in caves and make their way to the top of the mighty Tugela Falls. However, a death-defying vertical climb may prove too much for Varadkar, who is more accustomed to scaling political heights than sheer rock faces. Mark Moriarty: Cook Like a Chef RTÉ One, 8pm The culinary expert returns with a new series in which he demonstrates how to make three dishes per episode, using a small selection of simple ingredients that won't break the bank. How to Cook Well in Morocco RTÉ One, 8.30pm Marrakesh is so extraordinary, Rory O'Connell is spending two episodes there. The second of them begins with him enjoying breakfast at the Cafe de la Poste, which was founded when Morocco was still a French protectorate. Race Across the World BBC One, 9pm If the teams appear confused during the latest leg, it's probably because they have to pass through three countries, so barely have time to register where they are. They must travel from China to Nepal before reaching the next checkpoint in Varanasi in India, with almost 24 hours between the leading pair and the rest of the pack. 25 Years of Location, Location, Location Channel 4, 9pm The highlight of an evening dedicated to the property programme is this documentary in which Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer look at how their industry has changed since the show began, as well as a few memorable moments. 3:10 to Yuma Film4, 4.40pm Tension-filled western starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin. A cash-strapped farmer agrees to guard a notorious criminal, little realising the villain's cohorts are planning to spring him from custody. Two of the UK's most prolific killers are once again under the microscope due to recently unearthed police recordings. Untold: The Liver King Netflix, streaming now By ritualistically horsing into raw meat on social media, The Liver King created an enterprise around supplements. And he supposedly had the muscles to show it. How did he get so enormous...? Speaking of ripped physiques: in the week following WrestleMania, last night saw WWE superstars seeking retribution against past opponents and beginning new rivalries. Even Cena isn't safe. Bad Thoughts Netflix, streaming now If you fancy Black Mirror vibes but with bloody slapstick humour, this collection of wildly disturbing stories pushes the boundaries of decency in ways only Tom Segura could conjure. Expect tales from a country music star who mines people's misery in exchange for spoiled prawns, a tortured barista, and lots of other delightful weirdness. Speaking of which, a new volume of Love, Death and Robots lands on Thursday. A Deadly American Marriage Netflix, streaming now The story of Jason Corbett and Molly Martens was always going to be made into a Netflix documentary. Corbett, a widower, got married in 2008 to Martens, his Tennessee au pair. They left Ireland to start over in North Carolina with his kids, Jack and Sarah. Their story took a dark turn in August 2015, when Molly and her dad, former FBI agent Thomas Martens, were in an altercation resulting in Jason's death. Molly later entered a no-contest plea, claiming self-defence, while Thomas was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in 2023. After their 2024 prison release, uncertainty remained about certain facets. Directed by Jessica Burgess and Jenny Popplewell, this documentary includes exclusive interviews providing insight into the divergent perspectives of those involved, leaving some grappling with the question of: 'Who was the real victim?' And, given Jack and Sarah's unbelievably brave contributions, the answer to that would be: the kids. Octopus! Prime Video, streaming now Narrated by Phoebe Fleabag Waller-Bridge, this marvellous mash-up chronicles being killed by a lover, losing yourself in Mexico, spotting a unicorn, befriending a competitive quilter, exploring our connection with aliens, and extra Tracy Morgan. This is how all nature documentaries ought to be produced from now on. Rose International Dance Prize Marquee TV, streaming now For those unfamiliar with Marquee TV, it's your global streaming platform for the arts. This 60-minute film, narrated by Fiona Shaw (Bad Sisters, Harry Potter, plus too many more to mention), sees internationally acclaimed choreographers compete for dance's version of the Oscars. The Match Netflix, streaming now If you're watching season two of The Devil's Plan and wondering why there's always a Go master in the line-up, this cut-throat drama could give you some context. For something at the other end of the spectrum entirely, Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon and a rake load of other famous people star in Nonnas.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix adds stomach-churning documentary that I felt queasy just reading about
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Netflix has added Untold: The Liver King, a documentary about American influencer Brian Johnson, AKA the Liver King. Brian built an online business empire by devouring raw meat — yes, we said it was stomach-churning! — and promoting the virtues of "ancestral living". Ancestral living is the theory that our ancestors thousands of years ago had the perfect balance of eating real foods, spending time in nature, and exercising, something most of us don't achieve in modern life. As well as extreme workouts, Brian followed a carnivorous diet including eating a lot of raw animal organs and, erm, testicles! As Brian puts it: "Why eat vegetables when you can eat testicles!" Brian had millions of followers on Instagram. However, then came accusations that he'd achieved his physique through steroids rather than diet and exercise. Netflix teases: "Featuring interviews with the man himself, his family and business partners, this documentary unravels the wild story of The Liver King's rapid rise to internet fame and the controversy and backlash once a steroid scandal came to light." In the trailer, Brian is asked if he misled his followers, but we don't see his answer. Brian also says about his rise to fame: "We have videos with hundreds of millions of views. That felt like a new level of invincibility. That kind of feeling is, huh… dangerous.' I have to say, I'm loving the way Brian is conducting his interview by a roaring fire while having his top off to display his muscles! Can't recall anyone previously doing this in a Netflix documentary! Director Joe Pearlman told Netflix: "When the Liver King burst onto my feed, I, like so many, was transfixed. I wanted to find out more; who he really was and what was really going on. The truth was even crazier than I could have possibly imagined." The Liver King only runs for 70 minutes, so if you want a relatively short and entertaining watch, this could be for you. It is probably also going to depend on whether you can watch someone devour raw meat! The Liver King is the second film released in the latest season of Untold, the sports documentary series. Earlier this month, Netflix released Untold: Shooting Guards, about an infamous NBA locker room gun incident of 2009. It looked at the notorious clash between the then-Washington Wizards superstar Gilbert Arenas and his teammate, Jarvaris Crittenton The Liver King was added globally to Netflix today [Tuesday, May 13]. Check out our best shows on Netflix guide for more series to enjoy.
