YouTuber turned boxer Logan Paul had a strong friendship with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson before his ‘suicide forest’ video controversy severed ties. Paul, one of the most prominent personalities on YouTube, was at the center of a controversy in 2017 which nearly ended his content creation career permanently. He filmed a vlog at the Aokigahara…
YouTuber turned boxer Logan Paul had a strong friendship with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson before his ‘suicide forest’ video controversy severed ties.
Paul, one of the most prominent personalities on YouTube, was at the center of a controversy in 2017 which nearly ended his content creation career permanently. He filmed a vlog at the Aokigahara forest in Japan, a place where many people have chosen to end their lives.
While exploring the forest, Paul and a few of his friends came across a dead body in the since-deleted video. He was allegedly seen laughing during the video when he and his friends came across the suicide victim.
This resulted in Paul being heavily criticized by YouTube viewers, Hollywood stars, and even politicians for his behavior. He was removed from various YouTube algorithms but has since been allowed back on the platform.
But one of the biggest fallouts for Paul stemming from the controversial video was his broken friendship with Johnson, who appeared in a few of his videos and is one of the biggest stars in show business.
“After Japan happened, obviously I found myself in a hole, rightfully so, that I had never been in before, extremely low mentally, and I got a call from my publicist, who also repped Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and she’s like, ‘Hey, Dwayne has asked that you remove every picture and video that you’ve done with him,’” Paul said. “I thought we had a healthy relationship, an open line of communication, and I was so sad that my hero wanted nothing to do with me.” (h/t Yahoo Sports)
Paul also went on to reveal that Johnson reached out to him on Instagram just a few months ago in reaction to a video, but he declined to respond.
Paul hasn’t had any similar controversies since and has managed to rebuild his brand to a certain extent. He’s also taken up a career in boxing and has hinted at a possible fight with UFC star Conor McGregor coming to fruition in the future.
Paul is hurt that his 2017 mistake cost him his friendship with Johnson, but he seems hopeful that the two can have a conversation in the future about the incident and move forward.
As Joe Rogan apologized over the weekend for past controversial remarks found in two viral videos containing podcast clips dating back several years, a third video also resurfaced. Joe Rogan has found himself to be one of the most controversial figures in 2022 thus far. First, over 200 individuals wrote an open letter to Spotify […]
As Joe Rogan apologized over the weekend for past controversial remarks found in two viral videos containing podcast clips dating back several years, a third video also resurfaced.
Joe Rogan has found himself to be one of the most controversial figures in 2022 thus far. First, over 200 individuals wrote an open letter to Spotify calling on the company to take action against The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. This came after the December 31, 2021 episode featuring Dr. Robert Malone, who is specifically being accused of spreading misinformation regarding COVID-19.
The authors of the letter were soon joined by music legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in the shared belief that Rogan’s podcast is using the Spotify platform to spread “deadly misinformation” that is causing real harm to the general public. Both Young and Mitchell requested to have their music removed from Spotify in protest of Rogan’s continued presence on the app.
Rogan addressed these concerns in a video last week, where he apologized if he made anyone angry but insisted that it was not his intention to be controversial. He reiterated that his podcast is a place for multiple perspectives to be heard, even if he does not agree with each guest. He also expressed an openness to making changes to the presentation of his content, specifically the order in which guests are scheduled so that opposing views could potentially be heard in consecutive episodes.
Many people praised Rogan for his apology, with Chael Sonnen calling it a “home run.” Even Trevor Noah of The Daily Showpraised Rogan for much of what he had to say in the video. Rogan also had the backing of his many loyal supports and those who resist any strain of the “cancel culture” virus many believe is infecting American society.
Rogan Hit With A Second Controversy Over The Weekend
As Neil Young and Joni Mitchell requested to have their music removed from Spotify in protest of Rogan, another multi-time Grammy-award-winning artist, India Arie, added her name to the Spotify protest. However, Arie’s reason had nothing to do with COVID-19 misinformation and was based on very dated remarks from Rogan’s podcast that were unearthed.
The first video is a compilation of Rogan repeatedly saying the word “nigger” with a hard “er.” The second video features Rogan comparing his arrival in an all-black neighborhood to landing in The Planet of the Apes.
Below, you can view both videos as well as India Arie’s explanation for why Rogan remaining on Spotify on such a lucrative deal is unacceptable when, as she claims, podcasters of color and music artists are being underpaid (right arrow leads to next video). (h/t Hollywood Unlocked)
Of note, UFC fighter Curtis Blaydes was among the 27,000-plus individuals who liked the above post.
Rogan Issues Apology, Swarmed With Support From MMA Community
Rogan would soon address both videos in an apology released on his Instagram page over the weekend.
Rogan began by calling this situation “the most regretful and shameful thing” he’s ever had to discuss publicly. Rogan says that his use of “the N-word” was taken out of context by the video creator, whom he accuses of using handpicked clips from over a decade of podcast content. However, he made sure to point out that this was no excuse and that he should have never used the word for any reason, to begin with.
Regarding the Planet of the Apes remarks, Rogan stated the following:
“And there’s another clip that I have to address. There’s a clip from 11 years ago. I was telling a story on the podcast about how me and my friend Tommy and his girlfriend, we got really high, we were in Philadelphia, and we went to go see Planet of the Apes. And we didn’t know where we were going, we just got dropped off by a cab, and we got dropped off in this all-black neighborhood. And I was trying to make the story entertaining. And I said, ‘We got out, and it was like we were in Africa. It’s like we were in Planet of the Apes.’
“I did not, nor would I ever, say that black people are apes, but it sure fuckin’ sounded like that. And I immediately afterwards said, ‘That’s a racist thing to say. Planet of the Apes wasn‘t even in Africa.’ I was just saying, ‘There’s a lot of black people there.’
“Then, I went on to talk about what a positive experience it was and how much fun it was to go to see this movie in a black neighborhood. It wasn’t a racist story, but it sounded terrible. And like I said, you can have clunky stories about anything, but not about race.”
This world and nation are in a strange place right now and the people who bring dialogue in seek of the truth are not our enemies. @joerogan is a friend with a huge heart for everyone. pic.twitter.com/nGJSUQv21w
“This world and nation are in a strange place right now and the people who bring dialogue in seek of the truth are not our enemies. @joerogan is a friend with a huge heart for everyone,” wrote Josh Thompson.
We not cancelling @joerogan today y’all trying way to hard
“I don’t feel Joe Rogan is racist, and I don’t need white people telling me what he says is supposed to offend me,” said UFC newcomer Terrance McKinney.
This is just a snapshot of the overwhelming support Rogan received from people in the MMA community of various races, genders, and political affiliations.
There was, however, a very prominent public figure who revoked his support for Rogan.
Dwayne Johnson Revokes Support For Joe Rogan, Third Controversial Video Resurfaces
Recently, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson expressed a desire to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast as a show of support for Rogan during the Spotify “misinformation” controversy.
However, after the two aforementioned viral videos hit the web, best-selling author Don Winslow pressed the Hollywood superstar to denounce that support. Johnson accommodated this request after being further “educated” on Rogan’s past content.
Dear @donwinslow Thank you so much for this I hear you as well as everyone here 100% I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I've become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.
“Dear @donwinslow Thank you so much for this I hear you as well as everyone here 100% I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I’ve become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me. Mahalo, brother and have a great & productive weekend. DJ” Johnson wrote.
Mr. Winslow referenced “many racist statements” regarding black people from Rogan, but he did not enumerate which statements he was referring to. While it is possible he was only mentioning the two video clips that went viral over the weekend, it is also possible that both Winslow and Johnson were made aware of a third video that also recently resurfaced.
In the video, Rogan implies that white people are genetically more intelligent than black people after a guest told him he has a black father and white mother. You can view that clip below.
I noticed this old post of mine is suddenly getting retweeted all over the place today. https://t.co/rbQRjG8pMZ
“Powerful combination, genetic-wise, right? You get the body of the black man, and you get the mind of the white man altogether in some strange combination. It doesn’t, by the way, mean that black people don’t have brains. It’s a different brain. Don’t get me wrong,” Rogan said.
Again, it is unclear if this is part of the “complete narrative” that Johnson was referring to, but there is no doubt that these remarks are racially charged and highly questionable.
The subject of white intellectual superiority over blacks dates back centuries and continues to be linked to white supremacy to this day. In fairness to Rogan, the above clip, not unlike the Planet of the Apes clip, is from many moons ago. But unlike the two videos Rogan addressed over the weekend, this video has not yet been addressed as of this writing, thus it is unclear if his views have changed or if he feels he was taken out of context by the isolated selection of this video clip.
It is also unknown what Rogan said immediately following this clip. However, based solely on the audio evidence at hand, at best, Rogan spouted historical stereotypes considered harmful, especially by people of color who have testified that they struggle against such perceptions in their daily lives.
While some may consider such a dated clip irrelevant and yet another example of “cancel culture,” clearly, as demonstrated by Dwayne Johnson’s and even Curtis Blaydes’ response to past clips of Rogan, there are many individuals and groups who take an interest in being fully aware of past questionable remarks made by someone. This is especially the case when the remarks are regarding race and if the individual in question has a large platform.
That said, as UFC President Dana White recently articulated, it’s highly unlikely that Rogan will be “canceled” in any impactful way, regardless of any past remarks. Even if he were to be removed from Spotify, Rogan still has the #1 podcast in the country, over 20 million social media followers, and a very wide-reaching and loyal fanbase. In addition, as demonstrated by the support received in recent days, he remains one of the most beloved members of the MMA community.
What are your thoughts on this third resurfaced video from Joe Rogan?
Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known by his stage name “The Rock”, has walked back on his earlier praise of Joe Rogan following a controversial mash-up video from his earlier podcasts. It all started when Grammy award-winning artist India Arie posted a video on her Instagram story in which she shared a group of clips with Rogan […]
Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known by his stage name “The Rock”, has walked back on his earlier praise of Joe Rogan following a controversial mash-up video from his earlier podcasts.
Johnson previously defended Rogan in an Instagram comment after Rogan apologized in a video for controversial podcasts with Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Peter McCullough. Both doctors have been accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
But after Arie’s video went viral, Johnson walked back his support of Rogan after being challenged on Twitter.
Dear @donwinslow Thank you so much for this I hear you as well as everyone here 100% I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I've become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.
“Thank you so much for this,” Johnson said. “I hear you as well as everyone here 100%. I was not aware of his ‘N-word’ use prior to my comments, but now I’ve become educated about his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.”
The Joe Rogan Controversies Continue To Mount
Rogan has been under fire from many around the entertainment business for his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine. UFC president Dana White came to his defense at a recent post-fight press conference and doesn’t plan on taking disciplinary action against him (at the time of this piece).
Rogan has forced musical artists such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and now Arie to request to be taken off Spotify. He signed a nine-figure deal with Spotify to stream his The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Rogan has emerged as the top podcaster in the world along with being the voice of the UFC. He’s still anticipated to be on the UFC 271 pay-per-view broadcast next weekend, barring any last-second changes.
Dwayne Johnson’s shoe brand, Project Rock, is now the official footwear partner for the UFC in a historic deal. Johnson announced the partnership on social media. The collaboration will begin this weekend at UFC 270, the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2022. Johnson has been seen at many UFC events over the years, most prominently at […]
Dwayne Johnson’s shoe brand, Project Rock, is now the official footwear partner for the UFC in a historic deal.
Johnson announced the partnership on social media. The collaboration will begin this weekend at UFC 270, the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2022.
Johnson has been seen at many UFC events over the years, most prominently at UFC 244 ahead of the historic BMF matchup between welterweights Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. He was the centerpiece at the event’s ceremonial weigh-ins and also gave the winner, Masvidal the BMF belt after defeating Diaz.
The UFC partnership with Johnson comes at a time when the promotion’s sportswear brands are drastically changing. The UFC walked away from their deal with Reebok in 2021 and teamed up with Venom for fight kits.
Coincidentally, Reebok’s shoe deal with the UFC expired just last week. Johnson and the UFC rushed to make a deal over the last few days leading up to UFC 270.
The UFC also aired a promotional video at the beginning of their ceremonial weigh-ins, officially marking the partnership with Johnson and his company.
Dwayne Johnson’s Shoe Brand Is Official Footwear Of The UFC
HISTORIC. I’m honored & proud, my @ProjectRock is the OFFICIAL GLOBAL FOOTWEAR PARTNER of the @UFC Starting this weekend at #UFC270 NGANNOU vs GANE, all athletes & teams will rep @ProjectRock footwear. Engineered for the HARDEST WORKERS IN THE ROOM who WALK THE WALK. ~ dj pic.twitter.com/TInm2iwEz4
Johnson and UFC president Dana White have had a relationship for years, mostly stemming from their common business interests. Now, they’ll get a chance to work together on a large scale.
Johnson is arguably one of the biggest personalities in the film industry, fitness, and also in professional wrestling. He has become a worldwide superstar and has been successful in virtually every venture he’s pursued.
It’s unclear if Johnson will be in attendance at UFC 270 this weekend, but he’ll more than likely be featured in a number of promotional content in days to come. The terms of the deal are unknown at this time.
What is your reaction to The Rock partnering with the UFC?
MMA legend Ken Shamrock has revealed he owned ‘The Rock’ nickname before professional wrestler turned Hollywood movie star Dwayne Johnson took it on. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Shamrock revealed he gave the WWE and Johnson permission to use ‘The Rock’ name. “Anything that had to do with the cage or […]
MMA legend Ken Shamrock has revealed he owned ‘The Rock’ nickname before professional wrestler turned Hollywood movie star Dwayne Johnson took it on.
“Anything that had to do with the cage or Lion’s Den, they had to go through my approval, because I owned all that. I have [it] in my contract, I own that. In fact, funny story is that The Rock, he was known as Rocky. [They] had to have my permission to use the name The Rock because I owned Ken ‘The Rock’ Shamrock. That’s what I was known as when I was first fighting in the UFC. They called me Ken ‘The Rock’ Shamrock so I had that carved out too but anyways, so the cage, the Lion’s Den cage and all that stuff so it had to be something that had to be approved by me which I was fine doing, but a lot of the creativity that went into that I think had to do with a lot of the creative writers and the people at the WWF with the weapons and all that stuff but, I came up with the actual slang of the actual cage itself. Instead of just being a straight cage, I wanted to angle a little bit because that gave us a chance to actually work off that cage, because if it was straight up, you ain’t shooting him into the cage because it’s — you’re gonna get stuck in there, right? So by having an angle, you can run up on it, you do all kinds of gimmicky stuff on there so, there was a lot of creativity [that] went into that but I was a part of that creativity for sure.
Shamrock went on to reveal he never made any money from the name and was happy to stop using it once Johnson became a wrestling superstar.
“No [I didn’t make any money from ‘The Rock’ name]. You know what man? The Rock came up and started using it. Nobody even knew the issue at all. I didn’t because I was never kind of — I never liked that, right? Just like when they came up with the dolls that had the lion skin on it with the shorts on it, I owned that. They never asked me to do that, they didn’t ask to do that so therefore I own that, so I could’ve gotten all that too but you know what? I was fine with where I was at. It didn’t matter. So, and me and Rocky, we talked about it one time. He didn’t even know. He’s like, ‘Really!?’ I said, ‘Yeah. Don’t worry about it. No big deal.’ It’s like, ‘I’m not gonna do anything for that’ so it’s like, I’m known as The World’s Most Dangerous Man now.” (Transcribed by RingsideNews)
Do you think Ken Shamrock should’ve been compensated for allowing the WWE & Dwayne Johnson to use his name?
Former dual weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier says he looks like Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson and the movie star seems to agree. Cormier admits he has been struggling to keep the weight off during the lockdown. However, when an ESPN poster made him look podgy, Cormier intervened and asked for a bit more definition on […]
Former dual weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier says he looks like Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson and the movie star seems to agree.
Cormier admits he has been struggling to keep the weight off during the lockdown. However, when an ESPN poster made him look podgy, Cormier intervened and asked for a bit more definition on be added which resulted in him looking like ‘The Rock’. Check out the poster below.
Speaking on the latest episode of ESPN’s “DC and Helwani”, the MMA reporter tells Cormier he is being roasted online for the poster, he says.
“Robert Pearson made us this amazing poster and you are getting killed for this poster because they all think that you made it and you made yourself look like The Rock. You have this nice slim figure, the neck, what’s going on with this poster?”
Cormier then went on to explain how the whole poster situation played out.
“So here’s the deal, I was shown three copies…the poster,” Cormier said. “The first one was a little pudgy, you know, then I said ‘Make him a little less pudgy’ and then he made him a little less pudgy.”
“And then I said ‘Shave his head. Make his face look like mine but like The Rock, and then I want my body to look like The Rock.”
“Don’t hate,” Cormier said. “People are hatin’ because I look like Dwayne Johnson. It’s not my fault that there’s a very strong resemblance between me and The Rock.” (Transcribed by Heavy.com)
While not many fans seem to agree the only man who counts does. ‘The Rock’ took to social media to address the poster and his “twin” Cormier, he wrote.
“Maaan this gave me a good laugh. Me and my brother [Daniel Cormier] are pretty much identical twins. Get over it people. Sheeesh.”
T O
V E R A (@chitoveraUFC) 
Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known by his stage name “The Rock”, has walked back on his earlier praise of Joe Rogan following a controversial mash-up video from his earlier podcasts. It all started when Grammy award-winning artist India Arie posted a video on her Instagram story in which she shared a group of clips with Rogan […]
Dwayne Johnson’s shoe brand, Project Rock, is now the official footwear partner for the UFC in a historic deal. Johnson announced the partnership on social media. The collaboration will begin this weekend at UFC 270, the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2022. Johnson has been seen at many UFC events over the years, most prominently at […]
MMA legend Ken Shamrock has revealed he owned ‘The Rock’ nickname before professional wrestler turned Hollywood movie star Dwayne Johnson took it on. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Shamrock revealed he gave the WWE and Johnson permission to use ‘The Rock’ name. “Anything that had to do with the cage or […]
Former dual weight UFC champion Daniel Cormier says he looks like Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson and the movie star seems to agree. Cormier admits he has been struggling to keep the weight off during the lockdown. However, when an ESPN poster made him look podgy, Cormier intervened and asked for a bit more definition on […]
