Social media influencer Brian “Liver King” Johnson has sparked fresh outrage after video footage surfaced showing him allegedly mistreating his dog following his recent release from jail on charges related to threats against podcast host Joe Rogan.
The incident was captured on what appeared to be an instagram clip, with audio revealing Johnson aggressively commanding the animal. “Cut it the f**k out, that’s not okay, sit, both of y’all sit,” Johnson can be heard saying in the brief clip that has since gone viral across social media platforms.
The timing of this latest controversy could not be worse for the embattled fitness personality, who was arrested by Austin Police Department officers just days earlier on charges of a Class B Misdemeanor. Johnson had been released on bond with strict conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor and adhering to a 9 p.m. curfew.
“At 9 o’clock, I have a curfew. I have to be tucked away,” Johnson had said in a video after his release, attempting to frame his legal restrictions positively. “I’m not allowed out of that space until 6 a.m. That’s my new curfew with this.”
The arrest stemmed from a series of increasingly erratic Instagram videos where Johnson issued what authorities deemed threatening statements directed at Rogan. In one particularly concerning video posted on June 23, Johnson delivered an unhinged challenge that caught law enforcement’s attention.
“Joe Rogan, I’m calling you out, my name’s Liver King. Man to man, I’m picking a fight with you,” Johnson declared in the video, his demeanor visibly agitated. “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.”
The situation escalated beyond typical social media bravado as Johnson made disturbing declarations about his willingness to sustain injury, stating “I’m hoping that you, Joe Rogan, are thinking, I’m gonna choke that motherf**ker out, lights out” and “I hope that you won’t feel me tap — that’s never happening. Tapping.”
Exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel has analyzed Johnson’s behavior patterns, identifying concerning signs. “I believe in diagnosing mania this is called tangential speech where it just goes off into nothing becomes completely chaotic,” Dr. Mike observed when examining Johnson’s increasingly erratic public statements.
The dog incident has prompted calls for authorities to take more serious action. Many observers on social media have expressed concern that Johnson’s behavior is escalating and that his recent arrest may not have been sufficient to address his apparent mental state.
Johnson’s troubles extend beyond his legal issues. Recent investigations have exposed significant problems with his supplement empire, which has generated nearly $800 million in sales. Internal documents revealed that his flagship protein powder “Whole Feast” contains ingredients that company employees described as products that “should not even be recommended for human consumption.”
The supplement scandal uncovered that despite marketing claims about premium ingredients, the products actually contained materials from “tens of thousands of cows” that were “not grass-finished and in some cases not even grass-fed” with animals “possibly given antibiotics.” Internal assessments described the products as having “a suboptimal and very inflammatory omega-6 ratio.”
Johnson’s credibility had already been damaged by previous revelations about his fitness regime when he was exposed for steroid use while publicly claiming to maintain his physique through natural methods and his extreme ancestral diet.
During his rambling monologue after his release, Johnson made concerning references to the Texas Capitol, mentioning “if anybody’s last name is Rogan and you’re in the capital of Austin, Texas, like Capitol Hill stuff place where they make laws like Rogan vs. Liver King” and discussing restraining orders, saying “200 yards, restrain myself I must do.”
Meanwhile, Joe Rogan has remained notably silent about Johnson’s provocations. The podcast host had previously expressed irritation at Johnson’s attempts to appear on his show and had discussed with Derek from More Plates More Dates about exposing Johnson’s PED regimen.
