Joe Rogan turned down one of his most asked for podcast guests because he didn't want to reveal his location
Joe Rogan turned down the chance to interview one of his most requested guests because he didn't want to reveal his location.
With over 2,000 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, the popular podcaster has sat down with some of the biggest names in the world, including Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg and The Rock.
His $100 million deal with Spotify in 2020 solidified his podcast as one of the most influential, drawing in around 11 million listeners per episode.
The former UFC star isn't one to shy away from tough conversations. But there's one guest he wasn't so sure about.
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During a 2020 episode, Rogan delved into the life of crime boss Michael Franzese, who was once a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family in New York City.
His father, Sonny, was second in command and held his career in organised crime for over eight decades.
Having dropped out of Hofstra University after his dad was sent to prison for 50 years for armed robbery, Michael became known as the 'Mafia Prince,' claiming he made around $8 million per week at his peak.
By the age of 35, Fortune Magazine listed Franzese ranked 18th on the 'Fifty Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses.'
And if the name rings a bell with you, it's because Michael's character and story were portrayed in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas.
Michael Franzese was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1986 on conspiracy charges, but was released three years later.
He was re-arrested in 1991 for violating his parole terms but was then released in 1994. After that, the 73-year-old completely turned his life around, becoming a born-again Christian and a motivational speaker with 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube.
He's even reached out to Rogan's team for a possible interview but wasn't taken up on his offer.
The American podcaster explained: "He's a motivational speaker now? He sounds like a f***** hustle. I saw him being interviewed recently.
"Wait a minute, they contacted me! Really recently I got a request to have him on."
Even with his dramatic life transformation, Rogan still isn't convinced about having him at his studio in Austin, Texas.
"I don't know if I want him to know where we are," the 53-year-old admitted.
On his own channel, Michael shares stories from his past and interviews famous figures from the world of crime.
However, he made it clear that he’d only appear on Rogan’s podcast if he got a direct invite from Rogan’s team.
Speaking on his show, he said: "Everybody is saying 'Mike you've got to get on Joe Rogan'.
"Hey, it's not up to me to go to him, if he would like to invite me, I'd be happy to go. He is the number one guy no doubt about it. In podcasts he does a brilliant job."