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‘Liver King’ Admits Steroid Use, Calls Persona ‘Experiment’ – Rolling Stone

December 3, 2022

Brian Johnson, better known as the organ-eating male influencer “Liver King”, admitted to using steroids in a grim video shared on his YouTube and Instagram accounts.

“I fully admit that I messed up,” he said in the six-minute confession. “I’m as sorry as a man can be.”

The painful statement comes in response to a video by fellow bodybuilder, Derek of online fitness brand ‘More Plates More Dates’, which claimed to show emails in which Johnson described his steroid regimen – a sequel to injections costing around $11,000 per month. Since launching the Liver King character in August 2021, Johnson had given several interviews in which he flatly denied using performance-enhancing drugs to achieve his muscular physique. He had also dismissed accusations of steroid use by podcast frontman Joe Rogan.

But in just three days, the hour-long ‘More Plates More Dates’ talk garnered 3 million views, with many in the fitness community saying it confirmed their suspicions about Johnson.

“I’m here now to set the record straight,” Johnson says in her new video, then sighs deeply. “Yes, I have been on steroids, and yes, I am on steroids, monitored and managed by a qualified hormone clinician. Liver King, the public figure, was an experiment to spread the message. He went on to mention the ailments social issues of suicide, depression and anxiety, adding, “Our young men suffer the most.” He said when he talks about low self-esteem, he’s talking about himself.

Johnson explained that he was already wealthy and his supplement business was successful before he adopted the Liver King guise for social media. The character has garnered 1.7 million Instagram followers in just one year, with Johnson selling his wares while advocating a caveman lifestyle with extreme exercise and a “natural” raw diet of livers, hearts and animal testicles. Johnson claimed he didn’t expect Liver King to become a viral sensation – contradicting an alleged email included in the ‘More Plates More Dates’ video where he appeared to lay out a plan to gain a million subscribers on social networks in a few months. He has not yet confirmed or denied the authenticity of this message, or any other private correspondence currently circulating.

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Johnson also pledged to talk about steroid use ‘openly’ in the future, ‘because I believe there is a time and a place for pharmacological intervention’, if supervised by a physician. . He once again denied having had abdominal implants or other plastic surgery.

On YouTube, the reactions were mostly negative, with commenters criticizing Johnson for citing other people’s mental health issues as the reason for his tendency to lie. Some called the video “damage control” or insincere, with many saying he was only sorry he got caught.

Johnson found more support on her Instagram page. “No bullshit, no excuses,” wrote one fan. “I earned respect with me through this position. Lots of love!” Another remarked, “It takes a long time to admit it when you’ve made a mistake, and honestly, I’m glad you’re upfront. You’re a really inspirational guy, and definitely someone. one to admire in the fitness world.

The editors were much less impressed. “The image of him admitting to using steroids is hilarious, like a kid with a face covered in blueberry pie admitting to eating a pie,” one observed. “Thinking about all the guys who have legitimately eaten testicles trying to be that guy,” someone else joked.

As Johnson himself noted, he’s not a competitive athlete, so it’s not like he’ll be disciplined or suspended by any sports organization. Admitting he lied about PEDs is also not likely to diminish his fame or online following, both of which were built on the show from the start. So, although Johnson referred to Liver King in the past tense, expect him to live on, promoting the two “ancestral” principles. and the miraculous effects of human growth hormone. Oh, and the importance of never wearing a shirt.