The Joe Rogan Experience/YouTube/PA ImagesIf you’re running out of fun facts to tell your friends, here’s one for you: podcast host Joe Rogan and My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way are cousins – but they don’t actually know each other.
This news will probably hit you differently depending on your hobbies and interests.
If you’re into MMA, comedy and podcasts, then you’ll likely be trying to figure out exactly how Rogan is related to that guy dressed in black with the eye liner on who sang those anthems to all the goth kids’ angst.
On the other hand, if you grew up feeling like you were the human embodiment of Teenagers and recently welcomed Gerard Way’s brilliant The Umbrella Academy into your life as your new favourite TV show, then you’re probably just thinking: ‘Who the hell is Joe Rogan?’
Well, find out below as you watch Rogan discuss their relationship:
Then, of course, there’s those of you who went through the dark eyeliner, My Chemical Romance phase earlier in life, only to be converted to Rogan’s podcasts as you got older. That little emo still lives on inside you though, which is exactly why this article piqued your interest. You know who you are.
The question of Way and Rogan’s relationship came up when filmmaker and actor Kevin Smith appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he explained he’d been speaking to the singer about the potential link.
Smith told Rogan he had to ask him a question ‘on behalf of somebody else’, before saying: ‘Your grandmother, named Josie? Gerard Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance…’
PA ImagesThe host obviously knew where the conversation was heading and quickly cleared up the mystery as he interjected, saying: ‘Yeah, we’re related.’
While Rogan obviously knew of their family link, Smith said Way hadn’t been certain.
The filmmaker continued:
That’s what he said. I’m [talking] to Gerard, and he goes, ‘I don’t have 100% confirmation on this, but I’m pretty sure Joe Rogan is my cousin because my Aunt Josie was his grandmother.’
GettyRogan went on to admit that despite he and Way being cousins, and both members of the celebrity circle, they don’t actually know each other.
Smith went on to point out how ‘crazy’ it was that ‘two people in the same family became super f*cking famous’ without knowing each other, and suggested Rogan finally united with Way on his podcast.
The news of their family ties has been spoken about before, when Way introduced himself as ‘cousin of Joe Rogan’ on a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ thread.
Shortly after, a Twitter user asked Rogan to interview Gerard on The Joe Rogan Experience – an idea the host said was ‘very good’.
@Phantascys @gerardway that's actually a very good idea
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) October 2, 2014
It’s yet to happen though, and maybe it never will, but on the off chance the pair do get together could it be described as the most ambitious crossover event in history? I’ve heard worse ideas.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.