Joe Rogan Shocked to Learn Former ESPN Boss Left Due To Coke Addiction, Extortion Scheme

Podcast host Joe Rogan was stunned to learn former ESPN honcho John Skipper parted ways with his employer of 27 years because of a cocaine addiction and an extortion scheme.

Skipper was the President at ESPN before he resigned in December 2017 after he admitted he had a substance abuse problem. Even more dramatically, it was revealed Skipper was the object of an extortion plan perpetrated by his alleged dealer.

Barstool Sports founder and president Dave Portnoy was a guest on Rogan’s The Joe Rogan Experience. In an episode that came out Thursday, Portnoy described having bottles of champagne with his enemy’s names on them and will eventually pop the bottle of champagne with that person’s name on it once they faced their demise.

“I don’t know who that is,” Rogan said in regard to Skipper.

ESPN now employs him as a color commentator for the UFC after the fight league, and ESPN signed a five-year deal in 2019, two years after Skipper resigned. In December, UFC President Dana White claimed the deal between the two companies would not have got done if Skipper had been in charge of ESPN.

Portnoy explained that he had a bottle with Skipper’s name on it when Skipper decided to cancel Barstool’s ESPN show Barstool Van Talk after one episode. Portnoy described that two months later, he popped the bottle after Skipper resigned.

“He had to leave ESPN because of a coke dealer?” Rogan asked. “That’s fucking so stupid. The guy was doing coke.”

Portnoy seemed shocked at the reason why Skipper, a guy he despised, resigned as well. Portnoy thought it would be no issue if Skipper admitted to his substance abuse and said, “I don’t know, maybe I’m naïve, but to be like, ‘yeah, I’ve done coke, like who cares?'”

Rogan explained that most of the people in that power are fraudulent people.

“I think in that world you can’t even admit you did coke. It’s a stupid world,” Rogan added. “It’s a stupid world where you have to pretend to be a fake person.”

After Rogan’s producer, Jamie Vernon, brought up an article that described Skipper’s situation, he and Portnoy broke down the details of Skipper’s admitted addiction. Rogan was blown away at how long Skipper was at ESPN for him to get thrown on the streets after an addiction.

“Jesus Christ, the guy did good work, so he likes to do a little coke,” Rogan said.

“27 years at Disney, washed down the toilet for a little coke,” Rogan continued. “Meanwhile, you look at the body of work that he did. Did he do a good job? I don’t know, but if you kept him fucking hired for that long, I would assume he was doing good work. Fucking knuckleheads.”

Watch above via The Joe Rogan Experience.

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