The Untold Truth Of Joe Rogan's Wife
In another sign that the world has gone crazy, Joe Rogan — aka the man previously best known for being a UFC commentator, encouraging members of the public to eat dead rats, and playing a handyman on a mediocre sitcom — has somehow become one of the most prevalent cultural figures of the podcast era.
Barely a day goes by without the jack-of-all-trades making the headlines. That's included inspiring two Canadian-American musical greats to abandon Spotify, attempting to justify allegedly racist remarks or, most commonly, running his mouth about a subject he may not know a lot about. Rogan's "let's Google it" approach to podcasting could at best be described as casually misinformed, and at worst as "extraordinarily dangerous" to society, per a group of concerned experts who spoke to the Independent.
While it seems as though we're constantly bombarded with news about "The Joe Rogan Experience" host, his other half seems to fly under the radar. Jessica Ditzel is practically a recluse compared to her attention-seeking husband. But from past jobs to previous loves, here's a look at what we do know about the woman who no doubt often struggles to get a word in edgeways ...
Jessica Ditzel is not related to Robert Schimmel
Contrary to bizarre online confusion concerning the matter, Jessica Ditzel is not (we repeat, not) related to one of the most prominent blue comedians of the late 20th century, Robert Schimmel. If you're wondering why the former model is so often presumed to be the Howard Stern regular's daughter, then no doubt his actual daughter's name has something to do with it.
One of the funnyman's four kids is Jessica Schimmel, a producer on animated phenomenon "The Simpsons." We guess the surnames vaguely rhyme. According to Parade, she's likewise regularly mistaken for Ditzel too, so at the very least this strange issue isn't one-sided.
Regardless, Joe Rogan's wife does also have a little showbiz in her blood. Her guitarist father, Jeff Conrad Ditzel, was a part of Minneapolis Americana band Ditch Pickles. As of writing, she hasn't shown any signs that she's inherited his musical abilities. Jessica's daughter, Kayja Rose, however, is currently trying to make it as a vocalist in the world of R&B.
She was once engaged to Dino Conner
You might not know that Joe Rogan isn't Jessica Ditzel's first famous partner. The former model was once briefly engaged to Keven "Dino" Conner, one third of early '90s R&B outfit H-Town. However, the two may have broken up just shy of the early 00's, according to Fab Wags. Best-known for their No.3 hit "Knockin' Da Boots," H-Town released three albums across the decade and were gearing up to drop their fourth when tragedy struck.
In 2003, Conner, his then-fiancee Teshya Rae Weisent, and their unborn baby were all killed in a horrific car crash. Houston Police reported that an SUV hit their vehicle after running a red light. All three of its passengers tried to flee the scene of the crime. However, a man named Juan Diaz was taken in and faced "charges of failure to stop and render aid," according to the outlet.
Per Fab Wags, Conner and Ditzel dated during the '90s and had a child together in 1996. Now in her 20s, Kayja Rose is an R&B vocalist who has released several singles on her Soundcloud account and racked up more than 20,000 followers on Instagram.
Ditzel has a fascinating resume
"You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar," goes The Human League's transatlantic 1981 chart-topper "Don't You Want Me." And the synth-pop classic could easily have been written about how Joe Rogan met his wife, Jessica Ditzel. Yes, the latter really was waiting tables when she was introduced to the podcasting giant in 2001.
The blonde, who hails from the Texas town of Sugarland, has enjoyed various interesting jobs since her cocktail waitress days, according to Panda Gossips. On top of being signed to EM Model Management, she's also been a Volvo Motorsports product analyst, a Robert Half Technology account executive, and an Enterprise Rent-A-Car assistant manager.
The former model, whose resume also includes a stint at Korean company Wholesome according to Sidomex Entertainment, is also regularly reported to now be working in TV. However, this is a part of the ongoing mistaken identity issue involving "The Simpsons" producer Jessica Schimmel.
She changed Joe Rogan's mind on marriage
Let's hope that Jessica Ditzel isn't one for romance, as she may be unlikely to find much in the shape of her outspoken husband. In the wake of their 2009 marriage, Joe Rogan told the The Palm Beach Post that he'd walked down the aisle more for admin purposes than out of love.
The "Hardball" actor explained that he adjusted his opinions on marriage once the couple got pregnant. "I had to [tie the knot]," he explained. "Not really had to, but you know, she made a baby. [It's] like 'God alright, I'll sign a silly legal contract.' What she did was way more of a commitment."
Six years later, and Rogan was still blathering on to anyone who would listen about how little he values the sanctity of marriage, describing it as "dumb" in a chat with Rolling Stone. If you're wondering how the couple are still husband and wife after all these years, Rogan tellingly added, "She lets me do whatever I do. That's how we get along well." The podcaster also revealed that he has a prenup in place, adding, "I'm ridiculous and dumb, but I'm not stupid."
A private, blended family
Whereas Joe Rogan is usually more than happy to wax lyrical about any given subject, there is one area that he's been uncharacteristically reticent about on his world-conquering podcast: his children. Yes, the UFC color commentator prefers to keep his life as a father on the downlow. But, we do know that Rogan and his wife Jessica Ditzel have a blended family of five.
Ditzel welcomed Lola, her first child with the "Fear Factor" host, in 2008, and then her second, Rosy, two years later. The former model, of course, was already a mother before she met Rogan having given birth to daughter Kayja Rose in 1996.
Later, in a move that even his biggest detractors can admire, Rogan legally adopted Kayja, whose biological father is the late H-Town vocalist Keven "Dino" Conner. The family now all live together in a $14 million mansion in the Texas area of Lake Austin, having previously resided in Boulder, Colorado and then Bell Canyon, California.
Jessica Ditzel isn't short of brainpower
No offence to the former "Fear Factor" host, but it may be fair to suggest that Jessica Ditzel is the brains in her relationship with Joe Rogan. While the podcaster dropped out of his studies at the University of Massachusetts three years into his course, his wife has not just one but two degrees to her name.
According to Distractify, Ditzel first got to wear a graduation gown when she left California State University with an Arts and Technical Theater degree. She then furthered her education at the University of Arizona to claim a second degree in Psychology and Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Ditzel certainly seems to value the importance of education more than her husband. Replying to a follower on Twitter in 2010, Rogan explained that he only attended college in the first place "so people wouldn't think I was a loser." To give the outspoken stand-up some credit, he is capable of admitting that he's not the sharpest tool in the box. Following backlash to his controversial comments regarding whether young "healthy" people needed the COVID-19 vaccine, Rogan acknowledged that he's "a f***ing moron."
Anonymity, away from the spotlight
While Joe Rogan seems to go out of his way to court publicity, bulldozing his way into the discourse on everything from COVID-19 vaccinations to the trans community without a moment's thought, his wife much prefers to keep herself out of the spotlight.
Indeed, don't be expecting to see Jessica Ditzel inviting People magazine into her home for a family photoshoot any time soon. Even her Instagram account is only accessible to those she trusts (at the time of writing that tally stands at just 179), with her bio reading, "Anonymity is underrated."
That's no doubt why Rogan very rarely addresses his family life in interviews or on his ridiculously long weekly podcast. Nor does he post photos of his nearest and dearest on his own social media profiles, either — well, not the human ones anyway. The stand-up comedian will quite happily upload pics of Marshall Mae Rogan, the adorable family dog. The playful Labrador even has his very own Instagram account, featuring a few hundred thousand more followers than Ditzel's low-key profile.
Rogan and Ditzel's swanky Austin home
Joe Rogan and Jessica Ditzel didn't waste any time in upgrading their family pad following the former's lucrative deal with Spotify. Just months after getting into bed with the streaming giant for a whopping $100 million, the podcaster and his wife bought a swanky new 10,980-square-foot property in Texas.
The mansion, situated on Lake Austin, cost the pair a cool $14.4 million. That's nearly double the price the previous owner paid for it just five years earlier. But, for their money they got eight bedrooms, a sunroom overlooking a four-acre backyard, a gym, and even its very own bar.
Ditzel and Rogan also recouped some of the cash by selling their Bell Canyon home for $3.45 million. That's $1.25 million more than the stand-up shelled out way back in 2003 and $250,000 more than the initial asking price. So why did the couple choose Austin, Texas? Well, Rogan told listeners of his world-conquering "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast that he was worried about California's rising population and in light of the state's COVID-19 protocols he wanted somewhere with a bit more freedom.