What Joe Rogan's Relationship With Stepdaughter Kayja Rose Is Like

TV personality Joe Rogan is one of the most recognizable faces in the world of UFC commentary, but there's an even more important side to him behind the scenes: fatherhood. Rogan has three children and it's clear he takes his role in their lives very seriously. In 2019, he explained to Theo Vonn, "I didn't have a relationship with my father growing up, so for me, it was very, very important that I did whatever I had to do to have a relationship with them, to be as present as I can be ... to evolve and get better." Rogan applies this philosophy to raising not only his two biological children, but to his relationship with stepdaughter Kayja Rose. 

Rogan married Rose's mother, Jessica Ditzel, in 2009. Rose was 15 years old at the time, but it appears that Rogan fully embraced being a stepparent to the teen. Sadly, Rose's biological father, H-Town band member Keven "Dino" Conner, was in a fatal accident in 2003. When Rogan married Rose's mother, he decided to make her a full-fledged member of his family by legally adopting Rose. This choice got their stepfather-daughter relationship off to a great start, and it appears the situation has continued to improve over time. 

Bonding with an older stepchild can be difficult, but Joe Rogan really thinks of Kayja Rose as far more than just his stepdaughter. In a 2012 appearance on "The Rosie Show," Rogan gave a heartwarming description of Rose and his relationship with her: "She's an awesome kid. She's not just a daughter, she's like my friend. And I've worked really hard making sure we talk to each other as openly as possible." He further explained that he strives to ensure Rose always feels heard and understood, rather than simply enforcing rules without any input from her. Rogan said, "It's really important that I have conversations with her where she never feels like she's out of the loop."

For her part, Rose has not spoken publicly about her relationship with Rogan. Even when Rogan garnered negative attention for using the N-word in some of his early acts, Rose didn't issue a public response. Instead, she simply disappeared from social media. In a since-deleted Instagram post announcing her departure from the app, Rose said (via Radar), "Going on hiatus for a while to heal fully, and grow into the person I am destined to become. I will be unreachable. Wishing peace, growth, and love for everyone here." Her choice to remain silently neutral in this situation may have been in service of her relationship with Rogan. 

His often controversial opinions may not make Joe Rogan seem like an ideal parent, but it sounds like he tries to do the best he can with his kids. His desire to prioritize Kayja Rose and his other two children may stem from his own difficult childhood. In a clip from his podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," Rogan described his biological father's abusive behavior, saying, "My real father was crazy, he was like a psychotic person." Among other disturbing stories, Rogan recalled witnessing his father physically abusing one of his cousins. He summarized his father's parenting style by explaining, "It was like the worst way of raising a child ever, especially boys."

Whereas Rogan honors Rose and his other children's privacy by not using them for attention, his father, Joe Rogan Sr., has repeatedly called his son out on social media and in interviews. For example, Rogan Sr. refuted claims that he was abusive when speaking to The U.S. Sun, explaining his ex-wife and son would've taken legal action against him if the stories were true: "If I was the big bad wolf, they would have had a restraining order against me."

Based on how differently he appears to view parenting than his father, Rogan clearly took his experiences to heart in choosing to provide a more positive parenting environment for Rose and her half-siblings. 

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.