Issue Date: November 7, 2004

Is fear a factor?

After 100 episodes, the hit show's Joe Rogan has a surprising theory on man's most basic instinct.

By Michele Hatty

"Are you scared?" Joe Rogan asks. It's a fair question, as the two of us are currently standing about a foot away from the open doors of a tram suspended 250 feet above New York's East River. Normally, the tram is outfitted with seats -- not to mention tightly closed doors -- as it transports people from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. But today, "Fear Factor," NBC's hit reality show, has taken over the cable cars and is using them for one of its trademark fear-inducing stunts, timed to celebrate the series' 100th episode, which airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

Later today, six contestants (with safety harnesses attached) will rappel out of this tram we're standing in, climb underneath and try to pull as many flags as they can from the underside of the big metal box. That is, before they lose their grip and swing freely over the river. But for now, Rogan, 37, seems to be enjoying this leisurely ride. It's a little scary to know, though, that if we step just a few inches in the wrong direction, we could be in trouble.

Naturally, the conversation turns to fear: What's the most surprising thing Rogan, after hosting "Fear Factor" since 2001, has learned about the nature of this most basic instinct?

"A lot of the stunts -- like opening locks and letting yourself free from things -- there's nothing scary about that. But a lot of people screw up because they're scared of not beating the time, of not winning the money." So when it comes to the show, where upward of $50,000 is on the line for the winning contestant, he says, people are most afraid of failure: "You're definitely worried about whether or not you can pull it off. Smell rat stew, and you'll know there's a lot of fear in eating disgusting things. A lot of it is about performance anxiety. "Fear Factor" is the name for the show, but it's all about competition and being able to put up with disgusting things."

He pauses and grins. "It's a really good combination, if you think about it."

Rogan, whose engaging smile almost, but not quite, distracts from his perfectly sculpted, stronger-than-Arnold body, knows more about facing fear than most people. A trained martial artist with a background in kickboxing, tae kwon do and, most recently, jujitsu, he knows what it's like to stare down an opponent with his own physical safety on the line.

"With kickboxing, when it's just you and another dude and you're throwing your bones at each other, trying to knock each other unconscious, once you've done that, you know, anything else is not that scary," he says with a laugh. "Whether it's stand-up comedy or "Fear Factor" or asking a hot chick on a date, it's not that scary. 'Cause, worst-case scenario, you get rejected, you lose, whatever. You're not gonna get your [butt] kicked. Getting your [butt] kicked is probably the worst thing. And once you've done something that scary, like fighting, everything else is pretty easy."

Point taken. But does that mean he's not at all queasy about eating something as nasty as rat stew?

"I don't know. Back when I was broke and eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner, I would have done any of it. For $50,000, I would have tried it all. Now, I don't know. There's a lot I wouldn't do."