Dana White’s Podcast Prank: How a Staged Walkout with Howie Mandel Spiraled Out of Control

Dana White, the UFC CEO, often promotes events through various media appearances, including podcasts. In February, leading up to UFC 298, he participated in numerous interviews but notably walked out of comedian Howie Mandel’s podcast after declaring his fatigue with doing such interviews.

This abrupt exit left Mandel and his guests in silence and made headlines, suggesting White was genuinely frustrated with the podcast circuit.

However, White later revealed that the walkout was a planned stunt orchestrated by Mandel. During a subsequent interview on the Flagrant podcast, White explained that after recording a podcast with Sage Steele at Mandel’s studio, Mandel asked White to stage the walkout as a favor.

White, who had just met Mandel, agreed to the prank, appreciating the humor in faking his exasperation with podcasts.

White described his admiration for Mandel, who owns the studio and is involved in various business ventures. He emphasized that Mandel was a smart and great individual. The setup was intended to be kept secret, but White ultimately disclosed it after an incident involving fans misunderstanding the situation.

The reason for White’s revelation stemmed from an appearance with the Nelk Boys, where fans started chanting derogatory remarks about Mandel. White felt compelled to correct the narrative and protect Mandel’s reputation, clarifying that Mandel did nothing wrong and was a good person.

In his defense of Mandel, White expressed his discomfort with the negative attention Mandel was receiving due to the prank. He praised Mandel, apologizing for any misunderstanding, and reiterated that Mandel is a great guy who shouldn’t face any backlash from White’s fans.