“You are not only an amazing businessman, you are an inspiration,” said Howie Mandel, addressing UFC CEO Dana White. “The way you do business, the way you conduct your business, and your friendships and media — I’m jealous. But Dana, I can’t thank you enough for being here.” What about this made the head honcho up and leave the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast just 30 seconds into the episode?
Since Dana White pulled this stunt a few days ago, he’s come under immense fire online as clips from his 30-second appearance have gone viral. But as he got up and left the room, it didn’t just leave Mandel and his crew stunned. This unexpected moment made the internet go wild, wondering why he left as quickly as he did. And during the UFC 298 post-fight press conference, White finally disclosed the reason.
When a reporter asked him if there was no point in anyone asking him to join a podcast going forward, White said, “Yeah, please. You know where I’m at with the podcast. I feel like f**ing Jordan Peterson. Every time I turn on Instagram, I’m on a f**ing podcast. Yes, no more podcasts, please. Podcasted out.” The UFC CEO echoed the comments he made right before leaving Howie Mandel’s podcast.
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Given how frequently Dana White has made podcast appearances, you would think the 54-year-old enjoys them and interacting with the hosts. However, after Mandel praised White, he exclaimed, “Thank you for all the kind words. I appreciate it. I am so f***ing tired of doing podcasts. It’s… I’m literally done with them. I’m not doing any more podcasts.”
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Despite the consistency in his remarks, both during the podcast and after UFC 298, fans weren’t really satisfied with White’s answer. For them, his claiming to dislike podcasts wasn’t a good enough reason to walk out on and embarrass Howie Mandel. Needless to say, this led to quite a lot of backlash for the UFC CEO.
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Dana White’s “disrespectful” actions were that of a “spoilt brat”
Dana White, as a personality, is very popular. It’s no secret that the influence he has is enormous. Considering that, many people believe this was just a publicity stunt to promote Mandel’s podcast and bring in more viewers. While there’s no doubt Dana White’s actions have done precisely that, others still think there was more at play. But first, almost everyone had one question.
“Why would you say yes then?” wrote one user. Considering what he said about not liking podcasts, “I still don’t know why he went on a podcast if he’s tired of doing them,” wrote another. However, another user brought a slight contradiction to light. They revealed, “He just said last week he loves doing podcasts on the Pat McAfee show.” So, why the change of heart?
Many believed it was because Howie Mandel’s introduction sounded like something straight out of Wikipedia. “You think he walked off because he realized all that stuff Howie said was some concocted babble he found on the internet? Dana felt that fake coming through the mic,” expressed a fan. While many had the same thought, one follower joked, “The real reason why he left that podcast was because Howie had a better haircut than him.”
However, the overarching emotion in the comments section was that of disapproval. One user wrote, “He’s just a drama queen why would you agree to do a podcast and then 30 seconds? Just jam out .. stop it; he loves the attention.” Another called White a “spoilt brat,” commenting, “Why say yes to a podcast and then be a little spoilt brat when you get to the studio?” But there was also a hilarious analogy.
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Dana White walked off Howie Mandel’s podcast in the first 30 seconds 😭 pic.twitter.com/JvQKDZKlZj
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 14, 2024
“That’s like rolling up to a fast food restaurant and saying dont ask me what i want. You said yes to the podcast, you are the one to blame?” expressed a user. Others felt his actions were plain “disrespectful.” One wrote, “Dana is like a giant baby,” while another pointed out how he didn’t keep his word. “Saying yes and then walking out is disrespectful. Just don’t go, but if you agreed, just do it.”
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Amid all this, some wrote things like, “Just a publicity stunt. None of y’all knew about this podcast before he did it.” What do you think is the real reason for Dana White’s sudden leave from the podcast? Let us know in the comments below.