Podcast Summary: Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: Why So Many Athletes Have Tattoos of the Joker: A Special Halloween Investigation

Date: October 24, 2023
Host: Pablo Torre
Guest/Corespondent: Wyatt Cenac

Overview

In this Halloween-themed investigative episode, Pablo Torre partners with comedian and correspondent Wyatt Cenac to unravel an unlikely sports phenomenon: why do so many professional athletes have tattoos of the Joker? Through a blend of humor and reporting, they dive into sightings across leagues, the symbolism of the Joker, athletes’ personal motivations, and the cultural forces that have reframed villains as heroes in modern sports.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin of the Investigation

Timestamps: 05:14–08:14

• The episode was sparked when Wyatt, while courtside at a WNBA game, texted Pablo about seeing Joker tattoos on multiple players (Crystal Dangerfield and Brittney Sykes) during the same game, leading them to notice the prevalence of Joker imagery among athletes across pro sports.
• Pablo: “Seeing a single Heath in this context...it does feel like an immediate red flag, like, 100% in society.” (07:48)

2. Just How Common Is the Joker Tattoo Among Athletes?

Timestamps: 09:36–15:17

• The duo began documenting athlete Joker tattoos and were startled to find at least 20 prominent cases across the NBA, NFL, soccer, and other leagues.
• Notable athletes with Joker ink include DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Odell Beckham Jr., George Kittle, Von Miller, Jamie Collins, Juan Toscano Anderson, and even international soccer players.
• The tattoos overwhelmingly feature Heath Ledger’s portrayal, often referencing “Why so serious?” from The Dark Knight.
• Some are elaborate collages involving the Joker alongside other iconic figures (e.g., OBJs tattoo with the Joker, Prince, Obama, and MLK).

3. The Joker as a Symbol—From Comic Book Villain to Athlete Avatar

Timestamps: 08:33–15:47, 16:15–23:45

• Wyatt: “The Joker is proud boy number one... He’s not a hero in any way. In the comic books, he murders people indiscriminately...He’s a sociopath.” (08:26–09:09)
• The duo are confounded by the shift: Why would athletes, often billed as superheroes, idolize a supervillain? Wyatt recalls Shaq’s Superman tattoo and the historical desire to be heroic, contrasting with today’s embrace of the "mentally unstable man who fell into a vat of acid."
• Pablo relates it to the confusing modern trend of identifying with anti-heroes, reminiscent of how Kobe Bryant and Kyrie Irving idolized the abusive band leader in “Whiplash.”
  • Pablo: “There is this sort of like larger theme...of confusing the anti hero for the hero.” (22:46)

4. Heath Ledger’s Joker and the Kobe Legacy

Timestamps: 16:15–21:23

• A viral (and factually dubious) story told by Lakers GM Rob Pelinka that Kobe Bryant sought dinner advice from Heath Ledger after The Dark Knight is recounted and debunked for comic effect by Pablo and Wyatt.
• Despite the meeting being impossible (Ledger had passed away before the alleged encounter), it reveals the deep cultural cache Ledger’s Joker has among athletes and a desire to channel his intensity.

5. Athlete Testimonies: Why They Chose the Joker

Von Miller (NFL Star) — Timestamps: 24:11–29:59

• Von Miller, despite being a genuinely upbeat person and Batman fan, explains that after ankle surgery left him a scar resembling the Joker’s smile, he chose to accentuate it with a Joker tattoo as a way of embracing both sides of himself.
• Von Miller: “I see the Bruce in me and I see the Joker in me at times in my life. And I need both...to be the best Vaughn that I can be.” (25:24)
• He describes toggling between these personas on and off the field—friendly off, ruthless in competition—a pattern Pablo and Wyatt compare to the “Mamba Mentality.”

Juan Toscano-Anderson (NBA Player) — Timestamps: 32:28–38:07

• Toscano-Anderson has not one, but two Joker tattoos—the most creative being three different Joker actors (Ledger, Nicholson, Leto) playing poker, “dogs playing poker”-style.
• He says not every tattoo needs deep meaning—sometimes it’s just “a bit of whimsy”—yet also frames the Joker as a symbol for the misunderstood underdog, enduring doubt and villainy in the public eye.
• Juan Toscano-Anderson: "When you're in a place of success...you're the wealthiest person in your circle...you get vilified for saying no to people...and I think just the art itself...like, being able to relate to the Joker, it's our way of expressing ourselves." (36:09)

6. The Joker as Outcast and Undrafted Underdog Metaphor

Timestamps: 38:07–41:45

• Pablo and Wyatt note a connecting thread: athletes with Joker tattoos often see themselves as outsiders or underdogs—facing skepticism, lacking privilege, and thriving where not expected.
• Wyatt: “The Joker is kind of the ultimate undrafted free agent... He’s very much a G League player. And then he becomes the Joker and it allows him entry into the pro sports version of Gotham crime.” (39:50–40:41)
• The tattoo, they conclude, becomes both “red flag” and badge of defiance—especially for those tired of being asked for favors or doubted.

7. Tattoo Aesthetics & Comedy

Timestamps: 32:28–34:59, 41:53–46:44

• Among the many Joker tattoos, Toscano-Anderson’s wins for creativity and humor.
• Wyatt envisions his own “ideal” Joker tattoo: Cesar Romero’s surfing Joker from the 1966 Batman show, placed as a chest piece, belly tattoo, or tramp stamp, lampooning the seriousness of the trend.
• The episode ends with playful banter—Wyatt’s Batman impression ("That’s having the Joker is like, like, that’s my N word." – 25:41), riffing on athlete psychology, and imagining a dystopian future where everyone has Joker tattoos by birth.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wyatt Sinek (re: Joker as a red flag):
  “Yeah, that's the red flag right there. Yeah.” (08:14)
• Pablo Torre (on the Jokers athletes choose):
  “It’s the idea... he wants you to see this as a red flag. He’s like, by the way, I’m the guy with the Joker tattoo. There are actually three Jokers on my tattoo.” (41:14)
• Wyatt Sinek (as Batman, to Von Miller):
  “You've permanently put my enemy's face on your body. Like, do you realize how offensive that is to me?... He shot Batgirl. He killed one of my robins.” (25:01)
• Juan Toscano-Anderson (on the Joker’s appeal):
  “Sometimes as athletes, like, we are the villains, and there's a little bit of you that we want to say. But us being role models, we really can't.” (34:59)
• Pablo Torre (on the ultimate Joker tattoo):
  “Only Joker can judge me. Around the belly button.” (46:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:14 – The first courtside Joker tattoo sighting
• 09:36 – Realization of the widespread athlete Joker tattoo phenomenon
• 15:25 – Athletes shifting from Superman to Joker/Antihero
• 16:33 – The Kobe-Bryant-meets-Heath-Ledger urban legend
• 24:11 – Interview with Von Miller; his duality and Joker tattoo rationale
• 29:19 – Joker mentality and parallels to “Mamba” mindset
• 32:28 – Juan Toscano-Anderson’s three Joker poker tattoo, athlete as villain
• 38:07 – Joker as undrafted free agent, outsider status
• 41:53 – Pablo and Wyatt debate the meaning, aesthetics, and future of Joker tattoos
• 46:41 – The ideal Joker tattoo “Only Joker can judge me” moment

Tone & Style

The episode is irreverent, witty, and packed with comic and cultural references. Pablo and Wyatt blur the lines between genuine reporting and playful speculation, echoing the tone of their own long-standing friendship, while layering in analysis of sports culture, comic book lore, and the twisted psychology of idolizing villains.

For listeners and non-listeners alike, this episode is a wide-ranging, hilarious, and sneakily insightful exploration of why the Joker—once the object of Batman’s scorn—has become a totem for athletes seeking to project edge, defiance, or undrafted swagger in the world of modern sports.