♪ ♪ >> announcer: this is "nightline." >> juju: it tonight, subway chokehold. the marine veteran now charged with second-degree manslaughter in the controversial death of a homeless passenger. the incident sparking discussions about mental health and public safety. plus, deliver king. bulging biceps and sixpack abs made him a social media sensation. advocating extreme workouts and eating raw organ meet. was at all a lie? >> i was taking performance-enhancing drugs. it led people to believe that

wiitwas only in these that got e here. >> juju: and is there a downside to the obsession of being big? >> i get blood done all the ti time. >> juju: and ludacris. one on one with the rollout wrapper. now a bona fide movie star. >> i'm blessed enough to be in seven movies so far. >> juju: edition on the latest edition to the protest and fears "and tries," fast 10," and why his favorite car is more of a relic. plus, sesame street, the new for making history in that famous neighborhood. >> i can only ask for help when i don't know a word. >> announcer: "nightline" we will be right back. ♪ with skyrizi, most people who achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months... had lasting clearance through 1 year.

serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections, or a lower ability to fight them, may occur. had a vaccine or plan to. ♪nothing is everything♪ talk to your dermatologist about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. you didn't choose your hairline. hot flashes, the flu, or that thing when your knee just gives out for no reason. you didn't choose your bad back or this.

or... that. you didn't choose depression, melanoma, or lactose intolerance. but with kaiser permanente you can choose your doctor who works with other best-in-class specialists to care for all that is you. ♪ ♪ >> juju: thanks for joining us. tonight, a rear end that are now facing criminal charges, manslaughter after the chokehold death of a fellow passenger on a new york city subway. the case sparking protests and spotlighting the delicate balancing act between public safety and protecting those struggling with mental illness and homelessness. here is abc's stephanie ramos. >> reporter: tonight, 12 days after he was seen with his arms around jordan neely's neck in a deadly chokehold on a new york city probably, daniel penny is possibly facing up to 15 years

behind bars. the 24 old marine corps veteran in handcuffs after turning himself in at just after 8:00 a.m. this morning. >> he did so voluntarily and with the sort of dignity and integrity that is characteristic of his history of service to this grateful nation. >> reporter: prosecutors say they reviewed the disturbing video showing patty choking nearly an essay at the park that the defendant releases his arm, from mr. neely's nick, mr. neely appears to be unconscious. penny was initially questioned and released without charges while police say neely acted aggressively toward riders on the subway. sources tell abc news that penny was not specifically threatened by neely. attorneys for neely's family criticizing the decision to charge penny with manslaughter and not murder. >> the consequences of manslaughter is five to 15 years. ask yourself, is that enough? >> juju: our reased

inflncno as th liverng millions of followers extolling the virtues of ancestral living. now raising questions about how men cope with body dysmorphia and steroid abuse. here is abc's chief national correspondent matt gutman. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> reporter: so i'm here outside houston, texas, in this community. to meet one of the most controversial people on the internet. i have been hounding him for a year to do this interview.

>> how are you doing? we are going to have a great time gngve a gootime torring. is anybody keeping count? >> reporter: as far as internet celebrities know, there's nobody quite like liver king, the bulging muscles, the cavemen vibes. in front of the camera, liver king is a walking meme genera generator. his millions of followers and lots of haters with his bombastic persona. >> yeah! fearless, powerful, manly, unkempt. that is bull. >> reporter: why do eat vegetables you can eat testicles? it is memeable.

>> it was either testicles or vegetables. >> reporter: and his never-ending quest to scale highest peaks, shooting guns, wing t doing the most insane workouts you will ever see. there's a bigger trend here. liver king has become one of the biggest fitness influencers >> i got a shoulder, w, y'all. for young men, more than ever before, both parties and shredded sixpacks exist with an entire universe. that, some say, has come with increased pressure to look a certain way. major body image and even steroid abuse issues. first, let's talk about who or what exactly is the liver king. he is just a forward -- 45-year-old guy from texas named ron johnson. tell me about bryant johnson.

>> bryant johnson was the corporate guide that was eating the way that we are told to eat, putting on sunscreen. brushing my teeth, shaving my face, putting on deodorant, putting on cologne, driving the fancy car, you know, the whole whole 9 yards. that was brian johnson. we are hitting the ground. so that we can take their shoes off together. property for all of this, brian and his wife barbara, deliver queen of course, owned a dental practice. she was the dentist while he owned a stake in the business. >> she is a practicing dentist. you are doing whatever you can to keep the business going. at the end she is like, i'm done. i'm retiring. thank god. >> i said, i need to be more with the kids. they have been raised by other people but as. it was the best thing. >> yeah. >> reporter: they say the left behind that dental practice and their lives as run-of-the-mill

parents and devoted themselves to living what they call an ancestral lifestyle. >> my kids were really sick, going to the hospital. they could not breathe. i learned about this whole ancestral living thing. they got better. >> reporter: now feel free to go primal if you would like. should also know that the fda victim is actually cooking meat and eggs to kill of potentially harmful bacteria's. moving on, before long, brian and barbara built up a brand, opening multiple companies, mostly based on their family's lifestyle which they say are inspired by ancestral tenants >> the nine ancestral tenants are eat, sleep, move, sun, fight, and bond. we have probably done them all except for sleep today. what we sell is a vision to ancestral lifestyle. we have been to sell nourishment and it is in a convenient gelatin capsule.

>> reporter: but that message, it needed teeth, a spokesperson to get them to the next level, and this is how the liver king was born. at one point that you start calling yourself the liver king? that is a significant difference. >> it was 2015. this is what happened. i started a business. i did not know how to do anything. your number one issue in business is obscurity. i make my kids call me liver thing. liver is king. if there is one thing, it is implemented. you can get liver in your life. it wasn't until 2021, though, that brian took his primitive roadshow to the modern world. >> people said, you need to go on social media and i was like, you know what, we always called it and i social media. i said six months. i will do this for 6 months. if i don't have a million followers in six months, and not doing this. when i started doing it, i hated it. i was horrific in front of the camera. liver king here. i am the liver king here. i would study every video.

let me make it better. primals need to know. buenos dias, primal's. i was like, that is boring. good morning, primals. i started to have fun and it would wake me up. >> reporter: did you get a million followers in six months? >> prior to six months. >> reporter: he has also amassed a legion of critics who call out everything from the food his family eats to the lifestyle they live and most of all, the question just natural liver king's body really is. >> it is a form of disordered thinking. >> it drives me nuts because that guy is on steroids. >> these ridiculous accusations. >> you definitely take ped's. >> people are alike, they tell me what i'm taking. i have never taken steroids.

>> reporter: in late 2022 after months of rumors and speculation and liver king's denials, a video titled liver king live was dropped by a youtuber with the name more plates more dates. blood test results and steroid cycle breakdown and that is what we are getting into. 's probe it was a bombshell. showing e-mails reportedly tying the liver king to steroid use, claiming that he was spending more than $11,000 a month on performance-enhancing drugs. including testosterone and growth hormones. >> in ways, he is on all of this stuff. >> what was the physical sensation when you saw this guy online reading your e-mails? >> it could not be more dissf my heart dropped. i cannot believe it. you know. i thought about all the people that believed in me, that gave me the opportunity to spread

this message and i looked at them in the eye and i like to them. primals, i'm making this video to apologize. >> reporter: three days after that video dropped, the liver king released his own, coming clean on the entire saga. >> i'm here now to set the record straight. yes, i have done steroids. and yes, i am on steroids, monitored and managed by trained hormone clinician. >> reporter: i think what upset people is list that you were doing steroids and growth hormone it is that you were insisting up and down that you were not doing it. >> right. >> reporter: and it seemed to contradict all the values that you promote on social media. >> reporter: the illusion of contradicting that by taking steroids, i was deceptive because i was taking performance-enhancing drugs, steroids and growth hormone and the people to believe that it was only these nine ancestral

tenants that got me here. right? for that, lying about that, that was wrong. one of the top regrets i have in my entire life. >> juju: our thanks to mack. you can watch more including the stories of two men struggling with the aftereffects of steroid abuse in their youth on this week's episode of "impact by nightline." >> when you are on steroids, you essentially feel like superman. and so hopefully i did not do too much damage. you are playing russian roulette with their health. >> reporter: it is now streaming only on hulu. ♪ ♪ up next, ludacris, one on one with the hip-hop star in a chat about his upcoming movie, "fast x." ♪ ♪ s skyrizi. ♪ things are looking up ♪ ♪ i've got symptom relief ♪ ♪ control of my crohn's means everything to me. ♪ ♪ ♪ control is everything to me. ♪

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♪ ♪ >> juju: my coanchor is lucky to be joined by ludacris to discuss his upcoming movie, "fast x," the latest installment of the popular movie franchise in theaters next friday. >> byron: you may recognize him from hits such as "act a fool." ludicrous' acting for has risen alongside his role in the "fast & furious" franchise. he is here to talk fast cars, families and the latest installment. welcome in. it is great to have you. i am a fan of the series and i have seen the latest movie and loved it. really good. >> i appreciate it, man. i'm just as much of a fan myself. being in it is just an added bonus. >> byron: yeah. and this movie, you throw hands

quite a few times. >> i actually study martial arts and was able to do some of that in the film and i'm really happy about that because like to fall of all with my character. >> byron: one thing i notice about their performance is you have really good timing. how did you get timing town. coming from the genre you come from. >> you have to study the craft's. whatever you do, just loving film and loving actors and studying those before you, i love comedians. i grew up watching the eddie murphys and the richard pryors of the world. >> byron: let's take a look at a clip. >> you see me shining, baby. we are on my mission, now. >> we all know we all know that this is your admission. ♪ ♪ [grunting] >> oh! [painting] >> you okay?

>> you got scared. >> ain't nobody got scared, brother. >> you are scared. >> byron: great timing in that moment. what can advance of this franchise. >> so i'm blessed enough to be in seven movies so far. was started in two fast two furious and now we are talking 10. every single time, the stakes get higher and higher. >> byron: two major themes are fast cars and family. you have a collection of luxury cars. but you still remained loyal to your 1993 acura legend? >> yeah. >> byron: bro, let it go. >> i had a collection of luxury cars and then i started touring with jenna jackson and i was like, do i need these cars? and the one that i have kept, the one that i love the most, my 1993 acura legend has over 250,000 miles on it. because it keeps me grounded,

man and that is what i love. that is my anchor right there plus when i drive around, nobody expected -- so i don't mean driving on it. >> byron: on family, you call yourself a groban. so talk about your baby's. >> i have four daughters, man. i am the ultimate girl dad. a lo, i love them with all of my heart. you know, i have turned into a softy. they give me that face and i can't say no to them. >> byron: what has fatherhood to you? you have been a public figure since your early 20s. parenting changes you. >> patience, selflessness, you know? i'm an only child. so before i had three children, it was all about me in the whole world changed. >> byron: word has it you are getting a new honor next week. >> yeah. >> byron: star on the -- >> hollywood walk of fame. it is surreal to me, trust me to hear you say it. it is an honor. >> byron: there is a kindness and optimism to your spirit.

people don't necessarily associate that with someone who comes from the rap game. >> listen, that is a great question, by the way, for me, everything happens for a reason. i feel like we are here to make each other smile and make each other feel great because you never know what anybody is going to. if i can do anything in my power to make anybody else feel good about themselves, i have done my job for the day, for the hour, for the minute, for the second, whatever. so i keep that attitude and i checked myself every moment, even if i'm going through something bad. >> byron: how proud are your parents? >> oh, man, i literally just texted my mom. i said, i'm about to be live. her words were, i'm so proud of you. it is funny because just seconds ago, is the best way to answer your question. >> byron: nice. you are a girl that, a mama's boy. >> 100%. you got it. you hit it on the head.

>> byron: ludacris, christopher brian bridges, well known to many of his fans as ludacris, thank you so much for y cod grace to u. >> it has been an honor and a pleasure. >> byron: and we will be right back. thanks. >> my pleasure. >> byron: thank you. with skyrizi 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months, after just 2 doses. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine or plan to. ♪ ♪ it's my moment so i just gotta say ♪ ♪ nothing is everything ♪ talk to your dermatologist about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. ♪oh♪ ♪then you take me by the hand♪ ♪i feel better again♪ ♪oh i feel better now♪

♪ ♪ >> juju: and finally tonight, we celebrate asian-american native hawaiian pacific islander heritage month with a new muppet joining the neighborhood. "sesame street" is welcoming tj, the first filipino muppet. he made his debut talking about confidence with actor cow do yor

confidence? >> i'm learning to gallop. it is a language my family speaks. i can always ask for help when i don't know a word. >> juju: created by filipino american animator. he joined the show's first asian-american character. and that is "nightline." you can watch all of our full episodes on hulu. we will see you right back here same time on monday. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.