Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg opened up to famous podcaster Joe Rogan about a deeply personal experience: being blocked on social media by a twink on Instagram. The story, which left both Rogan and the audience in silence, seems to have rattled Zuckerberg more than any of his recent congressional hearings.

“I’m not proud of it, but it really hurt,” Zuckerberg admitted, adjusting his signature gray t-shirt as if to fortify himself. “It was late one night, I was just scrolling through Instagram, checking out some posts, when I came across this guy—total twink, but in a good way. He had, like, a million followers, and had great pictures of him in all angles imaginable.”

Zuckerberg’s voice wavered as he continued. “I tried to DM him, you know, as just, like, a fellow tech CEO who really appreciates great twinks. I just wanted to say, ‘Hey, keep up the good work.’ But then—BOOM—I get the notification: ‘User blocked you.’ Just like that. Blocked by a twink.”

Rogan, visibly moved, leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “So what did you do after that? Did you—did you try to… message him again?”

Zuckerberg shook his head solemnly. “No, Joe, it was clear. The block was permanent. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain that I wasn’t some corporate overlord trying to sell him VR headsets.”

Zuckerberg explained that the experience led him to an existential crisis, questioning his role in the digital world he helped build. “For years, I’ve connected people—made Facebook, Instagram, and all these platforms, but a simple block from a twink… that really made me think. Have I lost touch with the very people I’m trying to connect? Was it my lack of filters? Or maybe it was the way I said ‘Hey’? Maybe that was too corporate. Too… Zuckerberg.”

Rogan, who has made a career out of helping guests air their grievances, offered some sage advice. “Dude, you gotta be yourself. Don’t let the block define you. There are millions of other people out there who will appreciate your message.”

Zuckerberg nodded, a slight grin creeping onto his face. “Yeah, maybe… but I’ll never forget the twink who showed me that even in the age of digital connection, there’s always someone out there who won’t let you in.”

As the conversation continued, Rogan subtly pulled up the Instagram page of a “Femboy Fishing,” noting, “Hey, we should see if this guy has you blocked, too.” Zuckerberg didn’t respond, but his quiet smile said it all: the journey to digital redemption was far from over.