Rodney “PANIC” Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in a creative household and cites a cousin who loved comic books and was always sketching as his first artistic influence. During his teens and early twenties in the early 1980s, Rodriguez became an active part of New York City’s emerging graffiti movement. Under the tag “PANIC,” he spent 1980–1985 spray‑painting buses and vans across the city. This exposure to street art shaped his signature style, which combines vivid pop‑culture imagery with old‑school graffiti techniques.
After high school he pursued formal art training. In 1986 he graduated from what is now the New York City College of Technology, where he studied art and advertising. He freelanced as a graphic designer for a short time, but a friend dared him to take the NYPD entrance exam. Rodriguez sat for the exam in 1988 and joined the police force in 1991. His long career in law enforcement would run parallel to his life as a working artist.
Career: NYPD service and graffiti art
Law‑enforcement career
Rodriguez spent 25 years with the New York Police Department (NYPD). He began with the Transit Authority police, later working undercover narcotics for three and a half years before moving to a detective squad in Queens. He also taught investigative techniques at the department’s Training Bureau and ultimately transferred to the Firearms Analysis Section, where he analyzed ballistics during his final eight years on the force. After retiring around 2016/2017 (he said he had been retired nine years by early 2026), Rodriguez channeled his focus back to art.
Graffiti and visual arts
Even while serving as a detective, Rodriguez continued to paint. Known as “PANIC” in graffiti circles, he transitioned from tagging vehicles to creating murals and canvas pieces. He now sells street‑inspired artwork through online galleries such as ArtPal. His style blends vivid colors, cartoon icons and New York urban culture, reflecting his roots in the 1980s graffiti scene. A profile in Newsday notes that he now works as a muralist and sells art while bowling in a league in Rockville Centre.
Television: Fear Factor: House of Fear
Fox revived Fear Factor in 2026 with a darker, more psychological format called House of Fear, hosted by Johnny Knoxville. Fourteen contestants moved into a remote mansion to compete in claustrophobic challenges for a $200,000 prize. An article in The TV Cave lists Rodney among the cast members and identifies him as a retired NYPD detective from Freeport, NY.
Rodriguez agreed to participate because he had always been a fan of the original Fear Factor and wanted to test himself. On the show, he endured stunts that included lying in a construction‑site foundation and being encased from foot to chest in concrete, standing in a Plexiglas box while rats and snakes poured down, and being compressed in an airtight vacuum pack with only an air hose and panic button. “You think you are brave and macho until you get there,” the 59‑year‑old said of the experience. Rodriguez’s law‑enforcement training and ability to stay calm under pressure gave him a unique perspective, but he admitted that confronting phobias on national television was unlike anything he had done before.
Personal life and public details
| Detail | Information (public) |
|---|---|
| Age | Rodriguez was 59 years old when interviewed in January 2026. An exact birth date has not been publicly disclosed. |
| Hometown | Born in Brooklyn, New York and later moved to Freeport, NY after his divorce. |
| Education | Graduated from the New York City College of Technology in art and advertising in 1986. |
| Occupation | Retired NYPD detective; currently a graffiti artist/muralist selling art online. |
| Family | Father of two adult children. Specific family details and relationship status have not been publicly shared. |
| Height | Information about his height has not been made public. |
| Net worth | No credible sources report his net worth; any figures circulating online are speculative and should be treated cautiously. |
| Social media | Rodriguez maintains an Instagram account under the handle @panicrodriguez, where he shares his artwork and promotes Fear Factor. He also uses ArtPal to sell his work. |
Rodriguez enjoys bowling in a league and is an avid fan of the reality series Survivor. In fact, he joked that appearing on Survivor would be a dream come true. After his divorce he relocated to Freeport, New York, where he continues to balance art, family and newfound television fame.
Public interest & search intent
Rodney Rodriguez’s appearance on Fear Factor: House of Fear introduced him to a national audience beyond graffiti and law enforcement circles. Fans and media outlets have focused on several aspects:
- Contrast between careers – Viewers are intrigued by how a retired police detective also cultivated a career as a graffiti artist.
- His age and resilience – At nearly 60, Rodriguez undertook physically and psychologically demanding stunts.
- Artistic legacy – Long‑time street art followers know him as “PANIC,” an original New York graffiti writer. New fans often search for his artwork on ArtPal and Instagram.
- Reality‑TV performance – Since House of Fear combines social strategy with fear‑based challenges, viewers search to see how his law‑enforcement background influences his gameplay.
FAQs
Who is Rodney Rodriguez on Fear Factor: House of Fear?
Rodney “PANIC” Rodriguez is a retired NYPD detective and graffiti artist from Freeport, New York. He became known nationally when he joined the cast of Fear Factor: House of Fear in 2026.
How old is Rodney Rodriguez?
He was 59 years old when interviewed in January 2026. His exact birth date has not been publicly released.
What is Rodney Rodriguez’s background in law enforcement?
Rodriguez served 25 years with the New York Police Department. He worked in the transit police, undercover narcotics, a Queens detective squad and later specialized in ballistics analysis.
Is Rodney Rodriguez a professional artist?
Yes. Known as “PANIC,” he was an active graffiti artist in the early 1980s and continued to paint throughout his police career. After retirement he returned to mural work and sells his art online.
Does Rodney Rodriguez have a spouse or partner?
Public reports note that he moved to Freeport after a divorce. No current relationship details are publicly available.
What is Rodney Rodriguez’s height or net worth?
Those details have not been publicly disclosed. There is no verifiable information on his height or net worth.
How can fans follow Rodney Rodriguez?
He shares artwork and occasional updates on his Instagram account @panicrodriguez and sells pieces through his ArtPal shop.
Conclusion
Rodney Rodriguez’s story resonates because it defies stereotypes. A Brooklyn‑born artist who once tagged buses as “PANIC” went on to spend a quarter century investigating crimes as an NYPD detective. In retirement he returned to his creative roots and, at age 59, confronted some of his deepest fears on national television. While not much is known about his personal life beyond his two adult children and passion for art, his dual identity as a law‑enforcement veteran and graffiti pioneer makes him a compelling figure. Fans eager to watch his journey can follow him on Fear Factor: House of Fear and keep up with his artwork online.