Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavoric in North Hollywood, California, on February 29, 1960.1 Robbins is the oldest of three children and his parents divorced when he was 7 years old. His mother remarried (more than once), including a marriage to Jim Robbins, a former semi-professional baseball player.

During high school, Robbins grew ten inches, a growth spurt that was later attributed to a pituitary tumor.1 He has called his home life "chaotic" and "abusive." When he was seventeen, he left home and never came back.1 Robbins later worked as a janitor and did not attend college