JRE 1072 · February 2, 2018

Joey Diaz

comedybiographyphilosophybusiness

Who is Joey Diaz?

Joey “CoCo” Diaz is a Cuban-American stand up comedian and actor. Joey also hosts his own podcast called “The Church of What’s Happening Now”. http://joeydiaz.net/

Topics and Timestamps

01Joey Diaz discusses his journey from poverty and hardship to becoming a successful comedian and actor
02The conversation covers Joey's early life struggles, including homelessness and involvement with drugs
03Joey talks about his comedy career, performing in clubs, and developing his unique stage presence
04Discussion about his podcast 'The Church of What's Happening Now' and connecting with fans
05Joey shares stories about his acting work and breaking into Hollywood later in his career
06The episode explores Joey's philosophy on life, redemption, and never giving up despite circumstances
▶Joey discusses his background and early life struggles0:00:00
▶Conversation about his comedy journey and grinding in clubs0:15:00
▶Joey talks about The Church of What's Happening Now podcast0:35:00
▶Discussion about his acting career and breaking into Hollywood0:50:00
▶Joey shares his philosophy on redemption and perseverance1:10:00

The Show

Joey Diaz brings his signature energy and authenticity to JRE 1072, diving deep into a life story that reads like a redemption screenplay. The Cuban-American comic doesn't hold back about where he came from. Growing up in poverty, dealing with the streets, and spending time in rough situations shaped who he became. He's not bitter about it though. Instead, Joey frames his early struggles as fuel that taught him how to hustle, how to read people, and how to survive in environments most people would never make it through.

The conversation flows naturally through his comedy journey. Joey talks about hitting the clubs, grinding it out night after night, learning the craft from scratch when a lot of comedians had more advantages. He's got that hunger that never really goes away, even after making it. Joe and Joey talk about the comedy scene, what it takes to get stage time, and how comedy became his outlet and eventually his ticket out of the life he was living. There's genuine respect between them for the work comedians put in to get good.

Joey opens up about his podcast, The Church of What's Happening Now, which has become its own phenomenon. He talks about connecting with people on a real level, not filtering himself, and building a community of listeners who appreciate the unfiltered conversations. It's clear the podcast means a lot to him beyond just the business side. It's about authenticity and community.

They discuss his acting career and how that evolved later in his life. Joey didn't follow the traditional path of breaking into Hollywood young. He came in later, but his life experience gave him something genuine to bring to roles. The conversation touches on how his story is so compelling that people want to work with him and hear from him.

Throughout the episode, Joey's philosophy comes through. He's about redemption, about proving that where you start doesn't determine where you end up, and about the power of never quitting. He's got this infectious positivity that isn't fake or performative. It comes from actually living through some heavy stuff and coming out the other side. That's what makes Joey's presence on the podcast so valuable. He's not just telling stories for entertainment. He's sharing actual wisdom earned through real experience.