This week, Ira spoke with Joey Diaz.
Comedian Joey “Coco” Diaz, who will be performing at the South Point Hotel and Casino May 22-24, has become one of the most sought after actors and comedians in the entertainment industry today. His love of storytelling is reflected in each role he takes: whether it is on film or on stage, his passion for entertaining and delighting audiences shines through every performance.
Diaz’s start in comedy began while serving a short stint at a correctional facility in Denver, Colorado in 1988. “Each Wednesday we would watch movies on the projector, but sometimes it would break,” he shares, “so I would get up and do stand up to fill the time.”
Learning he had the skills to make an audience laugh, Diaz pursued comedy after his release and began performing at an assortment of comedy clubs in the area. While he was touring as a working comic, he began acting in a variety television and film roles, appearing in, among others, “The Mentalist”, “Children’s Hospital,” “My Name is Earl,” and “General Hospital.”
In film, Diaz has performed in “The Longest Yard,” “Spider Man 2,” “Smiley Face,” and “Taxi.”.
In 2015, Diaz continues to perform stand up and act, while also staying on top of new media; he hosts a bi-weekly podcast “The Church of What’s Happening Now,” which ranks among some of the most highly downloaded podcasts online. He is also a regular guest on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience.”