Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | José Antonio Díaz |
| Stage Name | Joey “CoCo” Diaz |
| Also Known As | Joey Diaz |
| Born | February 19, 1963 (Havana, Cuba) |
| Nationality | Cuban-American |
| Occupations | Stand-up comedian, actor, podcaster, author |
| Years Active | 1991–present |
| Mother | Denora Valdez |
| Spouse | Terrie (Clark) Diaz (m. November 25, 2009) |
| Children | Two daughters (including Mercy) |
| Residence | New Jersey, USA |
| Notable Specials | It’s Either You or the Priest (2012); Sociably Unacceptable (2016) |
| Podcasts | The Church of What’s Happening Now (2012–2020); Uncle Joey’s Joint (2020–present) |
| Book | Tremendous: The Life of a Comedy Savage (2021) |
| Tour Activity | Active club and theater dates in 2025 across the U.S. |
A Life Story Built for the Stage
Joey “CoCo” Diaz was born on February 19, 1963, in Havana and brought to the United States as a child after the early death of his father. He grew up in and around Manhattan and North Bergen, New Jersey, a world of corner bars, bustling kitchens, and characters big enough to fill a movie screen. Those years built his comic sensibility the way a kiln hardens clay: hot, unforgiving, and ready for anything.
Loss hit early and hard. As a teenager, Joey found his mother, Denora Valdez, deceased—an event he’s called the hinge on which his life swung. The next years carried trouble, including an arrest in the late 1980s and a stint in prison, where he found both consequence and, to his surprise, an audience. On June 18, 1991, he stepped into his first official stand-up set, and the fuse was lit.
By 1995, he moved to Los Angeles to chase film, TV, and more stage time. Roles in movies like BASEketball (1998), Analyze That (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and The Longest Yard (2005) stacked up alongside club nights and road miles. He quit cocaine in 2007, rebuilt his life brick by brick, and parlayed candid storytelling into sold-out rooms and a podcast empire.
The Family Behind the Mic
For all the grizzly punch lines and tough-love philosophy, the center of gravity is family. Joey credits his mother, Denora, for the ferocious work ethic and street radar that shaped him. He married Terrie (Clark) Diaz on November 25, 2009—she’s appeared on podcasts and is often described as the calm eye in his storm, a partner who steadied his focus during the hard pivots of career and sobriety.
He has two daughters: one older daughter from an earlier marriage, with whom he’s spoken openly about distance and regret after a 1991 divorce, and Mercy, his daughter with Terrie, whose name floats through his stories like a lighthouse on foggy nights. Fatherhood, especially the second time around, softened some edges and sharpened others; family gave him both a reason to slow down and the fire to keep moving.
Career Highlights by the Numbers
- 30+ years on stage (first set: June 18, 1991).
- 1995 move to Los Angeles to expand into TV/film.
- 2 hour-long stand-up specials (2012, 2016).
- Hundreds of podcast episodes across multiple shows since 2012.
- Appearances in 20+ films and numerous TV episodes spanning the late 1990s through the 2020s.
- 1 memoir (2021) tracing the journey from Havana to Hollywood to the mic.
Touring Now: What Joey Diaz Tour Looks Like
The Joey Diaz Tour in 2025 is a rolling caravan of club and theater dates, largely on weekends, hitting 500–2,500-seat venues where storytellers thrive. Expect a 70–90 minute headlining set, with a gravelly, confessional style that flips between street-fable intensity and loose, living-room riffing. He’s a throwback road comic and a modern podcaster all at once: one foot in the greenroom, one in your earbuds.
Ticketing typically runs through major platforms, with new dates announced in waves as schedules lock. Meet-and-greets vary by venue and routing; merch pops up on select stops. Material-wise, Diaz blends fresh writing with fan-favorite bits, reshaped by whatever happened last week on a plane, backstage, or at a diner at 2 a.m.
Typical Show Format
| Element | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 70–90 minutes (headline set) |
| Opener | 1–2 opening comics (10–20 minutes each) |
| Tone | Adult, raw storytelling; candid language |
| Venues | Clubs and mid-size theaters (approx. 500–2,500 seats) |
| Schedule | Heaviest Thu–Sun; rolling 2025 routing |
Screen Work: A Quick Roll Call
Joey’s screen presence is equal parts bouncer and big-hearted uncle—memorable even in short scenes. The acting years layered credibility onto the stand-up grind and made his voice instantly familiar.
| Title | Year | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| BASEketball | 1998 | Film |
| Analyze That | 2002 | Film |
| Spider-Man 2 | 2004 | Film |
| Taxi | 2004 | Film |
| The Longest Yard | 2005 | Film |
| Maron | 2013–2016 | TV |
Podcasts and the Microphone Renaissance
The second wind of Joey Diaz’s career came with the microphone you can’t see: podcasting. Regular appearances on big shows starting around 2010 turned audiences into a community. By 2012, he launched The Church of What’s Happening Now, a raucous confessional that mixed street wisdom, comedy shop talk, and no-frills honesty. In 2020, he pivoted to Uncle Joey’s Joint and kept publishing new episodes through 2024–2025, with the same long-form candor that made listeners feel like friends.
Milestones and Moments: A Timeline
- February 19, 1963: Born in Havana, Cuba.
- Mid-1960s: Moves to the U.S. with his mother after his father’s death.
- Teenage years: Grows up in Manhattan and North Bergen, NJ; mother Denora passes away.
- Late 1980s: Arrest and time served; first tries bits of comedy while locked up.
- June 18, 1991: First official stand-up set; begins building a career in Colorado and the Pacific Northwest.
- 1995: Relocates to Los Angeles for acting and bigger stages.
- 2007: Quits cocaine; resets career momentum.
- November 25, 2009: Marries Terrie (Clark) Diaz.
- 2012: Releases It’s Either You or the Priest and launches a prolific podcast run.
- 2016: Drops the hour-long special Sociably Unacceptable.
- 2020: Debuts Uncle Joey’s Joint; later moves home base to New Jersey.
- 2024–2025: Continues touring; fresh podcast episodes and viral clips keep the legend current.
The Voice, the Book, the Road
In 2021, Diaz put the long arc on paper with his memoir, Tremendous: The Life of a Comedy Savage. It reads like his sets: raw and redemptive, funny and unflinching. Onstage, he’s the same—every joke a story, every story a confession, every confession a nod to the people who got him here: Denora, Terrie, his daughters, and the fans who’ve turned late-night sets into something like church.
Recent Buzz
Mid-2025 brought a viral moment from a UFC event—front-row mug, classic Joey reaction, internet in stitches. He retold the story with the gusto of a locker-room legend, spinning an awkward beat into a high-wire bit. That’s the Diaz method: take the weirdness of life, squeeze it, and pour out something enormous and human.
FAQ
Who is Joey Diaz Tour?
It refers to comedian Joey “CoCo” Diaz’s active touring life and current live show schedule, framed around his persona and road work.
How old is Joey Diaz?
He was born on February 19, 1963.
Is he currently touring?
Yes, he’s playing clubs and theaters through 2025 with new dates added in waves.
Who is his wife?
He married Terrie (Clark) Diaz on November 25, 2009.
How many children does he have?
He has two daughters, including Mercy with his wife Terrie.
What podcasts is he known for?
The Church of What’s Happening Now (2012–2020) and Uncle Joey’s Joint (2020–present).
What are his notable stand-up specials?
It’s Either You or the Priest (2012) and Sociably Unacceptable (2016).
Where did he grow up?
He grew up in New York and New Jersey after immigrating from Cuba as a child.
Did he write a book?
Yes, his memoir is Tremendous: The Life of a Comedy Savage (2021).
How long is a typical set on tour?
A headlining set typically runs 70–90 minutes.
Is his comedy family-friendly?
No, his shows lean adult with candid language and gritty storytelling.
