#685 - Joey Diaz

Episode of This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von · September 25, 2026 · 2 h 1 min

Theo Von and Joey Diaz talk in Asbury Park about Diaz's mother's death, raising his daughter, his move to New Jersey, Austin comedy plans, and sobriety.

Summary

Recorded in Asbury Park, New Jersey, this episode of This Past Weekend featured comedian Joey Diaz in conversation with host Theo Von. The two opened with banter about Burning Man, Jersey and Philadelphia culture, and Diaz explained that he had planned his move from Los Angeles to central New Jersey before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated it, partly to raise his daughter where he had grown up.

Diaz spoke at length about his Cuban-born mother, her patriotism, gambling and bookmaking, her hope that he would join the Marines, and her sudden death when he was 15. He described coping by telling himself she had gone to Cuba and would return, and said that belief resurfaced painfully during his first year back in New Jersey, which he worked through with therapy. Von shared memories of his elderly father, his mother, and odd childhood jobs in Louisiana, and both recounted stories from years of riding Greyhound buses as struggling comics.

Diaz described his parenting philosophy of raising a street-smart daughter in a home without alcohol, and explained that he was taking an apartment in Austin and starting a monthly show there because the city offered more stage time; he also discussed streaming Grand Theft Auto and his plan to give comedy everything until age 65. Von acknowledged a difficult stretch in his own recovery program over the summer. Diaz closed by recounting his 28 years of cocaine use and nearly 19 years of sobriety, arguing that his sober years had been far more productive, and offered Von encouragement and support.

Chapters

0:00
Catching up and Burning Man
Von and Diaz banter about Bill Burr's show, the U.S. Open, a local mural, and why Diaz would never attend Burning Man.
6:24
Asbury Park and the move to New Jersey
Diaz recalls concerts at the Asbury Park Convention Center, his old fish-delivery days, and why he left Los Angeles for central New Jersey.
14:44
Jersey women and Philadelphia
The pair praise the humor of Jersey and Philadelphia women, and Diaz describes taking his daughter to rowdy Philadelphia sporting events and historic sites.
22:46
Diaz's mother and the Marines
Diaz describes his mother's love of America, her wish that he become a Marine, and his regret about not enlisting.
29:34
Losing his mother
Diaz recounts his mother's gambling, her death when he was 15, and the coping lie that she had gone to Cuba.
42:10
Theo's parents and childhood
Von shares stories about his elderly father, his mother, and the shame of growing up poor, while Diaz recalls his mother's antics at Mets games.
56:33
Diaz's chaotic home and his own household
Diaz explains moving out in sixth grade due to household chaos and why he keeps alcohol out of his home for his daughter.
1:01:26
Greyhound bus stories
Both comedians trade outlandish stories from years of Greyhound travel as working comics.
1:10:37
What they'd miss about comedy
Diaz says he would do his whole career over again and credits basketball player Mike O'Koren with showing him something bigger was possible.
1:28:14
Austin and streaming
Diaz explains renting an apartment in Austin for more stage time, starting a monthly show, and streaming Grand Theft Auto with friends.
1:36:07
Mental health, therapy and Theo's recovery
Diaz discusses therapy after leaving LA and his plan to drop corporate comedy, while Von admits recent struggles with his recovery program.
1:47:04
Diaz's sobriety advice
Diaz recounts 28 years of cocaine use and 19 years sober, urging Von to stick with his program and promising support.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Joey Diaz
Diaz says he left Los Angeles because he felt he had gotten everything he could out of the city.
“I felt that I had gotten the most I did out of LA”
Listen from 10:09
Joey Diaz
Diaz describes his Cuban-born mother as fervently patriotic toward the United States.
“My mom wouldn't go to a baseball game if she couldn't stand for the national anthem”
Listen from 23:09 · United States Marine Corps
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he regrets not joining the military after considering it in honor of his late mother.
“If I knew now what I knew then, I would have signed up in the service”
Listen from 24:41 · United States Marine Corps
Joey Diaz
Diaz says his mother died of a broken heart that manifested as a heart attack.
“It's what the Chinese call a broken heart disguised as a heart attack”
Listen from 32:49 · Grief
Linked moment · 34:18Skip to 34:18 using a listen link in the info box.
Joey Diaz
Diaz says the coping lie he told himself after his mother's death resurfaced and caused him to struggle in his first year back in New Jersey.
“That's the biggest lie I ever told myself. And do you know when I moved back here six years ago, the first year, I was struggling”
Listen from 34:18 · Grief
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he exposes his daughter to comedy green rooms because he wants her to be street smart, which he believes children today lack.
“I want a smart kid, but I want that kid to be street smart. And that's what these children are missing today”
Listen from 41:52 · Fatherhood
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he keeps alcohol out of his home so his daughter does not grow up around drinking as he did.
“I don't want her to see alcohol on the fucking tables. That's just me”
Listen from 59:20 · Fatherhood
Joey Diaz
Diaz says that despite hardships including jail, he would repeat his entire comedy career.
“including my jail sentence, the first 10 years of comedy and everything else that's happened the last 40 years, I would do it all over again”
Listen from 1:11:37 · Stand-up comedy craft
Joey Diaz
Diaz credits basketball player Mike O'Koren with showing him that success beyond his neighborhood was possible and wants to thank him on his podcast.
“He opened this door mentally without ever knowing. I want to get him on the podcast to thank him to his fucking face”
Listen from 1:12:24
Joey Diaz
Diaz says limited stage time in New Jersey left him maintaining rather than improving, prompting his move to spend more time in Austin.
“comedy's rough some nights, you know? And I find myself maintaining but not improving, okay?”
Listen from 1:28:32 · Austin comedy scene
Theo Von
Von argues that comedians in Austin can progress in four months as much as they would in a year elsewhere.
“Dude, you can go down there and what would take you a year in another city, I think you can do in four months down there”
Listen from 1:32:52 · Austin comedy scene
Joey Diaz
Diaz says one monthly show in Austin covers his rent and airfare.
“Just one show a month covers my rent and the fucking plane ticket”
Listen from 1:36:00 · Austin comedy scene
Theo Von
Von says he tried to get off psychiatric medication he had taken for 23 years, experimenting with plant medicine.
“I tried to get off of my meds and I was trying like different plant medicine stuff”
Listen from 1:36:17 · Addiction and recovery
Joey Diaz
Diaz argues that boredom and social isolation are the biggest dangers at his age, which is why he goes to gyms.
“At this age, this is the biggest thing that'll get you. Yeah. Is boredom and not having social”
Listen from 1:36:57 · Aging
Theo Von
Von acknowledges he had drifted from his recovery program and has recommitted to it.
“I just gotten away from my program, you know? And so I had to lock back in. And so now it's been good”
Listen from 1:40:15 · Addiction and recovery
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he has abandoned corporate comedy and no longer cares about being canceled, focusing only on being funny.
“I decided I'm going to do comedy, but it's not corporate comedy. It's 63, I don't give a fuck if I get canceled”
Listen from 1:40:37 · Stand-up comedy craft
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he struggled with his mental health after moving to New Jersey and sought therapy, which helped him.
“six years ago, I was struggling with mental health. Signed up and spoke to a therapist”
Listen from 1:40:43 · Psychotherapy
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he plans to go all out in comedy until he turns 65 and then reevaluate.
“I have an 18-month window until I turn 65, and that goal is to give it all out, balls out”
Listen from 1:43:27 · Stand-up comedy craft
Theo Von
Von contrasts the energy of college football with professional football, which he says is becoming dominated by gambling.
“pro football is turning into just more gambling and people just trying to like”
Listen from 1:46:49 · College football
Joey Diaz
Diaz argues that sobriety is about discovering the self that drugs had concealed, not merely resisting temptation.
“Sobriety isn't just fighting off the devil. It's us emorphing into the new us”
Listen from 1:47:52 · Addiction and recovery
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he quit cocaine at 44, nearly 19 years ago, and accomplished more since than in all the years before.
“44, I made a decision to stop snorting Coke. That was 19 years ago. This November will be 19 years”
Listen from 1:48:28 · Addiction and recovery
Joey Diaz
Diaz says he disliked Hollywood Narcotics Anonymous meetings because attendees did not adhere to the program.
“I didn't like the Hollywood NA. I went to it a couple of times”
Listen from 1:54:51 · Addiction and recovery

People

In the conversation

Theo VonAmerican stand-up comedian and host of the podcast This Past Weekend
Joey DiazComedian and podcaster known for The Church of What's Happening Now

Discussed

Jim FlorentineAmerican comedian and radio personality; Diaz's neighbor in New Jersey
James J. BraddockAmerican heavyweight boxing champion from North Bergen, New Jersey
Mike O'KorenFormer North Carolina and NBA basketball player from Jersey City whom Diaz credits as an inspiration
Ralphie MayLate American stand-up comedian and friend of Diaz
Joe RoganAmerican comedian and host of The Joe Rogan Experience
Pete MaravichHall of Fame basketball player whose family lived in Von's hometown
Rusty StaubFormer New York Mets outfielder targeted by Diaz's mother at games
Giannis PappasStand-up comedian whose show Von performed on in Austin

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From the publisher

Joey Diaz is a stand-comedian and podcaster. Check out his show “The Church of What’s Happening Now”. Joey returns to talk about raising his daughter to be street-smart, how wounds from the past affected his return to New Jersey, and new endeavors he has planned for Austin. Joey Diaz: https://www.instagram.com/madflavors_world ------------------------------------------------- Tour Dates! https://theovon.com/tour New Merch: https://www.theovonstore.com ------------------------------------------------- Sponsored By: Celsius: Go to the Celsius Amazon store to check out all of their flavors. #CELSIUSBrandPartner @CelsiusOfficial https://amzn.to/3HbAtPJ Moonpay: https://moonpay.onelink.me/O2ia/t34p5kxg Armra: Go to http://tryarmra.com/THEO or enter THEO to get 30% off your first order. Shopify: Take control of your income. Start your free trial at http://shopify.com/theo Ladder: Head to http://ladder.fit/TPW to find the right plan for you, and get a free 7-day trial and $10 off your first month when you use my link! Better Help: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off BetterHelp at http://BetterHelp.com/Theo Perplexity AI: Ask anything at https://pplx.ai/theo ------------------------------------------------- Music: “Shine” by Bishop Gunn Bishop Gunn - Shine ------------------------------------------------ Submit your funny videos, TikToks, questions and topics you'd like to hear on the podcast to: tpwproducer@gmail.com Hit the Hotline: 985-664-9503 Video Hotline for Theo Upload here: https://www.theovon.com/fan-upload Mail stuff to: ATTN: TPW PO BOX 40137 Nashville TN 37204 ------------------------------------------------ Find Theo: Website: https://theovon.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/theovon Facebook: https://facebook.com/theovon Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thispastweekend X: https://twitter.com/theovon YouTube: https://youtube.com/theovon Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheoVonClips Shorts Channel: https://bi…

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on October 3, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Comedy Interviews·Mental Health·Stand-Up