Everyone from ex-”Fear Factor” fans to his podcast disciples gathered in droves last Friday to sit back and laugh with UFC color commentator and funny-man Joe Rogan.

If the Hard Rock Live allowed for “standing room only” tickets there would have probably been piled with fans on each others heads just to get a sight of Rogan.

Rogan has been doing stand-up comedy for more than 20 years. He’s starred in and released three hour-long specials: “Joe Rogan: Live From The Tabernacle,” “Talking Monkeys In Space,” and “Joe Rogan Live”; and has also released two albums — “Shiny Happy Jihad” and “I’m Gonna Be Dead Someday.”

What many attendees didn’t expect was for Rogan bring along a top act to start off the night.

Fellow comedian Joey “Coco” Diaz opened the show with a string of true-to-life comedic stories, spanning his life and teenage love in New York City during the 80’, to his former best friend, a drug addled cat named Superbad, and there up all night adventures.

Diaz kept the audience in stitches and gave nothing short of a headliner performance. This is the kind of talent you would expect a showstopper like Rogan to share the stage with.

“Joe has helped change my life in many ways,” said Diaz. “The main one being my comedy, he’s always been very supportive. Hanging with him taught me to know what was important and what wasn’t.”

Diaz started doing comedy at age 28, after being released from jail, and is regarded by Joe Rogan as the funniest man alive.

“I didn’t have anything going on. When you don’t have anything going on that’s the best time to do what you really want,” Diaz explained.

Diaz hosts his own podcast “The Church Of What’s Happening Now” and has made appearances in popular TV series such as: Law & Order, How I Met Your Mother, ER and My Name Is Earl. You may have also see him as Anthony “Big Tony” Cobianco in The Longest Yard (2005).

Both acts unremittingly rocked the sold-out Hard Rock stage with a comic ferocity that is sure to go unmatched.

(Taken from April 23, 2014 issue)