Joe Rogan's Big Break Came When Ray Romano Was Fired From A Hit Sitcom

Everybody loves Raymond... well, everybody except the producers of a beloved '90s sitcom, maybe.

Ray Romano became a huge TV star with his CBS family comedy "Everybody Loves Raymond," but before that show debuted in 1996, he was a stand-up comedian still looking to make it big in Hollywood. During that time, Romano did land a plum supporting role on an network sitcom... but he was fired from the show and recast before even shooting the pilot. And in a strange twist of showbiz fate, the actor who took his spot on the show was another stand-up comic: Joe Rogan, who went on to build a media empire of his own.

So where did these two ultra-successful personalities cross paths in their early days? On a little show called "NewsRadio."

Premiering as a midseason replacement on NBC in 1995, "NewsRadio" followed the wacky antics of a New York City news radio station, with Dave Foley starring as news director Dave Nelson. The supporting cast included Phil Hartman as arrogant anchor Bill McNeal, Maura Tierney as reporter Lisa Miller, and Andy Dick as goofball Matthew Brock. The original cast also included an electrician named Rick, and Romano won the part. But after just a couple of rehearsals, it all went south.   

"The second day of rehearsal, my manager called me and said, 'They decided to go in another direction,'" Romano later told Time magazine. "I said, 'Tell me what direction. I'll meet them there.'" The firing was chalked up to a mismatch of comedy styles, and Romano wasn't surprised when the axe fell, telling The Los Angeles Times: "In my gut, I kind of knew that I wasn't pulling it off."

With Romano out, an actor named Greg Lee played Rick in the "NewsRadio" pilot, but the producers were looking for a permanent replacement and found it in Rogan, with him joining the cast as conspiracy-minded handyman Joe in Episode 2. "NewsRadio" went on to enjoy a healthy five-season run on NBC, becoming a cult favorite, and Rogan stuck around for all five, with the role of Joe setting him up for even greater fame down the road.  

Romano may have been disappointed at first to lose the "NewsRadio" gig, but it all worked out for him in the end: A year later, his CBS sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" premiered, and it became a monster hit, running for nine seasons and winning Romano three Emmys for acting and producing. It became the defining success of Romano's career... and it may not have happened at all if he'd remained a cast member on "NewsRadio."

Rogan, meanwhile, used "NewsRadio" as a springboard to a broader career in media, doing commentary for the UFC and hosting "Fear Factor" before launching his chart-topping podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience," which has made him a major figure in the modern pop culture landscape. Rogan is glad that the "NewsRadio" switch worked out for both him and Romano, pointing out in an interview after "Raymond" premiered on CBS: "I'm very happy with my life, and I'm very happy for Ray... [His] show is great, and in my opinion, it's added new life to the traditional sitcom genre."

In the end, Rogan saw "NewsRadio" as an essential step in his climb up the showbiz ladder: "I had a great time on 'NewsRadio.' I got to make tons of money in relative obscurity and learn a lot about the TV biz and work on my standup act constantly. It was a dream gig."