Podcast Summary: The Church of What's Happening Now — The New Testament

Episode: Joey Diaz' 2nd seventh grade teacher
Host: Joey Coco Diaz
Guests: Mr. Barone (Joey's 7th grade teacher), Joe Barone (pharmacist), Lee Syatt
Date: February 17, 2026
Location: Live from NYC

Overview

This episode is a nostalgic, side-splitting deep dive into Joey Diaz’s school days in North Bergen, New Jersey, featuring his legendary seventh grade teacher, Mr. Barone, and his son Joe (a pharmacist). The hosts swap wild stories of old-school teaching, neighborhood shenanigans, sports glory, life lessons, and the glory (and chaos) of growing up Jersey Italian in the ‘70s and ‘80s—with plenty of irreverent humor and heart. Through tall tales and sharp observations, they explore how education, community, and childhood have changed, and reminisce about the characters and events that shaped their lives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reminiscing About the ABA, NBA, and Sports

Timestamps: 00:45–11:38

• Joey and Mr. Barone talk about the "Soul Power" ABA documentary (Amazon Prime) and the evolution of professional basketball.
  • “The NBA was boring... show some white guy dribbling... then they show Allen Iverson fucking doing shakes... the ABA was not exciting. And that's when the NBA took it.” — Joey (01:22)
• Mr. Barone shares getting drafted by the ABA’s Miami Floridians.
  • Hilariously describes practice gear: “I open up the box, it's the Flintstones shirts. I said, is this a comedy?” (02:25)
  • Chose teaching over pro basketball due to better pay: “They gave me a contract. I said I'm making twice as much at a grammar school.” (02:54)
• Free-throw shooting excellence—Mr. Barone’s 97% record, 246 out of 250 makes, and pride in holding the high school record for decades.
  • “I had the record, which is 65. It's 50 years now... If I would have known about this, I would have made 300. Nobody will break it for 9 million.” —Mr. Barone (04:35; 05:10)
• Discussion about modern NBA players’ struggles from the line.
  • “He's standing on the beach, he would miss the ocean.” —Mr. Barone, on poor free throw shooters (05:46)

2. Legendary New Jersey School Days

Timestamps: 11:38–41:18

• The wild, formative environment of North Bergen and Hoboken schools: gritty, chaotic, and full of colorful authority figures.
• Teacher-student dynamics and the lasting impact on students’ lives.
  • “I taught 49 years, but I made a mistake. I wanted to stay for 50 years.” —Mr. Barone (08:56)
  • Regret over early retirement after a paperwork mix-up.
• Comparison of old-school teachers ("dusty," tough, but bonded to students) vs. today’s younger, less personally involved teachers.
  • “That was more than your parents saw you... they became a part of your fabric.” —Joey, on teachers' role (14:31)
• Changes in parenting and childhood social bonds; past generations were “in it together,” forging deep emotional connections.
  • “You brought your problems to them… They got you through a lot of shit.” —Joe Barone (17:38)
• Surreal childhood stories: from class discipline to teachers as neighborhood legends.
  • “He had 160 kids. We couldn't fit in the big theater.” —Mr. Barone on running in-school suspension (12:43)
  • “I was a comedian. And it works. The kids knew. You knew I liked you when you were in my class.” (13:03)

3. The Wild Characters of Jersey: Teachers, Gangsters, and Eccentrics

Timestamps: 24:29–66:51

• Stories about infamous local figures like Turk Jordan, Wally Lindsay, Lincoln Tunnel basketball courts, and mayors who doubled as teachers or (sometimes) criminals.
  • “He was the original Epstein. This motherfucker was like, girl, guys, she's in the backseat waiting for you... We gotta go home and do homework.” —Joey (28:05)
• Hilarious, wild, sometimes questionable “field trips” led by teachers—sneaking into games, adventures without tickets, and raucous bus rides.
  • “Teachers would take us to basketball games with no tickets... He told him to meet us at a bar by the Garden again, Joe Barone. We’re in the eighth grade.” —Joey (32:01)
• The “underworld” of local business: bookies fronting as fruit vendors, hot dog stands as bookmaking operations, and neighborhoods where nearly every adult was running a side hustle.
  • "He was in the basement with three phones." —On his father’s fruit/bookie business (45:55)
• Corruption and politics: jokes about senators, the "Gold Bar" scandal, and the blurred line between politicians, teachers, and hustlers.
  • “How does a guy like that... have 10 gold bars in his closet?... his son with the same name run and win? Where are these people looking at?” —Mr. Barone (22:21)
• Vivid depictions of Italian-Jersey culture, family, sports, and survival.

4. Generational Change: Schools, Parenting, and Community

Timestamps: 14:31–22:03; 34:26–41:18; 59:22–63:27

• Critique of the modern educational system and changes in student-teacher relationships.
  • “These teachers aren't pushing through that barrier… Your generation of teachers… made you do oral book reports. You make a kid do an oral book report today, he'll fucking die.” —Joey (15:03)
  • “We didn't go home and tell everything to our parents.” —Joey (58:28)
• Parents’ trust in schools, the independence kids enjoyed (sometimes to a fault), and the difference in how discipline was handled.
• The perspective that adversity and chaos bred resilience and camaraderie.

5. Memorable Anecdotes and Outrageous Moments

Throughout episode

• Mr. Barone’s dual-sport (and ambidextrous) talents, like hitting three homers in a championship softball game and outshooting kids at basketball lefty (07:16).
• “Hazings” and pranks: teachers making kids hold hands as punishment, shenanigans with fake permission slips for field trips, and schoolyard crushes.
• Bizarre/funny discipline incidents: “You guys like each other so much, hold hands. He made them hold hands for the whole eight hours of the... You do that today, you get sued.” (58:38)
• The infamous schoolyard riot: “Some guy yelled, that girl's a whore... 50 kids surround this woman and everybody was just grabbing the tits, grabbing her ass. She's crying. And I'm standing there going, well...” —Joey (38:23)
• Sudden death of school figures—Mr. Mateash, “George Jetson,” freezing to death after a snowstorm (66:32).
• Tales of streetwise business, pizza revenge, and bitter shopkeepers.

Notable Quotes

• On sports glory:
  “I had the record, which is 65. It's 50 years now... If I would have known about this, I would have made 300. Nobody will break it for 9 million.” —Mr. Barone (05:10)

• On growing up in North Bergen:
  “We went with our basketball. That's how fags we were... Me, Chucky, and Whitey were fags. We get there and he's like, I got no tickets. Take out your money.” —Joey (32:24)

• On old-school teaching:
  “He was a comedian. And it works. The kids knew. You knew I liked you when you were in my class.” —Mr. Barone (13:03)

• On community and childhood:
  “That was more than your parents saw you... they became a part of your fabric.” —Joey (14:31)

• On changing times:
  “We didn't go home and tell everything to our parents.” —Joey (58:28)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• ABA Basketball Stories: 00:45–03:39
• Teaching & Free Throws: 04:00–06:42
• Softball Glory: 07:54–08:29
• Changes in Education: 14:31–15:50
• Teachers as Community Figures: 16:20–13:03
• Corruption/Politics Riff: 22:00–24:47
• Wild Jersey Characters: 24:29–32:00
• Schoolyard Mayhem: 38:23–41:18
• On Parenting & School Trust: 34:26–35:37
• Discipline Then vs. Now: 58:38–60:15

Closing & Tone

The tone is fast-talking, affectionate, profane, and deeply authentic—a snapshot of a vanished time where humor, heart, and (often questionable) authority ruled the neighborhood. The guests and hosts rib each other mercilessly while sharing warmth and mutual respect for their shared past. The episode is a love letter to grit, community, and the unique madness of growing up Jersey Italian.

Final memorable moment:
“We're just lucky we're from North Bergen, baby. We got that pollution in our lungs. I'll see you savages next week.” —Joey (77:02)

Recommended for:
Anyone who loves classic New Jersey/NYC nostalgia, wild school stories, unruly American childhoods, and the humor and warmth of shared roots.