I'm not a fan of his podcast or his politics, but I remember where I first saw Joe Rogan - he was playing an engineer/handyman on the great TV show "Newsradio," one of the few sitcoms based in a radio station (along with "WKRP" and "Frasier.")

But it turns out he only got the role when another future star didn't work out. The part was played in the pilot by none other than Ray Romano. But apparently not everybody loved Raymond, and he was replaced before the show hit air. 

"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."

Not that it mattered. He went from third banana to a comedy legend on his own show. Which I'm sure removed the sting from being replaced. It was likely the best thing that ever happened to both of them. 

The Huge Comedy Star Who Almost Wound Up On "Newsradio"