IF YOU GO

WHAT: See Joe Rogan live

WHEN: Friday, July 11 at 8 and 10 p.m., Saturday, July 12 at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.

WHERE: ComedyWorks, 1226 15th St. in Denver, 303-595-3637

HOW MUCH: $37

ON THE WEB: www.comedyworks.com

Despite nearly 20 years of performing standup, Joe Rogan achieved the bulk of his notoriety in a setting far different from the comedy clubs, where his creative edge resonates through audiences with unrelenting hilarity. Most people recognize him from his six seasons as host of “Fear Factor” on NBC.

“I thought that show was gonna get canceled immediately,” Rogan told audiences in a recent Showtime special. “Four years later, I’m staring at a girl with a mouthful of animal dicks going ‘You can do this, just breathe!’ And she’s taking my advice.”

Although not unworthy of its own share of material, Rogan’s experiences as host of “Fear Factor” and his current day job as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) are mentioned merely as brief asides in current performances – if at all.

And, while the occasional audience member still may show up due to blind celebrity recognition, Rogan’s prowess as a downright brilliant comedic mind – incorporating everything from biting social commentary to whimsically logical philosophic rants – is really what has made him such a highly sought-after headliner throughout the country.

“One of the most beautiful things about standup is that you can introduce ideas to people that wouldn’t ordinarily accept them,” Rogan told the Colorado Daily in a recent interview. “I’ve had guys come up to me after shows saying ‘I’m a pretty right-wing Republican, but you made some really good points and it was really funny’.”

Between Rogan’s seamless delivery and his audiences being much too busy laughing to realize it, the comic is free to touch on a myriad of subjects. Anything from drugs, politics and relationships, to how the pyramids were built; and the de-evolution of man by carefully crafting his opinions on a tightrope of sound logic and pure absurdity, are heard at his shows.

“When Anna Nicole Smith married that guy, women freaked out,” Rogan said in an another performance. “That dude knew exactly what was up. The guy was 90-years old and made a billion dollars from scratch, chances are, he was a tad crafty. What do you want him to do with a billion dollars in the bank and three weeks to live? ‘Sing me Bible songs and give all my money to charity.’ Fuck that! He went out and got himself a big, fat, Kentucky-Fried hooker.”

Another aspect that sets Rogan apart from other comedians is his diligent pursuit of original and unique material. This crusade garnished him a wealth of publicity in 2006 and 2007 when he publicly confronted actor Carlos Mencia for stealing material from other comics. Various aspects of this conflict – including a live debate between the two at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, and various appearances by Rogan ousting Mencia on radio shows – are still frequented by viewers on YouTube.“All of what I write and all of what I talk about is stuff that I’m genuinely curious about and genuinely interested in,” Rogan told the Colorado Daily. “I can tell when people are faking the funk, and no one wants to hear that. I try to make standup comedy the world through my eyes.”

Nearly 20 years of practice have helped Rogan form a sound philosophy on his own method, which finds him regularly transposing regular blogs from his website, www.joerogan.net, into material that inevitably finds its way onto stage. Integrated with another of his passions, mixed martial arts –which has earned him a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and several championship matches – Rogan similarly sees comedy as earned in levels.

“The first level is, you just want to get a laugh,” Rogan explained. “Level number two is when you start doing stuff that you think is funny – stuff that you would laugh at if you were an audience member. Then, if you’re so inclined, your comedy becomes more of your philosophy. It more becomes your viewpoints on how you look at the world, and then it’s a matter of getting those viewpoints and figuring out how to make those funny,” he said.

Be sure to catch Rogan bring the funny to the Denver ComedyWorks this weekend, July 11 through 12. According to Rogan, the ComedyWorks is one of his favorite clubs – or in his own words, “Fucking awesome” – so each show should be an experience to remember. Enjoy!