By most Americans' account, Joe Rogan is not a stand-up comedian. Rogan, known as the host of Fear Factor and the electrician from NewsRadio, is setting out to remind people how he got into showbiz with his first stand-up CD in six years, Shiny Happy Jihad.
The black-belt comedian has been spending the past years hosting Fear Factor and providing color commentary for Ultimate Fighting Championship, and it's a shame. Rogan is a great, unappreciated comedian. Funny, original and gutsy, it is surprising he has not gotten more attention.
For Rogan, no subject is off-limits, whether it is religion, relationships or even himself. He attacks everything with a methodical sting and crassness severely lacking from the polished comics that comprise today's comedy circuit. Everything that flows from his curse-laden mouth seems natural-like a more tolerable version of a Dennis Miller rant.
Ever angry, Rogan channels the loud, crashing vibrato of the legendary Sam Kinison, an admitted influence for the young comic (see interview). While it may be similar to Kinison's, Rogan's aggressiveness is unique and genuine-something that can not be said of his archenemy Carlos Mencia.
The real problem for Rogan is that his punches, both political and personal, don't seem to carry the weight of a seasoned pro. Unlike "smart" comics like Dave Chapelle or Lewis Black, the almost-40-year-old Rogan lacks insight and wisdom-for now. Although currently immature, Rogan shows a pure passion and freshness that can make him a legend by his 50th birthday.
Rogan is used to being grossed out. Let's see if he can stomach a recess interview with Varun Lella.
What future projects are you looking at?
What I want to concentrate on now is stand-up. I would love to do something uncensored like a radio show, TV show or what Tom Green has. He has a TV show from his house streaming live without input from directors or producers.
How was it touring with John Heffron and Charlie Murphy last year?
That was a lot of fun, it was cool. It wasn't just comedy clubs, we did some theaters. You show up in the city in the afternoon, check in to the hotel, perform and get something to eat and go to sleep. It was kind of sad that we didn't get to see the cities more.
Do you think that there is an appropriate comparison to Sam Kinison?
I was definitely influenced by him for sure. I was a huge Kinison fan since I was a kid and if there is any similarity, it is because he was an influence. He was one of the best comedians ever. Especially in his earlier years. He is a good example of what happens to comedians when they lose their hunger. If you listen to the earlier stuff around 1986, like Louder Than Hell, you can see how great he is, but later you can tell his heart just isn't in it anymore.
You are a strong advocate of marijuana.
I definitely think that not only should marijuana be legal, I think anything that only harms the person who is using it should be legal-and marijuana doesn't even hurt people. It is all based on bulls- lies from the '30s when they were trying to combat hemp. What William Randolph Hearst did was print newspaper articles saying that Mexicans and blacks are using this new drug called marijuana.
How have you liked doing the new Ultimate Fighting Championship show?
I think it is very exciting. I love it. These guys are out there making a lot of money now and finding ways to retire at a comfortable age. These guys don't have to worry about what they have to do for the rest of their lives. It gives a professional venue for a lot of guys who don't have any other options, like amateur wrestlers.
How important was it for you to confront Carlos Mencia?
It is important for comedy that stuff like that gets exposed. Clubs, club owners, Comedy Central-no one is doing something to protect the material of artists. The only people speaking out are other artists who step up and say 'Hey. Stop stealing my material.'
Why do you think people don't protect the material of comedians?
The Internet is really changing how people have access to this information. In the past, comedians would get labeled as jealous and now you just show a video and they can't say anything, because it is what it is. Lots of comedians were bullied as kids, so it is difficult for comedians to confront people when someone is stealing from you.
Why do you think Comedy Central hasn't acted?
Money. It is really simple: they are making money. They are selling a show. There is a gang of s- out there that is stolen. If you watch that Mind of Mencia show, that is stolen goods. That is a fact. They are selling that and making a ton of money. It is clearly a financial issue.
Have you kept in touch with the NewsRadio cast and would you be interested in working with them again?
I actually ran into Dave Foley [who played Dave Nelson on NewsRadio] the other day and talked about how great it would be to do something together again. It is so hard to create a good sitcom with talented actors. NewsRadio was the best scenario working with guys like Phil Hartman, Andy Dick and Stephen Root and Maura Tierney. It was so amazing. But can you do that again? What do you do? How do you set that up? Do you do NewsRadio 2?
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