Comedian-turned-actor-turned-comedian Joe Rogan chats with Life Staff Writer Michael Young about his new comedy CD "Shiny Happy Jihad." He also opens up about his past career stunts ( including being the host of 'Fear Factor,' appearing on 'Chapelle's Show' and being a commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship) what he deals with in his comedy and what he himself finds to be funny.
Vanderbilt Hustler: A lot of people don't know it, but you're not just the host of "Fear Factor." You're a comedian too, right?
Joe Rogan: I think probably 30 percent of the people who know who I am also know that I'm a comedian. I've been doing comedy since the beginning, but "Fear Factor" is what everyone remembers.
VH: But you were on a couple episodes of "Chappelle's Show" a while back. Was that just for fun or were you trying to remind people that you're a comedian?
JR: One was totally by accident. I was just walking down the street. I've known Dave from years and years ago. I just saw him with a fake mustache on, handing out medals for New York boobs. He asked me to join him and I said sure.
VH: You also used to act. Back in the mid-1990s you were on "NewsRadio" for a few seasons. What was the reason you switched to acting?
JR: Money. That was really it. I never had any aspirations to be on a sitcom. It was completely by chance. They just offered me a development deal. They noticed me from when I had done a half-hour comedy [show] on Comedy Central. They gave me a ton of money and asked me if I wanted to do a sitcom. I went from being really broke, and suddenly networks were giving me money. They flew me out to California and I did a show called "Hardball." It was dumb.
VH: Now that you're back in comedy, is this where you want to be or is it more of a side project before you go back to acting?
JR: I always performed in L.A. and on the road in a few different cities. But I never put enough effort into letting other people know I was about comedy. Now I'm putting that effort in.
VH: How would you describe your comedic style?
JR: Uncensored is a good word, but it's used a lot. My comedy is a view into the way I look at life. Here's the world through my eyes. It's basically just like a distorted version of how I communicate with my friends. You talk honestly and openly with your friends, and this is what I think about things.
VH: One of the segments on your new CD makes fun of the fact that the whole "72 virgins for suicide bombers" thing isn't even in the Koran. Do you see comedy as a Trojan horse for social commentary?
JR: There are three different levels of comedy: One - you just try to do anything that can get a laugh because you don't want to bomb. Bombing on stage is easily the most humiliating experience in your life. Two - you start coming up with stuff that you think is funny. Three - you start using your philosophies and your way of looking at the world that happens to be funny, your thoughts and ideas about things instead of just jokes. Using your ideas works because if someone gets on stage and they have different opinions than you, but they make you laugh with those opinions, you gotta stop and think, "Maybe that guy's got a point. He's making me laugh with something that I don't agree with."
VH: What comedians have influenced you?
JR: Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks, a lot of guys. I always liked comedy because all these guys are doing is talking, and it's making everyone crack up. Them talking is funnier than any movie I've seen in my life.
VH: What's your favorite segment on your new CD? What would you recommend new listeners listen to first?
JR: The part about "Dumb People Out-Breeding Smart People" and how it explains the pyramids is a good one. It's funny, and it has some of those social ideas from earlier.
VH: Final question: Would you actually eat a cow penis?
JR: Definitely. If I was broke, for $50,000, of course.
