How much are you holding back during your comedy routine?

None, I don't hold back during my comedy at all...I think the best comedy is, 'Here's the World in my eyes.' It's one person, relaying their life experiences on a stage or show.  They're expressing themselves as honest as possible trying to figure everything out with the rest of us. It's their take on life and it's honest.  It'll hit you man, it'll hit you harder than anything else.  It's so much better, more pure than some guy telling knock knock jokes or something. It's so much more exciting than the acting thing too, I mean...stand up comedy is raw. That's the real fucking shit. When I go out there in front of an audience, I never say anything I don't believe. I never say anything just to get a laugh. It's the real deal, and it's a wonderful thing when you open yourself up. It's the fucking best man. I have the best damn job in the world.

Now the past few years you have begun to do gigs down in Houston, which is the old stomping ground of one of my favorite comedians who just so happens to be the first person that comes to mind when I hear your material. I got to see him perform a few times, and I guess where I'm going is, who are your comedic influences?

What comedian are you talking about dude?

Well, Sam Kinison really got his start in Houston, but I'm not talking about him. I'm referring to one of the guys in that same troupe of comedians from Houston. In my opinion he was the best, Bill Hicks.

Oh hell yes. Houston is just a wild town. There's a reason why so many talented comics have come out of the Houston area. If you go there now, the open mic-ers are fucking great. The talent level in Texas is far superior to that in New York or L.A. They just don't take shit from anyone. It's this whole Texas attitude, I really think Texas has it's own thing going on, in music and in comedy. It's this really kind of brash comedy that I don't really think we had until Kinison and Hicks. I mean Hicks, he and Richard Pryor were definitely influential in my life.

I have to be honest with you, I've never actually seen one of your shows. I saw a ten-minute piece on like Comedy Central or something, and it just reminded me of the pure gut honesty that was Bill Hicks.

He was a really cool guy too. Between him, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, those guys were my favorites man. Bill had some really great stuff. Unfortunately, Dennis Leary ripped off a whole chunk of it.

Well we don't have to get into Dennis Leary's stealing other people's material, but since you brought it up...I think he's a punk.

He is a fucking punk. (laughter)

(laughter) So you're from Boston?

Yeah, I got a chance to see Bill Hicks several times back home. That was the great thing about Boston back then, all the great comedians came through. The one time that sticks out in my mind seeing Bill Hicks, we were in this Comedy Club and there was something like three hundered people there. This guy who was on just before Bill was telling these horrible jokes, doing things like stoned and drunk cartoon characters and shit. It was horrible material and the audience was eating it up, they were

You guys were laughing your asses off and no one else could understand?

Oh they were stupid, but it was great. The best part about it was that he didn't give a shit. He just kept doing his thing and people were getting up and leaving, and it was like...I really learned something watching that. I learned that, you know, if you really believe in what you're saying and you believe in who you are, and you have the detachment to not care about the limits of the audience, the ones that are pissed off at you just stick to your guns and you will find the people that you connect with. It was very important to learn that because I'd only been doing comedy about a year or so.

Hicks had that, 'if you're getting the fuck out I'll help you leave' thing.

Well yeah, you know what? Do you remember that Bill Cosby bullshit where he said that 'there's no such thing as a bad audience, it's the comedians fault?' Well fuck you, that's not true. Bill Cosby never had to work the shitholes that I've had to. I've had to do Bachelor parties with no microphone, Police Balls on Tuesday night comedy fuck night. Let me tell you something man, there are some shit bag audiences out there and I've seen 'em all.

Yeah, what was it Eddie Murhpy said about that Bill Cosby bullshit?

Oh yeah, something like, "Tell Bill Cosby I said have a Coke, a smile and shut the fuck up.' It's so funny, people like Bill Cosby. I mean who made him the deciding factor of what is and what is not acceptable in the world of comedy? Who called him in for arbitration? It's fucking ridiculous.

Well his comedy is geared more towards the Nickelodeon audience.

The guy's a fucking liar. The deal is those guys like that are fucking hypocrites. Here's this guy who's running preaching about this family thing and the kids and everything is so square. Meanwhile he's fucking other women, having kids out of wedlock. His fucking daughter is high on coke. It's whimsical these people and they're preaching, and they always make the shittiest fucking parents. And they're full of shit. It always comes tumbling down on them. Like that stupid woman who made that rules book on how to have the perfect marriage meanwhile she's getting a divorce. It's just funny. I love this shit, you can't write material this funny. It just kills me. These people trick a few people by lying about their lives.

What are you working on besides touring to support your new CD?

Well I'm actually pitching a late night talk show today over at NBC. And I have a pilot show that I just filmed called Rogan's Law.

What's that?

It's this Courtroom Show like Judge Judy, but I'm the Judge. It has nothing to do with the law, the law is absolutely irrelevant. It's based entirely on what I decide.

It sounds hilarious.

Oh hell yes. I jsut get to lay into them about their problems, but in a humorous way. I'm trying to sell that right now.

I wish you the best with it.

Thanks guy.

That's a trick question. If you ask Jon Lovitz, he'll tell you Andy Dick. If you ask Andy, he'll tell you Jon's more annoying.

Yeah, but I'm asking Joe Rogan.

You know what I think? I can talk to Jon Lovitz a lot easier than Andy because Jon is a real person. Andy, who I think is hysterical and I love him to death, is fucking nuts. He'll admit that to you. Jon is a really good guy and Andy is just off the charts, he's fucking psycho.

Joe Rogan will be appearing at the Capitol City Comedy Club May 3-6. He is one hell of a funny guy. If you are someone who enjoys great comedy this show is not to be missed. Be forwarned that this show is only for people with a personality and a sense of humor.