Joe Rogan proves he’s a pro at Comedy Works in Denver

You may think Joe Rogan is a crass, misogynist, loud-mouth. You may think his act is all dick jokes or something along the lines of a revamped Andrew Dice Clay. After seeing Rogan perform at Comedy Works in Denver last night, I can assure you that, if you do assume all those things, you’re wrong.

As an avid stand-up fan, I was definitely expecting the hardcore Rogan from his numerous YouTube videos or from the press coverage surrounding his fight with noted hack Carlos Mencia. Instead, Rogan seemed chilled out and personable, treating the audience to stories ranging from the birth of his daughter to why it’s a bad idea to keep a tiger in a box.

Of course, there were certainly some dick jokes mixed in the set, but thankfully they were creatively executed and proved to be hilarious. Rogan even managed to mix the cruder jokes into a bit about the Mayan calendar’s prediction that the world will end in 2012.

Instead of standing on the stage and trying to sound cool by giving every detail of every sexual exploit, Rogan managed the difficult task of keeping his act smart and still maintaining the crude humor. Through stories about oral sex or getting caught masturbating, he managed to also discuss evolution and the human genome or events in world history.

At the end of the set, Rogan conducted a Q&A where he riffed on a series of topics shouted out by the crowd.

Of course, eventually someone shouted out “Carlos Mencia” and Rogan addressed his now infamous feud with the rival comic. For those who don’t know, Mencia is universally loathed amongst comedians for being a notorious joke theif. During an appearance at the Comedy Store in LA, Rogan got on stage and called Mencia on it. Since then, a veritable shit storm exploded on Rogan which included a reported banishment from the Comedy Store and a departure from his publicity firm. While this kind of injustice would make most people furious, Rogan stood on stage and calmly explained his position on plagiarism while getting in a few quick jabs at Mencia.

Rogan’s comedy is certainly impressive. He is able to walk a fine line between crude and smart humor and his intelligence shows with each joke he tells. Denver residents should jump at the chance to see such a pro at work.

Catch Joe Rogan this Friday and Saturday at Comedy Works in Denver.

Check out the infamous video of Joe Rogan and Carlos Mencia below: