Ben Roy is definitely not going to make it all better, and you’ll be happy he didn’t. Photo by Crystal Allen.

Headling Denver’s nationally-respected Comedy Works once in a lifetime is a feat most comedians are lucky to accomplish. Doing a whole weekend is many working stand-ups’ dream. “I started doing stand-up at the Comedy Works,” said Denver comedian Ben Roy. “Wende, Mike, Susan and the staff have all been awesome to me.”

It makes sense, then, that Roy is following up his first-ever header there last May with a trio of coveted Thursday-Saturday headlining slots this weekend — another deep notch on Roy’s gloriously splintered bedpost of recent achievements.

As any local comedy fan knows, Roy has a reputation as the most unhinged, energetic member of the Wrist Deep Productions collective, a DIY comedy group that holds weekly open-mic nights at the Squire and the monthly Los Comicos Super Hilariosos shows at the Orange Cat. He’s also building buzz outside Colorado by proving himself a reliable firebrand with a refreshing trait: under all his profanity, he’s a clever, idea-driven stand-up.

We chatted with Roy in advance of this weekend’s shows about his Roy Vs. Roy set with Chuck Roy (no relation, we swear), best and worst comedy practices and the ever-present lure of the bottle.

How many times do you think you’ve played Comedy Works or Comedy Works South in the past?

Wow, I couldn’t even guess. A lot. More times than I can count. Now that I’m traveling more it makes me appreciate (owner) Wende Curtis’ rooms. Both the Landmark location and downtown. People in Denver just seem smarter and a little more tolerant of my foul mouth.

I ask because this isn’t your first time headlining. But this will be the most shows in a row you’ve played there, right?

That (May) show was my first headlining set down at Comedy Works. They start you with off nights I guess to see how you do and people react. For example, Gallagher is smashing shit on the stage Thursday through Saturday, I’m headlining Sunday to help pick up the pieces. This is my first Friday and Saturday. I’ll be the one getting smashed now. All five shows. I’m pretty excited. I love the Comedy Works crowds on the weekend. It’s the most exposure and they’re the most fun. People are all drunk, moist and retarded. I dig it. I’m definitely the most important person in the room I’m writing from. Granted, I’m alone, but I’ll take my victories however they come.

What can people expect at these shows, format-wise? I know the first night (Thursday, Nov. 12) was Roy Vs. Roy, and the Friday and Saturday shows are just you…

Roy Vs. Roy is an idea that the flaming-fury, Chuck Roy, came up with. We’ve been doing shows together for a while now and he wants to battle at the end of the show. The format is just an MC, Chuck and myself. We split the time and at the end we’ll battle on some topics. It’s a fun idea. It could fail. Who knows? Not sure yet. He’s coming with some great ideas. I’m coming with wet naps. He just looks contagious. Friday and Saturday is just me, my ideas and my problems.

At a recent Los Comicos show you had a number of jokes about relapsing into alcoholism. Since you’re putting it out there for comedy’s-sake, it seems fair to ask: Has that ever really happened, and if it did would you use it for joke material?

Yeah, I’m constantly dealing with alcohol. It’s been the brain and bane of my existence. I’ve come up with some of the best and worst ideas of my life while I was drinking. I don’t think I’d be doing comedy if it hadn’t been for alcohol. I’m weird in public situations so there’s no way I could have made the initial leap into comedy if I hadn’t been power washing my nerves with sauce. I go through times where I’m making an effort to control it. Right now is one of those times. But, when I give in and drink, I’m usually a fantastic mess. I’ve often said that me performing drunk is like watching a figure skater do her whole routine on a gravel driveway. I’m a fan of both sobriety and inebriation for different reasons. It’s a constant struggle. And like any other struggle — i.e. divorce, sickness, slavery — there’s always a smile to be found in it. There’s a chunk of my material about my drinking. Come see, won’t you?

You mentioned to me a few months ago about packing up for New York. Is that still on the table?

It’s still on the table for this summer. I’m from Maine so the ability to leave my son with family while I travel is appealing. My wife went to art school in New York and has an interest in returning as well. I may decide to stay. There’s so many good comics here and I kind of want to stay and continue to put more of Denver’s mark on the comedy world. We’ll see.

Either way, what’s your next step as a comedian? What are you working on/excited about currently?

A lot is happening. Headlining here and away. I like headlining. Having more time to play with on stage is always awesome. Traveling to do comedy is great as well. I love being able to go somewhere new, be a dick, and that’s a day’s work. I’m also really happy and excited that Sean decided to rebuild the Orange Cat Theater after the fire. I’m excited to get Wrist Deep Productions moving in the wrong direction again. We’re back to doing Los Comicos Super Hilariosos the last Friday of every month. I’m hoping to get into some festivals this year as well. That idea gets the boys bubbling.

How do you push yourself and challenge yourself creatively?

I think working with Wrist Deep challenges me. (Wrist Deep member) Adam Cayton-Holland is always writing funny new stuff, Greg Baumhauer is amazing at heckle-handling, Jim Hickox and I come up with some funny shit together. I dropped a name there. Oops and there’s another. Damn there’s one as well. I just try to keep hitting them up with ideas I have and we push each other.

Personally, I’m really hard on myself creatively. I strive to make people laugh while also trying to say things that are real to me. It may be gross, sad or mean-spirited, but it’s the stuff I think or feel on a day-to-day basis. People won’t believe it, because I tend to rant, but there’s so many ideas I don’t ever use. Or I use it once and throw it away. I over-edit my thoughts. But that pushes me.

What’s the worst thing a comedian can do, inspiration-wise?

I think that’s different for each person. For some it’s marriage or having a child. Others it’s drinking or drugs. For some it’s the pressure of expectations. For instance, kids are often viewed as being a comic killer but I feel like my material has evolved and become more biting and angry since I became a father. He pushes me. I know that the harder I work, the sooner I can make enough money to skip out and finally afford to pay child support like a responsible father does.

If I had to pick one thing that I feel is an inspiration killer, it’s reading your favorite comic’s answers to questions like this and taking it to heart. Don’t listen to other comics. We’re all bitter as fuck. Most of us spent our early years making people laugh to avoid another severe ass beating. Then the first time someone looks at us with reverence or veneration, we instantly become an authority on everything and especially stand up comedy. “Oh I’m awesome. I’ve been doing this 20 years. Last month I was at Booker T. Chuckleworth’s in Lansing, Mich., next week I’m doing five nights at Hector’s Ha Ha Hacienda in El Paso. Now, let me guide your career.” Or, “I have an HBO special and a drinking problem, now here’s what comics are doing wrong.”

I’ve heard some comics say you shouldn’t swear so much because, “It’s a crutch.” Or some comics feel that you shouldn’t talk about politics on stage because that’s not the forum. Fuck you. I’ll say whatever the hell I want. If I wanted someone breathing down my neck about what I should or shouldn’t do while on stage, I’ll start stripping, until that sad day I’m on my own. It’s corny, but know who you are. For better or worse. No matter how ugly the real you is. Don’t sell a persona or gimmick. That shit is tough to keep up over time. If you can’t control being a douchebag, run with that.

– TICKETS –

For tickets to Ben Roy’s Friday-Saturday sets, visit comedyworks.com. The club is also offering $10 tickets to see Roy. Just call 303-595-3637 and tell them you read this article in The Denver Post.

John Wenzel is the editor of Get Real Denver, co-editor of the Reverb music blog and an arts and entertainment reporter for The Denver Post. His book “Mock Stars: Indie Comedy and the Dangerously Funny” was recently published by Speck Press. He also maintains a Twitter feed of random song titles.

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