Stand-up comedian DJ Sandhu discovered his calling in an unusual way.

“I never really wanted to do stand-up,” said Sandhu, who is based in Sacramento, Calif.

“I wanted to be in a punk or metal band. I met a comedian who was very rude to me and told me I could never do what he does. So I went to an open mic night out of spite. I enjoyed it, so I kept doing it.”

Sandhu brings his “brilliantly ignorant” brand of comedy to Loonees Comedy Corner, 1305 N. Academy Blvd., on Friday and Saturday. Loonees, he said, is one of his favorite places to perform because he knows the Colorado Springs audience can take a joke.

“I love that place,” Sandhu said of Loonees. “It’s a difficult audience to offend, because they know I don’t make jokes with hate in my heart. I’ve been trying to offend them for a few years now, and I don’t think I’ve done it yet.”

Sandhu shares his absurdist humor at a broad variety of venues, including the World Series of Comedy and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. He visits about 45 cities a year, he said.

“Comedy has taken me to destinations I never thought I would go to, or want to go to,” he said. 

“Colorado Springs was never on my list of destinations. But then I got booked there and got to see beautiful things like Garden of the Gods, and I get to eat incredible food like Rasta Pasta, which is my favorite place in the whole city. It has been an interesting journey.”

And whatever happened to the rude comedian who inspired him to try stand-up 16 years ago?

“I think he’s a motivational speaker now,” Sandhu said. “I would love to thank him. He may not have had the purest of intentions, but he helped me find my life’s purpose, which is to make people laugh.”

Showtime on Friday is 7:30 and 9:45 p.m., with a door time of 6:45 and 9:15 p.m. Showtime on Saturday is 7 and 9:15 p.m., with a door time of 6:15 and 8:45 p.m. Ticket are available, $12 and up, at looneescc.com.