DeKALB | Even at a live performance, one doesn’t see Lewis Black in concert so much as they hear him.

But offstage, the rant-prone comedian is rather laid-back, talking almost at a whisper compared to his famous persona, which will appear at 8 p.m. tonight at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St.

That doesn’t mean that he’s not upset about the state of the world.

“The level of madness we’re at…I think, ‘This can’t get any more psychotic,’ and it does,” he said.

It’s this kind of perspective on things that has been a foundation of Black’s decades-long career in stand-up comedy. From his disgust with right-wing religious groups to his trivial irks like Starbucks and candy corn, nothing is off-limits. His vocal frustration has earned him a sold-out show at Carnegie Hall and accolades from the late George Carlin, whom Black considered a major influence on his routine.

“[Listening to George Carlin] was one of those things where you’d go down to your basement when you were like, 14 …, and you’re kind of inarticulate about what about the world’s making you crazy,” he said. “He articulated it in a very funny way.”

It was from that young age that Black has always been baffled by the environment around him. He initially tried to get involved with politics in hopes of making a difference by working on local campaigns, but that, along with all of the people involved, proved to be just as insufferable as complacency had been.

“I looked around [Washington] D.C., and I watched it, and it just kind of made me sick after a while,” he said. “And now, it’s worse.”

Yet, through all the anger and disdain, Black is somehow still laughing. He views comedy like his and Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show as a means to let people step back and remove themselves from the situation and keep from getting too caught up in what is happening. He’s not shooting to change the world with his work or start some major revolution, so he’s not depressed by the fact that his comedy might not be making some huge impact. It’s just a means to express himself.

“If it makes people laugh, that’s the best I can do in the end,” he said. “People seem to need that, but I don’t know how much it helps. Once you finish laughing, it’s still there.”