Prepare to laugh, but don't be surprised if she offends you in the process.

Sarah Silverman, stand-up comedienne and star of Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program, will appear tomorrow night at the Bryce Jordan Center, displaying her unique and often-times shocking sense of humor.

Silverman got her start as a writer for Saturday Night Live, but is best known for her stand-up comedy and many TV and movie appearances. Becoming a comedian and an actress was something she aspired for at an early age.

"My mom showed me a worksheet I have filled out when I was in third grade and it said, 'When I grow up, I want to be,' and I wrote, 'a comedian, an actor or a masseuse,' " Silverman wrote in an e-mail interview.

The public may not be aware of how well her massages may be, but it's no secret that Silverman is on her way to becoming a household name across the country. Her sitcom, The Sarah Silverman Program, is becoming one of Comedy Central's biggest hits and has brought Silverman out into the spotlight.

"I watch it pretty religiously," Brian Bedway (senior-psychology) said. "Anytime I see a new episode is on, I set aside a half hour to watch it. It's really funny. It's different from any other show out there."

On the show, Silverman plays a fictionalized version of herself who hangs out with her two gay neighbors, Brian and Steve, and her younger sister Laura, who is actually played by her older sister with the same name. With the success of the sitcom, Silverman has had to adapt to some minor changes in her life.

"My life hasn't changed a whole lot, but more people recognize me," Silverman wrote. "Oh yeah, and I work all day, every day. That's different. I've come so far up until now doing relatively well while doing almost no work. It's bittersweet."

Jerry Zolten -- an associate professor for communication arts and sciences and American studies at Penn State and an expert on the cultural history of stand-up comedy -- said he believes Silverman is outstanding in her own style.

"In a way, she plays off shock and juxtaposition to hold a mirror up to who we all are and expose small-mindedness, bigotry, stereotypes," Zolten said. "I always think of her as kind of a female counterpart to Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. Essentially, they're playing caricatures of themselves."

Zolten also believes that Silverman is one of the first comediennes to explore the territory that Silverman has.

"There's nobody quite like Sarah Silverman in the past, especially among women who were comedians," Zolten said. "She's willing to do and say the outrageous, and these days in the world of comedy, you gotta be able to find a cutting edge and be willing to play on that. We've all become so jaded over the decades, so it's a lot harder to figure out what's going to shock people in a clever way. That's a real skill, and she can do that."

That same shock value could be what attracts so many to her sitcom and stand-up routine. Bernie Punt, BJC public relations director, is also a big fan of Silverman because of her shock value.

"Personally, I'm a big fan," Punt said. "You either love her or you hate her. I think she's hilarious, I really do. She's definitely pushing the envelope."

Bedway also said he believes Silverman's edgy humor is what sets her apart from other comics.

"She has her own separate style. She doesn't really hold back," Bedway said. "She's vulgar but, yet, she's innocent. She'll say something that's completely nasty and horrible and awful, but then she'll play it off like it's a part of everyday life."

Her crude approach toward humor works well with Comedy Central Roasts, but other times, it can lead to angry audiences. At the G4 G-Phoria Video Game Awards in 2006, she insulted video-game players in her act, which did not turn out well, Silverman wrote.

"Yeah, that G4 thing didn't go over so great," Silverman wrote. "But roasts, like the Pam Anderson one, you're roasting people you love. The tradition of a roast is to make fun of each other. Everyone gives it and gets it. It's fun."

Besides Roasts and award shows, college campuses are also one of Silverman's favorite places to perform.

"Colleges are a blast," Silverman wrote. "I only went to one year of college, and it was in New York City, so when I go to real campuses, it's so cool. I always think, 'aw, man, I would have loved that!'"