Hear the one about the comic who says an Internet company stole his act? It's no joke.

Funnyman Rodney Dangerfield is suing Epoch Networks Inc. for $2.8 million, alleging that the Irvine-based company that designed his Web site also swiped his bug-eyed image for promotional gain.

In a suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, his Rodney Dangerfield Entertainment Inc. charged Epoch with selling advertising space on the comedian's Web site, http://www.rodney.com, without permission, pirating his name and likeness to market its services, and using an Internet audio system purchased by Dangerfield for its own benefit.

Known more for his low-brow humor than high-tech wizardry, the 75-year-old Dangerfield nevertheless was one of the first comedians to take his act to the Internet, where fans can scroll for daily jokes and film clips of the self-deprecating comic.

The site has won several Internet awards. But even in cyberspace, Dangerfield is still searching for a little respect, according to his attorney, Patricia Glaser.

"The whole thing has been galling to Rodney and his wife. . . . This isn't funny to them," Glaser said.

Officials from Epoch, which does business under the name Epoch Internet, refused requests for a telephone interview. But in a prepared statement, they called Dangerfield's allegations "meritless" and say the comic owes them several months worth of fees for maintaining and servicing his Web site.

Epoch no longer provides those services for Dangerfield, who switched to another Internet service provider this year.

"Rodney, we would like you to retract your false statements," the Epoch release said. "It's hard to get any respect if you don't pay your bills."

According to Dangerfield's complaint, the comedian entered into an agreement with Epoch in 1995 to design and maintain a Web site to showcase the comic's jokes.

Dangerfield made a conscious decision not to sell advertising on the site, but this spring noticed a banner ad for Microsoft on the Web page, according to the lawsuit. Research by Dangerfield's wife, Joan, revealed that Epoch had allowed earlier ads from Ford Motor Co., Life magazine, Visa and other companies, without notifying Dangerfield or offering him compensation, according to the complaint.

Joan Dangerfield was most disturbed by an ad from a firm called Sassy-Sex advertising hard-core interactive pornography, says Glaser.