This Sunday, the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) better prepare for the roaring laughter that will ensue. Funny guy Brian Regan is coming to town, and he’s got new material.
A regular on David Letterman’s “Late Show,” Regan has been in the comedy scene for more than two decades and has released two CDs and three DVDs. His most recent CD, “All By Myself,” is yet another extension of his recognizable observational humor.
Regan said his tour is not in promotion of his recent album release — it’s really just part of the job.
“The tour is constant — I started in 1984,” Regan said. “This tour has been going on for about the eighth decade in a row. When I come out with a CD or DVD, it really has nothing to do with the tour.”
Although he’s been filling up theaters — yes, full-size theaters — for years, Regan started just like any other comedian, auditioning over and over to get a part at a small comedy joint.
Regan’s stomping ground? A small club in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“I auditioned like five times without getting passed, and it was the fifth time when the manager took me into the kitchen,” Regan said. “My heart was pounding. He picked up my Budweiser, and he said, ‘I’m gonna pay for this.’ And I thought, ‘All right, I’m already getting free beers!’”
When the manager said those magic words, “You’ve passed your audition,” Regan knew he was in. Although he’s been on Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Comedy Central multiple times, Regan still considers passing his audition at that small comedy shop a major milestone in his career.
And finally, in ’84, Regan packed his bags, went on tour and has been spitting out jokes ever since.
“Comedy was starting to explode at that time, so I was able to work all the time,” Regan said. “It was like, if you can stand on stage for half an hour and not melt, you’d get booked. I was able to get by, so I had a long time to be able to work at it and get better and better.”
And he did. Regan gained a following so loyal, he didn’t need to seek out other ways of exposure aside from CD and DVD releases. But, of course, it’s something he used to consider.
“I didn’t do this by design,” Regan said. “I was trying, just like anyone else, to see if I could get a sitcom. I always wanted to get a sitcom to get the exposure so that I could jump to theaters. But somewhere along the way I got to the point where I had a big enough following so that I could perform in theaters.”
Perhaps his strong following comes from his style, often described as “family-friendly” and “clean.” Regan has transcended age barriers with his expertise in making everyday experiences seem downright hilarious.
Business administrations senior Hannah Harrison said she attended one of Regan’s performances a few years back with her 10-year-old sister and was glad they could both enjoy the content of his act.
“I think that’s the best part — he doesn’t have to resort to crude jokes,” Harrison said. “He can be just as funny to a 10-year-old as he is to an older person.”
However, Regan said he didn’t plan for his act to lack R-rated puns.
“I don’t define myself as clean or family-friendly,” Regan said. “I don’t sit in front of a paper and say, ‘Man, I’m gonna write some clean jokes today! I’m gonna write jokes as clean as virgin snow!’ I think a lot of times people miss the point. I just like to talk about every day things that don’t go in certain directions.”
Whether or not he’s dropping F-bombs, Regan’s comedy is a favorite among the Cal Poly crowd, due in large part to his formula: vividly and cleverly turning everyday circumstances (childhood events, run-ins with strangers, etc.) into a recipe for laughter.
“It’s simple stuff that everyone can relate to,” Harrison said. “I love when he talks about his childhood and at school. It’s just so funny and it’s stuff that everyone goes through and can relate with.”
Business administration senior Brian Schultz said watching Regan’s stand up is an event he shares with his family.
“He’s got this skill where he doesn’t have to go into dangerous territory,” Schultz said. “What he says is clean and family-friendly. It’s hard to do that — that’s what I appreciate about him.”
Schultz also respects Regan’s comedy because of his ability to make fun of himself more than anyone else, he said.
“He makes fun of people a lot, but he makes fun of himself more,” Schultz said. “It’s that self-depreciation that really gets me. He does it in his own special way.”
The show begins at 8:30 p.m. and is in association with the Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo to raise funds for local youth charities. Tickets range from $35 to $60 and are available online at pacslo.org and the PAC box office.