Visiting close to 100 cities each year on a nonstop theater tour, comedian Brian Regan has built a 30-plus-year career through lots of laughs. A co-star in three seasons of Peter Farrelly’s TV series “Loudermilk,” Regan has also starred in his own Netflix sketch comedy and stand-up series “Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan.” With eight hour-long comedy releases to his credit and appearances at legendary venues including London’s Leicester Square Theatre, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as well as New York City’s Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall, Regan is a vetted veteran of stage and screen. Ahead of his October 20 show at The Paramount Theater, we put the funnyman in the HotSeat.
Name: Brian Regan
Hometown: Las Vegas
Job(s): Comedian/actor/salad chef
What’s something about your job that people would be surprised to learn? I’m not funny every waking moment. And I’m not funny at all when I’m asleep.
Favorite movie and/or show: Amadeus. The theme of the movie is not one usually touched on by storytellers—jealousy of talent. F. Murray Abraham plays Antonio Salieri, a composer, who is envious of the brilliance of Mozart. Abraham’s performance is beautiful. My second favorite movie is Porky’s II.
Best advice you ever got: “Earn your sips.” Years ago, John Fox, a comedian I was working with in a comedy club, told me when I got off stage that I should only take a sip of my beer if my previous joke had gotten a laugh. He said it was awkward to watch me tell a joke, have it not work, then watch me go over to the stool, pick up my beer, take a sip, then walk back to the microphone. He said, “Only take a sip while people are laughing.” “Earn your sips” is bigger than just stage advice. It is really a metaphor for life.
Proudest accomplishment: Being a good dad.
Who’d play you in a movie? Me
Who is your hero? My dad
Best Halloween costume you’ve worn: A book. When I was a kid, I took a big cardboard box, and made a big book out of it. Unfortunately, I drew the lines for the pages on the wrong side.
Most used app on your phone: Backgammon. I have played thousands of backgammon games against nobody. It is my small way of raging against the machine.
Favorite curse word? Or favorite word: This isn’t really answering the question, but I’ll share it anyway. I once saw the “F” word written in an article. They used all the letters except they put an asterisk for the letter “C.” I found it funny that apparently the letter “C” is what makes the “F” word offensive.
What have you forgotten today? To answer this question.