"My comedy is not aggressive," states comedian Brian Regan. "I don't really go after anybody. I make fun of myself, make fun of the world in a lighthearted way. That's why I think if the audience hears a curveball, like women aren't good at math, they're like, 'What? This isn't the Brian we know!' But hopefully they also go, 'Oh, I get it. He's joking. It's a comedy show.'" Attending Ohio's Heidelberg College on a football scholarship, Regan had planned on a career in accountancy. "I didn't go there thinking this was my gateway to the NFL. Football, for me, was my gateway to college, because I needed financial aid." When he fell behind in his schoolwork, his football coach suggested the young student switch majors to theater. That led to standup comedy. Though he did end up moving to New York, and then L.A., Regan now enjoys a quiet family life in suburban Las Vegas, where "There's no pressure to audition for stuff. I can enjoy time with my family. I don't feel I have this other goal that hasn't happened. The standup thing is rolling pretty well, and that's all I really need in life."
Sat., Dec. 11, 8 p.m., 2010