Brian Regan

Comedy is not supposed to be a thing. To me, comedy is a 'how'. Clearly, I'm a comedian and I know that there's a thing called comedy clubs' and stuff like that, but it just seems odd that people would walk into a building and go, 'We're going to sit on chairs and laugh'. And they're not even really interested in in what they're going to be laughing about!. It would be like a club where 'We're going to go this place and cry'. 'What are you going to cry about?' 'I don't know. I just feel like crying'. But the comedy thing - it's 'We just wanna laugh! We just want our bodies to shake'. Show less «

I like my comedy to be double-barrel. I have the goofy side of things, but hopefully put a little thought into it as well. For silly to be really funny it usually has to be smart, at least the kind of stuff Steve Martin did. I was a Jerry Lewis fan, too. A lot of people go, 'What's with those people in France, thinking Jerry Lewis is funny?' Well, he is funny. He was so ridiculously goofy and silly, yet you could tell thought had to go into what he was doing. Show less «

Both my mom and dad have great senses of humor. You could get my dad on a laughing jag that felt like being on a drug. Or how I imagine a drug would be. It had to be interesting, clever and ironic. It couldn't just be buffoonery. It had to be something that was thought out. It was fun to sit there and go, man, I thought of something, and said it, and he's laughing. Show less «

I think one of the weirdest places I performed in was at a college. I am proud to say I played in the 'all-purpose room'. I don't know what purpose those kids thought I was there for, but I was there for comedy. Show less «

I remember hearing a comedian talking about doing 'The Tonight Show'. He said the first joke is going to be a foul ball, and If you expect it to be a foul ball you're in much better shape than if you're expecting to get a good laugh. I'm glad I heard that years ago. So I approach every set that way. If the first joke doesn't get a laugh, you go, 'Well that is what I was expecting all along'. And if you get a big laugh, well, then that's even better. Show less «

[on doing comedy] If there was a hundred percent guarantee, I don't think I'd like it as much. Like a bowler - I don't think you would get great joy bowling a 300 game every time. Rolling the occasional gutter ball makes you feel so much better when you do bowl a strike. Show less «

[on sticking with traditional comedy] Sometimes I feel like it's a big mine out there, and all the comedians are coming out with their pickaxes over their shoulder and saying "There ain't nothing left in here." And I'm saying, "Well, Im going in there. I want to see if there are more jokes in airline travel or about food or about going to the doctor". Point is that it's endless. Hopefully you can always find interesting things in whatever kind of subject. And it's particularly fun to find humour in mundane subjects. Show less «