Stand-up Standout Brian Regan Stops in Santa Barbara

Often spoken of as “Your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian,” Brian Regan — who can currently be seen on Netflix in one of his eight stand-up specials (the latest is Brian Regan: On the Rocks) and as a regular on the series Loudermilk, a comedy series from writer, director, producer, Oscar winner, and former Santa Barbaran Peter Farrelly — brings his national tour to the Arlington Theatre on February 22. We threw Regan a few questions in advance of the show.

We’re looking forward to seeing you here in Santa Barbara. What can audiences expect from your show?  If people like music, and people like dancing, and people like comedy, come on out … because I’m doing one-third of that! 

What do you expect from your audiences here? Do you feel a difference in Coastal California audiences versus, say, Wenatchee, WA, or Las Vegas?  I like audiences everywhere! California audiences are cool. Looking forward to being in Santa Barbara.

Back when you started out, getting to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was the ultimate “you’ve made it big-time” thing for comedians — and especially when he brought you over to talk on the couch — which you experienced. Is there anything even remotely equivalent to that today?  Things are much more splintered now. When I started, every single comedian in the world wanted to be on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Now there are many different kinds of goals. It’s not good or bad. It’s just different.  

I’ve seen a lot written about how well-regarded you are by your comedic peers, as being a “comedian’s comic.” In all seriousness, if you had to choose, would you rather make someone you really respect (like a fellow comic) laugh, or would you rather make masses of people laugh?  There are comedians who care more about audiences than other comedians. There are comedians who care more about other comedians than audiences. I care about both. So, in a way, I am a pig.

When you’re acting, playing a character, and working with someone else’s text (as in Loudermilk, for example) how different is your approach to that versus doing stand-up, when you’re ostensibly a version of yourself?  The acting thing, for me, is fascinating. I never had a chance to act until late in my career. It’s weird reading someone else’s words and trying to make it sound real. It’s also weird, being on a TV show, realizing you’re just a slice of a much bigger pie. When I’m doing stand-up, I’m the whole pie. I just realized I’ve now described myself as both a pig and a pie.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about?  I want to help the headline writer: “Coming to Town — A Pig and a Pie!”

Brian Regan will be performing live at the Arlington Theatre (1317 State St.) on Thursday, February 22, at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, see axs.com/events/509889/brian-regan-tickets.