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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Brian Regan Live

Brian Regan

Uproar Entertainment · Album · 1997 · 56 min

A frantic 1997 audio recording of exasperated, entirely clean observational comedy.

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Even on a pure audio recording, you can practically see the comic’s face. Brian Regan Live captures a frantic, high-volume energy that defined his early act, fueled by sudden vocal spikes and an aggressive commitment to feigned incompetence. Whether breaking down the humiliation of a grade school science fair or the sheer panic of an awkward social interaction, the jokes rely on tight structure and a total willingness to look foolish.

Recorded at the Irvine Improv and released in 1997, this debut album served as a major breakthrough after years of club sets and late-night spots. The CD circulated heavily on comedy radio, establishing Regan as a reliable headliner who could work entirely clean without sacrificing momentum. He takes straightforward premises like going to the optometrist, striking out in Little League, or making a simple phone call, winding them up until they become screaming, exasperated crises.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Saying 'you too' at the wrong time

    Regan dissects the mortifying feeling of inappropriately blurting out 'you too' in social exchanges and wanting someone to throw a tarp over him.

  2. Evel Knievel talk show interviews

    Mocks the absurd interview questions asking what Evel was thinking right before he crashed and bounced on the pavement.

  3. Playing right field in Little League baseball

    Details being sent to right field having no idea what was going on and feeling ridiculous yelling mindless 'chatter' from the outfield.

  4. Whale noises

    Vocal sound-effect imitation of whale calls.

How it plays

Tone
Warm, clean, silly, sarcastic, and family-friendly without resorting to profanity or shock value.
On stage
An affable, light-hearted everyman with an energetic, outrageous goofiness who mixes smart, observational humor with 'acting dumb' and self-deprecation.
Pace
Joyful, warm, energetic, and free-wheeling.
About
Childhood memories, School and education, Little League baseball, Driving and road travel, Awkward social interactions and everyday life

What the critics said

Praised for masterfully crafted, hilarious observational comedy that avoids crude language, shock value, and risqué topics while remaining genuinely funny for all ages.

In the room: A warm, rock-the-room atmosphere with a highly engaged crowd.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: uproarcomedycd.com, open.spotify.com, amazon.com, qobuz.com, vulture.com, pastemagazine.com, thecomicscomic.com, connectsavannah.com, en.wikipedia.org, harrisonline.com, dead-frog.com, edition.cnn.com.

Backstory

Released during the comedy drought of the 1990s, the same year Regan completed the final degree credits at Heidelberg College that he had left unfinished in 1980.

Details

Released
Runtime
56 min
Where
Uproar Entertainment (album)
Topics
After
Comedy Central Presents (2000)

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