For a stand-up comedian, an opportunity to do a few minutes of a routine on national television can be the break of a lifetime.
Many toil for years traveling from small venue to small venue, telling jokes and hoping to be given a shot on a bigger stage. And when that shot comes, they can only hope to make the most of it.
Lifelong Hamilton resident Dan Regan is one such comedian. Regan has been at it for 25 years, although in recent years, he has switched his focus from live audiences in regional comedy clubs to doing bits on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
It was because of Regan’s social media presence that he got a call last year from a television producer who was looking to reboot a television show that last had a run in the early 1990’s: “America’s Funniest People.”
The original show aired from 1990 to 1994 and was itself a spin-off of the then-popular “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
The producer wanted Regan to be a part of the revival of the show, which would be hosted by Alyson Hannigan and Alfonso Ribeiro.
“They reached out to me last September, one of the producers emailed me and said that they found one of my videos, said they’re interested in using it for their show. I said sure.”
While some performers would be asked to go into the studio to perform, Regan’s contribution would come in the form of one of his social media videos.
The show was recorded in November, with two winners being named: one for in-studio performances, and one for being the best among the video performers.
The great news in November was when it came time for the audience to vote for a winner, they chose Regan won for best video bit. The award came with $5,000.
The not-so-great news? He was contractually obligated not tell a soul until the show aired — at some then-indeterminate time in the future.
Regan finally got word that the show would air on June 15. Only then could he share the fact that he had won with the world. “I never had to do something like that — sit on big news for so long, especially when the outcome was what it was,” he says.
One of the hallmarks of Regan’s comedy is his deadpan style of delivery. He recalls the producers telling him during taping of the show that he needed to smile more.
They did not have to give him any instructions, however, when he was announced as the winner. “When I won, that was a real smile, because that was a shock,” he says.
He feels that it would have been a great experience whether he won or not. “I was just happy that they asked me,” he says. “It was the biggest break in my comedy career yet, because it’s national TV. I was just happy to be on the show. For the outcome to be what it was, it was just that much greater.”
Regan says he did stand-up for the first time when he was 12 years old. It was an impromptu gig — at a dinner celebration for his grandfather.
“They had a band on stage and when they took a break, I went up there and I told some Joan Rivers jokes,” he says. “I’m up there telling these dirty jokes, I didn’t even understand them, but that was the first time I did anything like that.”
Then around 25 years ago, some of his friends encouraged him to give live comedy a go. “My buddies were always telling me, ‘You tell a good story, you should try stand-up,’” he says.
He went to an open mic session at The Laff House, a former comedy venue on South Street in Philadelphia. He brought five minutes of material, jokes that he had told over the years, but got only three minutes on stage to perform. His friends and family went to give him support.
“After I got off stage, a promoter approached me and said, ‘How long have you been doing stand-up?’ I said, ‘This is the first time.’ He booked me for a show and the rest is history, I guess.”
He says the deadpan delivery style came to him naturally. “I guess if you know me in person, I’ve always told jokes seriously, I’ve never laughed at them. I tried telling jokes and being jovial and it didn’t feel natural. That’s just not me.”
He got a job at one point working for a company that would add jokes to people’s speeches or spiels. He credits that job with raising his awareness of current events and topical comedy — some things that he typically works into his routines today.
He says he tends to stay away from controversial material. “I want to talk about things where, if you’re listening, you’re like, ‘Yes, that happened to me.’ Relatable stuff. That’s the kind of comedy I enjoy,” he says.
A lot of his material consists of him as a member of Generation X reminiscing about things people his age can relate to. Regan is a 1989 graduate of Steinert High School.
“I do a lot of marriage material. Every day stuff,” he says. “If you’re listening in the car, something that can give you a smile and a core memory kind of thing.”
Wife Debbie is his number one fan, he says. “She’s my biggest supporter and she’ll also tell me when a joke is not good or she doesn’t like it, which I appreciate,” he says. “She doesn’t tell me it’s funny when it’s not. Her sarcasm is on a level with mine, which is great. She makes me laugh all the time.”
Regan has embraced social media as a way to reach fans. He has 174,000 followers on Instagram, 235,000 on Facebook and 92,100 on TikTok, and says that has been his primary creative outlet in recent years. “As I get older, I guess this is more comfortable for me,” he says. “I can reach a much bigger audience from my house.”
That could change as word gets out about “America’s Funniest People.”
“I have received a few emails that I am looking into,” he says. “Hopefully, this will open some doors.
Hamilton comedian Dan Regan.,
