By the early 1990s, Regan had developed into one of the premier stand-up comedians in the country and began appearing on national television shows including every comic’s dream, “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. He continues making regular appearances on “The Tonight Show,” “The Late Show” with David Letterman and “Late Night” with Conan O’Brien. Regan has won numerous comedy awards and has been featured in Showtime and Comedy Central specials.

“Brian Regan’s love for comedy shines on stage, and that’s one of the reasons his shows sell out,” said Dan Spellens, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center’s director of theaters & entertainment. “Audiences come back time and again to enjoy his humor, and we are proud to be part of Regan’s You Too Tour.”

Laughing soothes the soul and can turn a terribly bad day into a relaxed nirvana of happiness. My day started out early at 6:30 a.m. in Belmont Shore but quickly turned hectic with multiple work-related issues. The only thing I was really looking forward to was an interview with Regan, who, at least once a month, makes me laugh. As a fan of Regan’s for about a year now, I was pleased to have the honor of digging into the mind of this amazing comedian.

AJ: Have you ever visited Long Beach?
No, I have not performed in Long Beach, but my family used to live in Los Angeles and we went to the Long Beach Aquarium a few times a year. My family had its picture taken once and then we had friends that went and saw our family’s picture up as the example for visitors. On one hand, it was kinda flattering, and on the other, nobody asked us if they could use our picture.

AJ: Is the picture up now?
I don’t know because we havn’t been there in a while, but it is kinda weird when your friends call because they see your picture at the aquarium. I’m sure they have probably come across a better-looking family since then.

AJ:Long Beach has changed a lot since you have been out here. I was driving down Ocean Boulevard to work and saw the marquee that said Brian Regan is coming to town and almost lost control of my car. I am a huge fan and my friends have put in your DVD many times. I’m honored to have the privilege to interview you.
Thank you, I appreciate that.

AJ:Let me change the subject to your family. Are you from a large family?
Yes, eight kids.

AJ: And where do you rank in there?
I was raised out in the back in a tent... No, actually, I was number 4 – the middle child. But if you know anything about math, it is impossible for the number 4 to be the middle of 8. I claim to be the middle child who was bad at math!

AJ: I see from your Web site that you have a brother who is a comedian as well. How many comedians are in your family?
We are all comedians!
No, actually my brother Dennis works as a comedian as well. He is a bit older than me, but he started doing stand-up after I had already started and for the last few years he wrote for the “King of Queens” TV show. He is really good and has done a few Letterman shows himself. Maybe because I have been doing it longer, I have a bigger following, but anyone who knows me knows of my brother. He is a very good writer.

AJ: Do you write any TV shows?
I used to write for the Jim Lehrer news hour. I used to write funny lines for the show, but now stay focused on my stand-up tour.

AJ: What was your inspiration to become a comic? Were you just a funny guy and loved to make people laugh?
I did not think about becoming a comedian until I was in college. I went to college thinking I was going to be an accountant. My dad was an accountant and though I can realize that 4 is not the middle of 8 — I was actually pretty good at math. Then I took speech class during my sophomore year and then I started looking forward to giving these five-minute speeches all the time that made everyone laugh. I started thinking I could make a living doing this. It became clear to me in my last year of college — that was what I really wanted to do. Also, I had a lot of trouble getting out of bed to go to class and didn’t do well in job interviews either.

AJ: You’re great at improvisation. What preparation do you go through?
It’s my life experiences. I might see it on TV or just think it up. I try to pay attention to what’s going on around me. If I read about something, I don’t know how or why it pops out as a joke to me, but it does and I jot that down. I try to group common topics.

AJ: Do you or did you have a mentor(s)?
There were always people in the industry that I liked and admired. Steve Martin, for instance, is one of them, but I did not necessarily pattern myself after him. I liked him when I was thinking about being an accountant. The truth is I started to make my way back in the day before cable and the Internet, so I had not seen that many comics firsthand. So with that said, I am hoping my act comes off as “unique!”

AJ: It definitely does. Are you married?
Yes. I am and I have two kids. We live in Las Vegas. I do a lot of gigs, but I am actually home with my family more than I am on the road. I am a family man more than anything else. Most people don’t know that side of me, but I love being a husband and a daddy.

AJ: That is wonderful. Family is important to me as well. How often are you away?
My goal is to work every other weekend on the road. I do a weekend, then I go home Monday, and I’m home that whole week and weekend. I hear people in show business say it all the time, “If I had it to do all over again, I would have spent less time working and more time at home with family.” I have never heard anyone say it the other way around, so when our first child was born, I committed a schedule for family. It’s nice to be home watching your son take his first step instead of hearing about it in a club called Tiki’s.

AJ: What advice do you have for the up and comers trying to get into the industry?
To get through the tough and struggling times, you must have the passion thing going. It’s that 100-percent passion thing because you have to pay your dues. I loved doing comedy so much I was willing to pay the dues. I used to have three or four cars that eventually exploded on me in the middle of nowhere. I would buy 30-day bus passes and once stayed on a Greyhound bus for 24 hours. When you would show up at your gig, they would put you in a comedy condo with seven other comics with no privacy. You have to get beyond that stuff and believe that you’re good enough. Little by little, your life becomes more comfortable.

AJ: Do you like to read? What’s in your library?
I do not read as much as I should and even made it a New Year’s resolution to read more. Two books I have read this year are “The Frank Zappa Book” by Frank Zappa and “Treasure Island.” It was difficult because it was in the old English version and it took me a month to get through it, only to find I was reading a children’s book.

AJ: One of your best comedy bits in my opinion is the “invention of the ironing board.” I am amazed at how you can make simple things so dang funny.
It is because my comedy is about some of the most mundane, everyday topics that we can all relate to.

AJ: What’s coming for the audience in Long Beach?
The majority of my act is stuff I have been doing for the last three years, and if I have extra time or come back out, I will do some older stuff.

AJ: Thank you for your time, Brian. I look forward to the show!
Thank you.

Comedian Brian Regan will be appearing at the Terrace Theater/Long Beach Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 20, as part of his “You Too Tour.” A presentation of Live Nation, the performance will begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now at all TicketMaster locations and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office. All tickets are $37.50.