Comedian Regan knows his audience

March 5, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

During comedian Brian Regan’s appearance two years ago on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” on which he’s appeared more than 25 times over the years, the funnyman told a humorous story about line-cutting at an amusement park.

Included in the decidedly clean yarn were humorous elements to which all families could relate; however, the entire joke was sewn together with surgical precision using a middle-aged comic thread. Basically, Regan, 56, spoke to other minivan driving dads like Taylor Swift speaks to tweeners.

Now the Florida native, who attended Heidelberg College in the late ’70s, returns to the Buckeye State for a March 12 show at Stambaugh Auditorium.

The Vindicator talked to Regan about his college memories, therapeutic material for dads and keeping his fans properly fed with laughter.

Q. As far as Heidelberg College, how often do you return?

A. I get back there from time to time. I did a charity show there a few years ago, which was kind of cool. But it’s not on a normal interstate grid so it’s not a place you happen upon. You specifically have to want to go there. Maybe every few years I’ll see the campus.

Q. So how long until there’s a statue of Brian Regan on campus?

A. I don’t know. I try to be a good alum and do my charitable donations from time to time, but I don’t think I’m at a point where anybody is going to build a statue. I might get a doorknob or something.

Q. Considering your ties to Heidelberg College, when you perform in the Buckeye State do people come out of the woodwork looking for tickets or backstage passes?

A. It’s always cool. The closer I am to Ohio, the more notes I get backstage. Anytime anyone puts the name Rip on there, I know it’s a Heidelberg classmate because my nickname in college was Rip for Rip Van Winkle, because I used to sleep all the time. In fact, I don’t think anybody in college knew my name was Brian. So if I get a note going, “Hey Rip, we’re out here in the audience,” I know it’s a Heidelberg connection.

Q. Uh-oh! Now you’ve let out the secret. You’re going to have zealous fans and stalkers sending you notes backstage.

A. Right, but what if I’m throwing that out as a red herring? Then I’ll know I don’t want to talk to anybody who puts the name Rip down, because I’ll know it’s a lie.

Q. Wow, you’re a genius. One thing that’s not a lie is how your material — whether it’s feeling emasculated in front of your family, or losing your hearing — speaks directly to the middle-aged male experience.

A. I’m glad to hear it. That’s cool. I appreciate it. That’s a nice compliment. I think that’s sort of — not to get too scientific about it — the fun in comedy: to try to convey information, human experience information with others through some laughs. It’s nice to hear when it works every now and then. But I try to throw a wide enough net where it’s just more about the human experience. [Pauses] I don’t know why I just thought about this, but I want to be like one of those dogs laying on its side where you want all of the puppies to have access. [Laughing] I have no idea why that popped into my head, but if there are 10 puppies, I want all of them to have something to drink.