On DVD: Brian Regan: Standing Up

Directed by Troy Miller

Starring: Brian Regan

After a hard day at work, I was looking forward to giving this a spin in the old DVD player. Brian Regan: Standing Up was recently released on DVD by Comedy Central.

The Program

Loud was the first thing that came to mind when Brian started his routine. I guess I was expecting someone more sedate, but looking at the cover on the DVD I have no idea why.  Not the first time I have had inappropriate expectations.

Brian hits the standard standup topics; traffic, flying, Kennedy’s, but then he throws in stuff about greeting cards, butterflies and The Antiques Road Show. Even when he's talking about losing his luggage it's still original and funny, but when he gets off on topics that haven't been covered by anybody who's picked up a microphone, like children's books, fake bird calls and fig newtons he's at his best.

His topics tend to be broad and his delivery style is loud and frat boyish. I truthfully wasn't expecting much when we came on the stage and started his routine. He has a tendency to kind of fade out of little go nothing one liners with a kind of guttural “blahh-arrg-murrf”, and he does this stupid guy shtick, but his material is not just the lowest common denominator stuff. It's somewhere between Jay Leno and David Letterman if that makes any sense. It's observational humor, with a touch of mania. Not stupid, but nothing that you have to think to hard about. Good unpretentious, “come down after work” standup.

Some unique items worth mentioning. While he does have a bit of material about his kid, there is no relationship stuff. I don't have a problem with relationship humor but thought it was interesting that he choose to leave such a staple of standup routines completely out of his act.   His jabs at politics and politicians are remarkably politics free which is refreshing and also time proofs his act at the same time.  He does have some fun at the Kennedy family's expense but it's really pretty tame and Kennedy jokes are timeless anyway. His act is clean, I didn't realize it until I was looking at the DVD box and wondering what “14A” meant. It's a Canadian Home Video rating system. I assume that means it's for 14 year olds and above, I don't really care enough to look it up. Remember this is coming from someone without kids but frankly I don't know what was in there to limit it to 14 year olds. It's really tempting to make a Canadian joke here but I'll let it lie.

7/10

The Video

The DVD is in widescreen format, it's a nice crisp transfer. It's just stand up so there's not a lot of variation in the overall presentation but what's here looks good, like a standard television program presentation.  There's a bit of grain and the detail could be a little higher but colors look great.

7/10

The Audio

There is only one audio channel, it's in Dolby Digital Stereo, English only and no subtitles. There's not much there, but what's there is of solid quality.

6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features

There's an encore of about 10 minutes to the main feature. And a Comedy Central Presents Brian Regan that runs about twenty minutes.  The DVD comes in a standard DVD box with a nice cover, it looks like there ought to be a Sergio Aragones cartoon poking around somewhere. Again not much there but what's there is of solid quality.

6/10

Overall (Not an Average) 6/10

This is a funny DVD, I enjoyed it, but there is less than an hour and a half of material here. If there was more here it would be a much more tempting buy.

Mike Young

The Program 7/10

The Video 7/10

The Audio 6/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 6/10

Overall (Not an Average) 6/10

-Mike Young