Omar Regan

Omar Regan
Birth name Omar Laquon Regan
Born (1975-06-12) June 12, 1975
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Medium Stand-up, Film
Nationality American
Years active 1999–present
Genres Observational comedy, Impressions, Musical comedy, Documentary, Sketch comedy
Subject(s) Islamic humour
Website www.omarregan.com

Omar Laquon Regan (born June 12, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and former musician.

Early life

Regan was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States[1] and was raised in Highland Park, Michigan to African American parents. Regan did not know his biological father. When he was five years old, his mother, Toya Monet Regan (born 1952), converted to Islam from Christianity, and married Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah[2] (born Christopher Thomas in 1956).[3] Subsequently Regan was raised as a Muslim.[2]

Music career

Regan started his career as a musician and started writing songs at the age of nine. He formed the group S.O.A (Servants of Allah) with his brother at the age of 11 and performed their first show at the age of 12. They opened for artists including Redman, Method Man, Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One, Royce da 5'9", Proof, and Eminem.

In 1999, they were offered a single record deal with Tommy Boy Records but turned it down in hope of a better contract. However, no deal was made and the brothers focused on solo careers.[4]

Stand up career

At the age of 19, Regan moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and acting.[5] In November 1999, while auditioning for different film roles, he first performed stand-up comedy at local Detroit comedy clubs.

In 2005, Regan was on the main stage at The World Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood and got the attention of talents scouts, soon after he appeared on E!'s reality series, Fight for Fame. He won and signed a year theatrical contract with Hollywood agency ACME Talent Agency.[6] The new show did not get picked up for a second season and a year later and Regan was representing himself once again.

He is a regular performer in "FUNATICAL: Taking Comedy to the Extreme's We Come in Peace" tour.[7] He has performed stand up at events across the world including the Global Peace and Unity Event in London,[8] MuslimFest in Ontario,[9] and Mercy Mission's Twins of Faith Conference.[10]

Acting career

Regan is most known for doubling Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 2. He has since appeared in films including Internet Dating and Life is Hot in Cracktown.[11]

He also co-founded a production company called BaniAdam Productions.[12][13]

In 2015, he starred alongside Baba Ali in the film American Sharia as part of his Halalywood project.[5][14][15]

Other activities

Regan is a member of the Canadian Dawah Association as a Program Developer for Celebrity Relations.[16]

Regan also works as a motivational and public speaker, delivering his talk entitled "From Hollywood To Hajj".[17] He visits schools and conducts family counseling and marriage workshops.[4]

Comedy style

The Islamic World International Conference states that Regan uses entertainment and humor to promote tolerance and diversity, and aims to build bridges across racial, religious, and social divides.[1]

Personal life

Regan got married at the age of 17 and got married again at the age of 19, he has three children from his first two marriages.[2][16] At the age of 20, Regan divorced both his wives. In 1999, Regan left Detroit for California.[13] Regan described this "as a very hard and an expensive move and slept at Grand Central bus station for some nights or sometimes there were friends in the same acting boat as me, so they would share their floor with me."[18] He raised his three children alone for four and a half years in a one bedroom apartment in Hollywood.[13]

Since 2003, Regan has lived in Los Angeles, California.[17] In December 2007[19] and 2008, Regan performed Hajj (the largest Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia).[20]

On October 28, 2009, Regan's step-father Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah, 53, Imam and prayer leader of Masjid Al-Haqq in Detroit, was shot twenty times and killed during an FBI raid of a warehouse in Dearborn, Michigan. Along with 10 other men, he was suspected of charges that included conspiracy to sell stolen goods, illegal possession and sale of firearms, mail fraud and altering numbers on license plates.[3][21][22][23][24][25][26] Regan publicly denounced the government's actions.[5]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Black Superman Carl
2008 Internet Dating Ben
2009 Life Is Hot in Cracktown Cremont
2011 Strongmen Alex Ross
2013 Five Thirteen Omar
2014 Crossroads Cat Daddy
American Sharia Mohammed

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Omar Regan". Islamic World International Conference. January 14, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "My Journey - By Brother Omar Regan". Splitmoon Productions. January 28, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Egan, Paul; Oralandar, Brand-Williams (October 29, 2009). "Detroit mosque leader killed in FBI raid". Detroit: The Detroit News. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Omar Regan". StandUpLive :: Comedians. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Hijazi, Samer (July 3, 2014). "'Halalywood' comes to metro Detroit with film production of "American Sharia"". The Arab American News. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Omar Regan". Improv.com. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Comedians". Funatical - Taking Comedy to the Extreme!. Retrieved September 4, 2011. Omar Regan
  8. ↑ "Artist & Performers". Global Peace & Unity Event 2010. October 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2011. Omar Regan
  9. ↑ "Omar Regan". MuslimFest. July 23, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Omar Regan News". Omar Regan. 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Omar Regan". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  12. ↑ "BaniAdam Productions". June 2, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 "Omar Regan 'From Hollywood to Hajj' at Sydney University". fazzamin. May 3, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  14. ↑ ""AMERICAN SHARIA" by Omar Regan — Kickstarter". Kick Starter. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  15. ↑ Hadzic, Aldin (January 11, 2014). "American Sharia & Halalywood (Trailer)". Taqwa Magazine. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Omar Regan". CDA Dawah. April 23, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  17. 1 2 Azhar, Hamdan (November 5, 2009). "Death of a Detroit Imam Leaves Many Questions Unanswered". New York: The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  18. ↑ Malik, Aneesa (February 16, 2015). "American Sharia- Coming to a screen near you!". Asian World News. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  19. ↑ Khan, Aalia (January 26, 2015). "American Sharia – Muslim comedy film of the year". Asian Sunday Newspaper. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  20. ↑ "From Hollywood to Hajj - 6 Dec 2008". Al Jazeera English. December 6, 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Azhar, Hamdan (March 14, 2010). "21 Shots and the Pursuit of Justice: An Imam Dies in Michigan". New York: The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  22. ↑ Laird, Heather (October 30, 2009). "Imam Luqman Abdullah killing: Condemn that which is condemnable". altmuslim. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  23. ↑ Saulny, Susan (October 30, 2009). "Prayers and Criticism in Wake of Detroit Imam's Killing by F..I.". New York: The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  24. ↑ Abdullah, Aslam (November 5, 2009). "Why Was Imam Luqman Killed?". The Muslim Observer. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  25. ↑ Mahmoud, Tahir (November 2009). "FBI death squads kill Imam Luqman Abdullah after two years of spying with agent-provocateurs". Crescent International. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  26. ↑ Bukowski, Diane (April 10, 2010). "Cox exonerates FBI in Imam Luqman Abdullah's murder". Detroit: Voice of Detroit. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
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