Omar Regan

Regan was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States{{cite web |url=http://www.islamicconference.org/artist-panel/omar-regan/|title=Omar Regan|publisher=Islamic World International Conference|date=January 14, 2011|access-date=September 4, 2011}} 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 Iman Lufman Ayman Abdullahi{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yudmL8hey8|title=My Journey - By Brother Omar Regan|publisher=Splitmoon Productions|date=January 28, 2012|access-date=February 1, 2013}} (born Christopher Thomas in 1956).{{cite news |last1=Egan|first1=Paul|last2=Oralandar|first2=Brand-Williams|url=http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20091029/METRO01/910290448|title=Detroit mosque leader killed in FBI raid|location=Detroit|newspaper=The Detroit News|date=October 29, 2009|access-date=February 1, 2013}} Subsequently, Regan was raised as a Muslim.

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.{{cite web |url=http://standuplive.com/comedian.cfm?id=2481|title= Omar Regan|publisher=StandUpLive :: Comedians|access-date=September 4, 2011}}

At the age of 19, Regan moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and acting.{{cite news|last=Hijazi|first=Samer|url=http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/news/id_9027/Halalywood-comes-to-metro-Detroit-with-film-production-of-%22American-Sharia%22.html|title='Halalywood' comes to metro Detroit with film production of "American Sharia"|newspaper=The Arab American News|date=July 3, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201021714/http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/news/id_9027/Halalywood-comes-to-metro-Detroit-with-film-production-of-%22American-Sharia%22.html|archive-date=February 1, 2015}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.improv.com/Comedian/Omar-Regan|title=Omar Regan|publisher=Improv.com|access-date=September 4, 2011}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.funaticalcomedy.com/comedians.php#c3|title=Comedians|publisher=Funatical - Taking Comedy to the Extreme!|access-date=September 4, 2011}} Omar Regan He has performed stand up at events across the world including the Global Peace and Unity Event in London,{{cite web|url=http://www.theglobalunity.com/10/conference/artists-a-performers|title=Artist & Performers|publisher=Global Peace & Unity Event 2010|date=October 2010|access-date=September 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903052739/http://www.theglobalunity.com/10/conference/artists-a-performers|archive-date=September 3, 2011|url-status=dead}} Omar Regan MuslimFest in Ontario,{{cite web |url=http://www.muslimfest.com/artists/omar-regan/|title=Omar Regan|publisher=MuslimFest|date=July 23, 2011|access-date=September 4, 2011}} and Mercy Mission's Twins of Faith Conference.{{cite web |url=http://www.omarregan.com/news.asp?ID=49|title=Omar Regan News|publisher=Omar Regan|year=2012|access-date=February 1, 2013}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omar-regan#|title=Omar Regan|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=September 4, 2011}}

He also co-founded a production company called BaniAdam Productions.{{cite web |url=http://baniadamproductions.com/adam/|title=BaniAdam Productions|date=June 2, 2010|access-date=September 4, 2011}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDSmLRlxDSU|title=Omar Regan 'From Hollywood to Hajj' at Sydney University|publisher=fazzamin|date=May 3, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2013}}

In 2015, he starred alongside Baba Ali in the film American Sharia as part of his Halalywood project.{{cite web |url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/americansharia/american-sharia|title="AMERICAN SHARIA" by Omar Regan — Kickstarter|publisher=Kick Starter|access-date=February 1, 2014}}{{cite news|last=Hadzic|first=Aldin|url=http://www.taqwamagazine.com/american-sharia-halalywood-trailer/|title=American Sharia & Halalywood (Trailer)|publisher=Taqwa Magazine|date=January 11, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201082754/http://taqwamagazine.com/american-sharia-halalywood-trailer/|archive-date=February 1, 2014|url-status=dead}}

Regan is a member of the Canadian Dawah Association as a Program Developer for Celebrity Relations.{{cite web |url=http://www.cdadawah.com/?p=240|title=Omar Regan|publisher=CDA Dawah|date=April 23, 2009|access-date=September 4, 2011}}

Regan also works as a motivational and public speaker, delivering his talk entitled "From Hollywood To Hajj".{{cite news |last=Azhar|first=Hamdan|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hamdan-a-yousuf/death-of-a-detroit-imam-l_b_346633.html|title=Death of a Detroit Imam Leaves Many Questions Unanswered|location=New York|work=The Huffington Post|date=November 5, 2009|access-date=February 1, 2013}} He visits schools and conducts family counseling and marriage workshops.

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.

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. At the age of 20, Regan divorced both his wives. In 1999, Regan left Detroit for California. 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."{{cite news |last=Malik|first=Aneesa|url=http://www.asianworldnews.co.uk/interviews/american-sharia-coming-to-a-screen-near-you/|title=American Sharia- Coming to a screen near you!|publisher=Asian World News|date=February 16, 2015|access-date=June 1, 2015}} He raised his three children alone for four and a half years in a one bedroom apartment in Hollywood.

Since 2003, Regan has lived in Los Angeles, California. In December 2007{{cite news |last=Khan|first=Aalia|url=http://www.asiansunday.co.uk/american-sharia/|title=American Sharia – Muslim comedy film of the year|publisher=Asian Sunday Newspaper|date=January 26, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2015}} and 2008, Regan performed Hajj (the largest Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia).{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epjNnT9K_E|title=From Hollywood to Hajj - 6 Dec 2008|publisher=Al Jazeera English|date=December 6, 2008|access-date=1 February 2013}}

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.{{cite news |last=Azhar|first=Hamdan|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hamdan-a-yousuf/21-shots-and-the-pursuit_b_497689.html|title=21 Shots and the Pursuit of Justice: An Imam Dies in Michigan|location=New York|work=The Huffington Post|date=March 14, 2010|access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Laird|first=Heather|url=http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/3370|title=Imam Luqman Abdullah killing: Condemn that which is condemnable|publisher=altmuslim|date=October 30, 2009|access-date=September 4, 2011}}{{cite news |last=Saulny|first=Susan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/31dearborn.html?_r=0|title=Prayers and Criticism in Wake of Detroit Imam's Killing by F..I.|location=New York|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 30, 2009|access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Abdullah|first=Aslam|url=http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=5279|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202100757/http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=5279|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 2, 2014|title=Why Was Imam Luqman Killed?|publisher=The Muslim Observer|date=November 5, 2009|access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Mahmoud|first=Tahir|url=http://www.crescent-online.net/2009/11/fbi-death-squads-kill-imam-luqman-abdullah-after-two-years-of-spying-with-agent-provocateurs-tahir-mahmoud-2360-articles.html|title=FBI death squads kill Imam Luqman Abdullah after two years of spying with agent-provocateurs|publisher=Crescent International|date=November 2009|access-date=February 1, 2013}}{{cite news |last=Bukowski|first=Diane|url=http://voiceofdetroit.net/2010/10/04/cox-exonerates-fbi-in-imam-luqman-abdullah%E2%80%99s-murder/|title=Cox exonerates FBI in Imam Luqman Abdullah's murder|location=Detroit|publisher=Voice of Detroit|date=April 10, 2010|access-date=February 1, 2013}} Regan publicly denounced the government's actions.

• African American
• Islamic humour
• Lists of African Americans
• List of American Muslims

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Official website|http://www.omarregan.com/index.html}}
• {{IMDb name|2583791}}
• [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omar-regan# Omar Regan] on The Huffington Post
• [http://www.laughstub.com/omar-regan Omar Regan] on Laugh Stub
• [http://www.suhaibwebb.com/society/domestic-affairs/an-interview-with-omar-regan/ An Interview with Omar Regan]. SuhaibWebb.com. December 8, 2009

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Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American Muslims

Category:Converts to Islam

Category:21st-century African-American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:African-American male comedians

Category:African-American comedians

Category:American male comedians

Category:American stand-up comedians

Category:American impressionists (entertainers)

Category:Muslim male comedians

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Category:American male singers

Category:American motivational speakers

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Category:Film directors from Michigan

Category:Male actors from Detroit

Category:Screenwriters from Michigan

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:21st-century American singers

Category:Muslims from Michigan

Category:Comedians from Detroit