Comedian Dave Dugan gears up for roundabout laps, stand-up milestone

Traffic roundabouts had yet to arrive as a defining trait of Carmel when Dave Dugan grew up in the Indianapolis suburb.

But the comedian is now so accustomed to circular intersections he's forgotten how to navigate anything else.

“When I see a four-way stop coming up, I shut my eyes, floor it and take my chances,” Dugan says in his stand-up act.

Known to "Bob & Tom Show" listeners as mean-spirited Bart McCallister, Dugan also jokes about enjoying the roundabout experience:

"If I’m having a pretty good time, I’ll stay on — sometimes up to half an hour. By Lap 40 I have my shirt off and I’m howling like a wolf."

Friday morning will present a chance for life to imitate art when Dugan attempts to set a record for executing roundabout laps at Carmel's Jackson Circle-Horseferry Road intersection.

Dugan will drive in circles beginning at 9 a.m. to raise funds for Cancer Support Community Central Indiana. In 2015, Carmel resident Oran Sands was recognized by RecordSetter.com in the category of “Longest Time Driving in a Roundabout” (3 hours, 34 minutes, 33.24 seconds).

Dugan's Groundhog Day try coincides with a run of 35th-anniversary performances at Crackers Comedy Club. Dugan will headline five shows Thursday through Saturday.

Doug Jones: Indy native is leading man of Oscars’ most-nominated film

Ms. Pat: Plainfield comic writes book on harrowing, hilarious life

Indianapolis concerts: 52 buzzworthy shows for 2018

Stand-up start

Dugan launched his stand-up career in July 1982 at the original Crackers near the intersection of Broad Ripple and College avenues. His onstage work signaled a transition from on-air radio gigs. "I was always real picky about the music," Dugan said of his DJ days. "I think it lost me a couple of jobs, honestly. I wouldn’t always be very good about following the format as tight as some would like."

Crackers opened about two months before Dugan's debut. In the club's first year of business, headliners included Jay Leno, Garry Shandling and Bob Saget. "Right out of the gate, it seemed like people were so into it and the shows were almost always full," Dugan said. "It was kind of the start of the comedy boom." Dugan planned to mark his 35th anniversary with October 2017 shows at Crackers in Broad Ripple, but the club closed a week before his dates.

West Coast wit

Dugan moved to Los Angeles to cultivate his stand-up career from 1985 to 1992. Fellow Indiana native Axl Rose co-founded Guns N' Roses in Los Angeles in 1985, but Dugan downplays any parallels. "I think the only thing I have in common with Axl Rose is how long it takes me to put a CD together," said Dugan, who issued his "Dugans Aren't Losers" album in 2017. It followed his 2008 debut, "You're Killing Your Daddy."

The Comedy Store, a Sunset Boulevard fixture known for bold '80s acts Sam Kinison, Roseanne Barr and Andrew "Dice" Clay," is where Dugan worked three to four nights a week for $25 an appearance. He made ends meet by recording voice-over promo ads for an L.A. TV station.

In the spotlight

Dugan recalls going onstage after stand-up icon Richard Pryor dropped by the Comedy Store to work on new material. “It was probably one of the best sets I had," Dugan said. "He got the audience to listen. He really engaged them. It sets it up nice.” Dugan's stature rose through an appearance on Dick Clark's Saturday-night variety show, "Nitetime," as well as two performances on the original "Arsenio Hall Show." “You do a few of those things and it gives you a little more drive," Dugan said.

The life

After returning to Indianapolis in 1992, Dugan became part of the "Bob & Tom" cast. Beginning in 1994, he hosted Sunday morning's "The Hangover Cafe" for more than a decade to spotlight underground rock on radio station WRZX-FM (103.3). Today, his professional life is a mix of corporate events, public stand-up and voice-over work. “It’s a week-to-week paycheck," he said. "There’s no guarantee. That used to not bother me at all. Now, at my age with two teenage kids, it feels a little challenging sometimes.” When asked about his age, Dugan said, "Younger than Bill Belichick, but too old to wear a hoodie."

Skewed views

Dugan's perspective on life remains bone dry and off-kilter. Self-deprecation becomes art when delivered in his deep voice and deadpan cadence. "Our whole family revolved around humor," Dugan said of his childhood. "A lot of it was about making light of situations. But it doesn’t mean that we weren’t pretty miserable during whatever we were going through. I think life would be impossible without humor, actually."

Dave Dugan

>> WHEN: 8 p.m. Feb. 1, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Feb. 2-3.

>> WHERE: Crackers Comedy Club, 207 N. Delaware St.

>> TICKETS: $13.50 to $23.50.

>> INFO: Visit CrackersComedy.com, or call (317) 631-3536.

Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.