Avenue G

Steve Martin reflects on his life -- Picture courtesy of Scribner

by blogSpotter
I'm almost finished listening to Steve Martin's memoir "Born Standing Up". Given Martin's driven, extroverted nature the title is nearly an accurate statement. From the time Martin was in a 2nd grade school play, he craved the spotlight and performing in front of big crowds. Martin says that he was shy under normal circumstances, but audiences didn’t bother him. Other disclosures about Martin's early life were not all that exciting. His parents were Glenn, a real estate agent and Mary Lee, a housewife. He was born in Waco but the family moved to Garden Grove California shortly thereafter. Martin revealed that his father was fairly cold and distant and they had a strained relationship.

Martin worked as a teen at the Disney Magic Shop, selling magic kits. Later, he worked at the Bird Cage in Knott's Berry Farm doing a magic act that he'd developed while selling the kits. Early on, Martin wanted to be a serious magician or maybe even a singer. His singing career was blunted in elementary school -- Martin sang "America the Beautiful" for his mother and she laughed so hard that she cried. In his magic act, Martin noticed that people laughed at his comic asides and that he almost got a better audience reaction if the magic trick failed. Gradually, Martin came to see that his gift was with quirky comic irony, and not with magic. His actual emergence into comedy was slow and winding process over the 10 years following high school.

Martin studied philosophy and theater, first at California State and then at UCLA. He never completed a degree since his performing career intervened. He started out with a beard and scruffy clothes, doing left-wing political humor. By his mid-20's, he decided that the political humor was passé and limiting -- he left it completely behind. He honed a more conservative image with a 3-piece white gabardine suit and short haircut. Martin says that he was honoring the advice of an experienced club manager: "Always dress better than your audience".

Martin supplemented his meager stand-up income by working as a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers, The Glenn Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. He landed 16 appearances on The Tonight Show; he was crest-fallen when he heard through the grapevine that Carson thought his humor was too silly. For several of the Tonight Show appearances, Martin was only allowed to appear when there was a guest host. Carson later came around to liking Martin's humor (by the mid 1970's) and actually boosted his career at that point.

Martin tried recreational substances on a couple of occasions, had bad reactions and never touched them again. He actually experienced repeated anxiety attacks as the result of one dalliance with amyl nitrate. He also was a very light drinker, not liking how even one drink could affect his performance. There are details to his biography that will make one envious. He knew the Eagles as they were forming their group -- even offered feedback on the group's name ("Eagles" vs "The Eagles"). He dated Linda Ronstadt at the height of her popularity and he even had Fleetwood Mac as his opening act when he first started to headline at nightclubs.

Martin's personal life has been pretty stable and undramatic, considering the turmoil of his comic persona. He's had two marriages (Victoria Tennant 1986-1994) and Anne Stringfield (2007-present). He dabbles in art and actually has a very serious side to him.

Before signing off, here is some background on his trademark slogans and tactics:
• I'm a wild and crazy guy -- he would go into the routine when his act was bombing; it frequently brought everyone back around.
• Well excuuuse me -- the finale to an act where he told the camera man before the show to ignore his pleas for a spotlight. (very big laugh-getter).
• Arrow-through-head prop -- Part of Martin's act from the beginning; a couple of club owners who didn't get his humor told him to lose it.

The memoir deals mostly with Martin's early career, although his first stint on Saturday Night Live is mentioned (along with the rock star following that resulted). All told, Steve Martin has had a terrific career and life. Someone this complex, brilliant and driven should expect nothing less.

© 2008 blogSpotter

Labels: Book Reviews