Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
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At age 10, Steve Martin got a job selling guidebooks at the newly opened Disneyland. In the decade that followed, he worked in Disney's magic shop, print shop, and theater, and developed his own magic/comedy act. By age 20, studying poetry and philosophy on the side, he was performing a dozen times a week, most often at the Disney rival, Knott's Berry Farm. Obsession is a substitute for talent, he has said, and Steve Martin's focus and daring--his sheer tenacity--are truly stunning. He writes about making the very tough decision to sacrifice everything not original in his act, and about lucking into a job writing for The Smothers Brothers Show. He writes about mentors, girlfriends, his complex relationship with his parents and sister, and about some of his great peers in comedy--Dan Ackroyd, Lorne Michaels, Carl Reiner, Johnny Carson. He writes about fear, anxiety and loneliness. And he writes about how he figured out what worked on stage.
This book is a memoir, but it is also an illuminating guidebook to stand-up from one of our two or three greatest comedians. Though Martin is reticent about his personal life, he is also stunningly deft, and manages to give readers a feeling of intimacy and candor. Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs collected by Martin, this book is instantly compelling visually and a spectacularly good read. On Meeting Diane Hall On the Kennedy Assassination I drove across town to Knott's and punched radio buttons. I could hear the scheduled programs clicking off and being replaced by live broadcasts. Assassination seemed so ancient and inconceivable, I was sure that someone would soon correct the erroneous report. President Kennedy died that day and I didn't know that news could be taken so personally by a nation. Sitting backstage, watching the Birdcage's black-and-white TV drone out the increasingly grave report, we were all mute. We assumed the performance that night would be canceled, but as show time neared, word came down that we were going on. We couldn't fathom why; we believed no one would show up, much less enjoy us. I still can't explain the psychology, why the very full house that night was able to roar with laughter. The obvious must be correct: our silly show was providing some kind of balm that soothed the ache. In 2003 I hosted the Oscars on the particular weekend that the United States invaded Iraq. The news was grim and just hours before the show I flipped on the TV and saw a report, subsequently proven false, that our captive soldiers were being beheaded. I quickly turned the TV off, sick. I knew, from my experience forty years earlier with the Kennedy assassination, what my job was, and I harbored a secret knowledge that the audience would laugh. I also felt that soldiers who might be watching would be tuning in to see the Oscars and all its hoopla, not a cheerless comedian doing what he doesn't do best. I decided to acknowledge the circumstances early in the show and then get on with the jokes. The academy had announced that the show would "cut back on the glitz." I walked out for the opening monologue, took a look around the stage at the dazzling, swirling staircases, mirrored curtains and polished floor, and simply said, "I'm glad they cut back on the glitz." It got a laugh of relief and the show could go on.
Praise for Born Standing Up "[A] lean, incisive new book about the trajectory of [Martin's] life in comedy...Born Standing Up does a sharp-witted job of breaking down the step-by-step process that brought Steve Martin from Disneyland, where he spent his version of a Dickensian childhood as a schoolboy employee, to both the pinnacle of stardom and the brink of disaster...tightly focused...Born Standing Up is a surprising book: smart, serious, heartfelt and confessional without being maudlin." --Janet Maslin, The New York Times "Absolutely magnificent. One of the best books about comedy and being a comedian ever written." --Jerry Seinfeld, GQ "The writing is evocative, unflinching and cool. When Martin takes a scalpel to his life, what you feel is the precision of the surgeon more than the primal scream of the unanaesthetized patient...Born Standing Up is neither fanfare nor confession. It gives off a vibe of rigorous honesty. With lots of laughs." --Richard Corliss, Time Magazine "A spare, unexpectedly resonant remembrance of things past…Martin's one true subject is the evolution of his comedy--the transcendent moments...A smart, gentlemanly, modest book…winning." --Jeff Giles, Entertainment Weekly, EW Pick: A "A charming memoir tracking what the great comic characterizes as his 'war years.' Martin offers an eloquent and exacting account... [and] approaches his subjects with generosity, warmth and integrity." --Kirkus Reviews "Sure to delight fans and create new ones." --Laura Mathews, Good Housekeeping "What fun to discover the humble beginnings of some of his iconic personas...inspiring." --Rachel Rosenblit, Elle "The archetypical story of the underdog's rise and a particularly American story...beautifully written, honest, engaging, and quietly brave." --Frederic Tuten, Bomb Magazine "Son, you have an ob-leek sense of humor." --Elvis Presley
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| 07-03-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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Steve Martin has written a surprisingly sad look back at his life that glosses over most of the major things he is known for while focusing on his dysfuncational family, his inabilities with women and his bad relationship with his father. The book is not very funny, a bit depressing and not as revealing as you would hope an autobiography would be.
The book is very short--at 200 double-spaced pages it takes only a couple hours to read--and the first half of the book is devoted to his life to age 22. He then quickly goes through his early TV years without really telling any stories about the famous people he worked with, then doesn't get to his movie career until 20 pages before the end. He doesn't mention his marriage--but doesn't once alude to his divorce. And doesn't mention anything about family except his distant parents and sister. It sounds like he just look through some old scrapbooks and started writing his minimal recollections of what happened 40 to 50 years ago. There aren't a lot of details and little insight into how he developed his comedy. Jerry Seinfeld writes on the back cover that it's "One of the best books about comedy and being a comedian ever written," but that is so far from the truth that it's doubtful that Seinfeld even read the book. There are a few interesting tidbits--like his continued crush on his first girlfriend, who turns out to be Christian prayer book author Stormie Omartian. And some of the photos in the book are great inclusions. Plus Martin opens up about his serious anxiety disorder, which leads him to come across as aloof when he is being interviewed on talk shows. But this is not a book about his entire career--it's a book about his recollections of being a stand-up comedian decades ago, so there is almost nothing in it from the past 30 years. If you are looking for inside stories about Saturday Night Live or Sonny & Cher or his movie successes you won't find them here--just a rather sad story of a man who never really got his dad's approval, who concludes that true comedy is really very serious. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-05 01:46:47 EST)
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| 06-28-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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this book was a delight, a fascinating look at the way Martin developed his craft. For anyone who loves comedy or anyone who does public speaking it is a great primer.
Martin is a gifted writer and observer of life, and this book reflects both of those gifts (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-04 03:49:40 EST)
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| 06-12-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A 2008 Summer Reading List Mini Review.
Comedy, Steve Martin, once surmised, is not pretty. I just finished listening to his memoir Born Standing up: A Comic's Life and I must beg to differ. May I please differ? Please oh please could I differ? I haven't differed in such a long time. May I please have your permission to differ? (That's me, begging) Well no one said anything, so I am going to differ. Steve Martin made comedy pretty. As the premiere stand up comic of the late 70's early eighties, he made being funny an art form. It does not surprise me that he is an avid art collector. Martin does an excellent job of describing his life and the part he played in the comic landscape of the sixties and beyond. Listening to his book was a revelation. Martin does an excellent job of describing his life and the part he played in the comic landscape of the sixties and beyond. If you have not yet read his book yet, I would highly recommend listening to it. Instead of reading as he describes his routines, I actually was able to hear him perform some of them. And if you don't like listening to books? Well, in the words of Steve Martin: excuse me! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-29 00:18:02 EST)
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| 06-10-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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In this book, Steve Martin writes about his former career as a stand-up comedian. He struggled for many years before he finally made it big and quit at the height of his popularity. He details all the highs and lows of his on stage career in a very entertaining style. If you are a Steve Martin fan, you will definitely enjoy this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-13 00:19:16 EST)
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| 06-09-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I bought the CD version, which is read by Steve Martin himself. I listened to it while commuting to work. It was so funny, interesting, and touching! My only sadness came when it ended, because I was so absorbed in it.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-13 00:19:16 EST)
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| 06-06-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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As a teenager in the 1970s, I was among the legions swept up in the Steve Martin craze. I listened to his albums repeatedly, memorizing much of the humor and entertaining (well, sort of) my classmates with adaptations of Steve Martin comedy routines. When Martin sang "King Tut" on Saturday Night Live, my friends and I sat in my living room laughing heartily in appreciation.
To us, Martin's comedy was a revelation: It was unpredictable, unconventional and, well, wild and crazy. It was irresistable. What I didn't realize until reading this book is how much careful, even meticulous, preparation went into Martin's act. "Born Standing Up" is a fascinating look at how Martin spent years delicately manicuring his on-stage zaniness. At age 15, Martin got his start working in a Disneyland magic shop, developing showmanship skills while performing tricks up to eight hours a day. Later, he gradually shifted into comedy, first at the Birdcage Theater at Knott's Berry Farm, and then on his own as a stand-up performer. Martin's early career was filled with plenty of ups and downs as he continually tried to win the laughter of audiences. He was often broke, but showed a remarkable persistence. Many people would have given up and found a real job, but somehow Martin knew that comedy was his calling. There is an undercurrent of melancholy to the book, fueled by his cool relations with his family, by the insecurity of his profession and also by the fact that while Martin had many acquaintances, he seemed to have few close friends. Even once he hit success, he was nagged by doubts that it would last, and then troubled by loss of privacy brought by celebrity. Still, he ultimately admits to enjoying many of the perks of wealth and fame. Martin is a wonderful writer -- he seems to have a knack for choosing just the right details to include -- and "Born Standing Up" is a pleasure to read. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-10 00:19:43 EST)
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| 06-05-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I came of age to Steve Martin's meteoric rise in the comedy world. I bought his "Wild and Crazy Guy" album when I was too young to drive, watched him on Saturday night live, and saw his transition to movies. Later, I drove across country listening to the Steve Martin Brothers.
Growing up with someone as distinctive as Steve Martin in my head, I wanted to know more about him and how he developed into a comedian. I'd catch interviews and read his articles and just never could quite figure out how he got there. Well, it was shear force of will. If you had never heard of Steve Martin and read this autobiography and stopped before you got to the part where he became successful, you wouldn't have predicted the outcome. This isn't a funny book. It isn't a comedy. This is just a book about a guy that once existed and I am so glad Steve Martin wrote it. I think this book will be on reading lists for PMA gurus. It shows that if you really want something, even if you really don't know why, you can achieve it. Thanks Steve. It was nice to get to know you. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-10 00:19:43 EST)
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| 05-29-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I am always pleased when I find an author that reads his own work. In BORN STANDING UP, that is the case. Who better to tell the story than the person who wrote it!
When Mr. Martin was doing stand up, I was not a big fan of his. His humor and mind didn't match. Yet, in reading his story, I understand where his humor came from and why. He tells us how he got started in stand up and how it developed. He tells us the story of his life right from his childhood up to today. He takes us through the learning years where his act was just beginning to the act that everyone wanted to see. He tells the listener how he became estranged from his own family and how he managed to get back together with them again. In other words, he takes us full circle through his life. He even tells us about his writing talent of which I was not aware. All in all, BORN STANDING UP is a great listen. Even if you are not a fan of Steve Martin, you can't help but become enthralled with his life and why and how he got where he is today. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-05 14:50:42 EST)
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| 05-28-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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It's a pretty good book. And I don't really like Steve Martin as a comedian. Some interesting pics.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-05 14:50:42 EST)
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| 05-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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An interesting insight to the life of Steve Martin during his stand up years. He writes about his family life, as well as the struggles he had starting out in show business. He is a complex and intelligent man. This is worth reading.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-30 00:19:34 EST)
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| 05-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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i think steve martin is an absolutely brilliant writer. i mean, i think he's a good actor also ("the jerk" is still one of the funniest movies ever made, imho). but i have loved his books (the pleasure of my company, shopgirl, pure drivel, cruel shoes, and others). but this time out, martin pulls back the curtain on his own life. seems to me that most comedians spend so much time creating humor about and exaggerating certain aspects of their lives that we don't really get to know them. but in this autobiography, martin shows and tells all, including the realities of his childhood (with a very difficult father).
really, the book is about martin's development as a comedian. so the parts of his story he shares all serve that purpose: showing the stuff that went into who he became. what's really compelling about the book is how much work went into developing the popular stage persona and style we were all so familiar with in the mid-80s. martin seems so natural on-stage in his act (which he hasn't performed in 20 years, and explains why in the book), i wouldn't have guessed he honed it for more than 15 years. he started working at 10 years old at disneyland, and learned a bunch there, continuing his development at knott's berry farm (where his first love was co-performer, stormie omartian, the best-selling christian author). then came years on the road, performing comedy and magic for kiwanis clubs and scout troups and tiny clubs. then things seemed to ignite. and when he went big, he went really big; and it happened almost overnight. quickly burning out and getting bored with himself, martin walked away from the whole thing, turning to movies and writing. anyhow, i really enjoyed reading the book. fans of steve martin would, of course, enjoy it. but it's also worth reading as a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work involved in creative success. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-30 00:19:34 EST)
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| 05-26-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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An endearing book about Steve Martin's rise as a comic icon, his relationship with his family, and his career that began selling magic tricks at Disney World and ended with many acclaimed roles on the silver screen. A magical passage (page 166) reads, "It was there, on the night of October 11, 1975, that I turned on the TV and watched the premier episode of SNL. '&*^%', I thought, 'they did it'. The new comedy had been brought to the airwaves in New York by people I didn't know, and they were incredibly good at it, too. The show was a heavy blow to my inner belief that I alone was leading the cavalry and carrying the new comedy flag. SNL, and I, however, were destined to meet...
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-28 00:20:27 EST)
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| 05-23-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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I'll keep this brief. The book is mildly interesting, but I agree with others who read it and found it a bit aloof and superficial. There is some interesting history of Martin's early career and I enjoyed reading about some of the famous paths he crossed before hitting it big. He never really delves into much depth on himself or others, however and you never really get a sense of him. He mentions panic attacks without a lot of follow up, he mentions his politics at certain times, but never indicates if those politics changed through the years or how he grew as a person during the course of his career. He mentions Johnny Carson, but never really gets into who his friends are/were and why. There is definitely some good stuff in here, but way too much gets glossed over.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-27 00:18:48 EST)
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| 05-22-08 | 2 | (NA) |
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I enjoyed the way Steve tied things up at the end of the book, but almost everything up to that point reminded me of sitting through a slide show of somebody else's vacation. I was never able to get particularly interested in Steve's recollections of his early career.
I was also expecting a book about a stand up comedian to be funny, but maybe the lack of laughs was part of the point? (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-27 00:18:48 EST)
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| 05-21-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I am familiar with some of Steve Martin's earlier films and Saturday Night Live performances but that is about it. I bought this book because I enjoy reading and my dad used to be a big fan of Steve Martin. He saw him in the early 70's open for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, banjo and all. This book was a quick, easy and enjoyable read and I feel that where as I wasn't a Steve Martin fan prior to reading this book has intrigued me to discover even more about the comedian. I enjoy it when I book leaves me wanting to know more about a topic. The book chronicles the early years of his career, struggling to find his niche and be original, as well as his relationship with other comedians, artists in showbiz and the lack of a relationship with his father. I wasn't let down that he didn't go on about his later years or marriage or divorce because it is the story of how he rose to stardom. Fan or not, I recommend checking this one out.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-24 00:19:30 EST)
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| 05-20-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I was always a fan of Steve Martin, but did not know a lot about his early start in show business, besides Saturday Night Live. But in this thoroughly entertaining autobiography, he lets us into his early life starting out working at Disneyland and how amazed and awed he was by magic. That is where he thought his career path was going to take him.
But through working small clubs doing magic, that evolved into his stand-up routine which brought him his initial fame. What pleasantly surprised me about this book is how smart, philosophical and serious he was and is about his career and how he thinks about life. It is his passion and he treats it as such. Anyone who reads this book and did not know a lot of the background of Steve Martin will be very interested to see how his road to fame was paved. I know I was. I learned a lot about the man and this book gave me an even greater appreciation and respect for the man I was already a fan of. Now I am just an even bigger fan. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-23 00:19:50 EST)
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| 05-11-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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A fellow reader/reviewer tipped me to the book Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. It's a memoir of Martin's life from childhood to 1981, when he walked away from stand-up comedy. Unlike many memoirs that are the product of a ghostwriter, Born Standing Up is all Martin. It helps that he's an actual writer, as well as a comedian and actor. Because of that writing skill, you get a close-up, intimate look into the events and people who made him the hottest comedian of his time. And it also explains why, seemingly at the pinnacle of his success doing stand-up, he walked away from it all.
The book traces his early infatuation with magic and comedy. He worked at Disneyland in the magic shop that was there at the time, and he started learning the tricks and techniques that would form the beginning of his act. Along the way, he picked up a banjo and learned to play it. This combination of banjo, magic, and humor had him doing the coffeehouses and storefront venues that were everywhere during the '60's. He also spent a fair amount of time working The Birdcage at Knott's Berry Farm doing more of a vaudeville style of comedy. Overall, it was what he wanted to be doing, but he also knew that you couldn't make a living with it at this level. He knew he had to get a break somewhere or give up his dream of becoming an entertainer. The late 60's and early '70s were a turbulent time in our country. Society was changing, and Martin was studying what effect that had on comedy. He started to do routines that were more cutting-edge, routines that required the audience to look at humor in a different light. These self-deprecating, physical routines started to catch on, and he also began to be booked on more TV shows. Before long, his appearances went from 100 seat rooms to sold-out venues all over the US. But while his act was becoming part of the culture and lexicon of society, he was personally struggling. Relationships were hard to maintain due to the schedule, and he was trying hard to deal with parental relationships that were highly dysfunctional as he grew up. His standup career ended in 1981 after a third successive night of something going wrong in his Vegas King Tut act. What looked to be anger on the surface was actually the grind of the last 20 years coming to a head. He walked away from his act at that point and spent time healing the rifts between him and members of his family. What made this book so fascinating was to see the reality behind the public image. It's easy to imagine that actors, singers, and comedians have it all... popularity, money, travel, friends. But really, it's a hard existence full of doubt, hard work, and loneliness. Born Standing Up shows that being funny is painfully difficult, and comes at a high cost. While I've always liked Steve Martin as an entertainer, I'm now pretty sure that I'd also like the real Steve Martin, the man who's there when the film stops rolling and the footlights are turned off. This is an excellent read... (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 05-09-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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Steve Martin has made me laugh in more than one movie. He has an uncanny presence that his stand-up comedy, I'm sure, helped his to gain. This look at his life was very interesting, as he shared a lot of things I'm sure many did not know as he seems to be a very private man. He clearly portrayed how his relationship with his father shaped him into who he was. I know the book was centered on his stand-up comedy, but I do wish he would have talked a little more about how he got into Hollywood and broke into this stream. That's where I know Martin the best, so if there was any short-coming, it was that I was disappointed at the end that we never got a look at this part of his life. The book is small and easy-to-read, as it will take very little time for most readers to complete. It was worth the read, and I guess I'll have to wait for his sequel to find out more.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 05-08-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I read this book rapidly because it was an intelligently written analysis on how a comedy act, especially a very unusual one, is created and nurtured over a decade. I have never liked Steve Martin as an actor. He is not able to play any roles convincingly except Steve Martin Trying to Act. And his comedy is okay funny, but I'm not a fan.
Still, this was a very good book. He's an excellent writer. He follows through logically. He is a gentleman and doesn't discuss people negatively. His one dig at a director who tried to steal his girlfriend is mild. (And that guy has since died anyway.) He really gives you a good picture of how much time and work goes on behind the scenes of what appears to us as "overnight success." This is a must read for anyone wishing to start a career in show business. It really gives you a good grasp of how much work -- and how much plain luck -- and the right connections are necessary to succeed. He hasn't forgotten what it's like to be broke, or anonymous, or starstruck, and then you have the person who remembers all that suddenly being on the other side of fame, with nurses trying to get him to give autographs in the emergency room, and being hounded by insane fans and losing the ability to walk on the street in peace. It's a short book and ends with his "The Jerk" pretty much, with just a few wrap-up glimpses into the time that followed, but I found it very satisfying. It explains very clearly why he had to stop doing stand-up, and it's perfectly understandable. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 05-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Funny to think that I was ticked off when Steve Martin stopped doing comedy and started doing "serious" stuff. I realize that we want our celebrities to be one-dimensional, After reading his book,
it shows he is a multi-faceted guy. Also I read the book in one sitting, it is like sitting down and having a chat with a friend. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 05-04-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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It seems that Steve Martin learned something from every job he had and incorporated it into stand up act. Martin's story focuses on the evloution of his act. As a child he was interested in magic . His parents gave him a magic kit. That's about all the encouragement he received from them. He began working at Disneyland at the age 10 selling maps. This gave him the opportunity to observe comedians. He worked a few years at the theatre at Knotts Berry Farm. At age 18 he left home. He continued to develope his comedic style. Steve Martin is truely a selfmade man. He didn't receive financial or personal support from his family. Martin describes his family ,but he he's not critical of them.
As I read the book, I saw where Martin got bits that were used in his act-"Well excuse me!" It's not here you start. It's where you finish. This is a fascinating tale. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 05-04-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book was really good. Steve writes with honesty and humor and it's fascinating to read about this time in his life.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 04-30-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I remember watching Steve Martin in his comic heyday in the late 70s. You knew that Saturday Night Live would be extra special when he was guest host. Whether it was his "Wild and Crazy Guys" from Bratislava, or Yorick, Barber Surgeon of York, or just Steve with his ironic, manic, random act, incongruous white hair and white suit, the night would be a treat. Martin's brand of hip and hilarious non-humor was to me the original and seemingly effortless expression of a funny, free spirit.
Not quite. "Born Standing Up" is Martin's memoir -- he calls it a "biography" of a former self rather than an autobiography -- starting with his youth in California, and his long apprenticeship at very unhip locations like Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. Sprung from a not very happy or funny yet star struck family, Martin describes the little gimmicks he picked up from magicians and card trick masters and even lariat-spinning cowboys. Ferociously committed to performing, yet admittedly not terribly talented, he cobbled together a showbiz act from these bits and pieces, plus a bit of poetry and banjo picking, and honed the act over years and years of repetition. To call his approach "experimentation" would be ennoble it overmuch. Much of it seems too desperate for that. But Martin was perceptive enough to notice that certain mistakes got laughs, and incorporated these "goofs" into his act. By the time fame hit around 1976, his years on the road had made him a perfect match for the period's hip, irony-dripping zeitgeist. "Born Standing Up" includes segments from bits that have made Martin famous. You'll find out the origins of Martin's catch phrases -- such as "Well, excuse me!" and "Wild and Crazy Guys" -- and learn why he wore his trademark white suit. You'll also hear more than you'd like about the dark side of the comedian's life -- empty clubs, lousy pay, soul-killing reviews, loneliness and nervousness bordering on panic. By the end of the book, you'll understand why Martin finally gave up stand-up. Martin ends the book after his first couple of movies. For that story, you'll have to wait for the second act. BTW: the audio books, narrated by Martin, shines when Steve reprises some of his famous bits. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-21 00:20:00 EST)
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| 04-18-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Steve has written a great memoir showing us all that he goes far beyong just being a wild and crazy guy.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-05-01 00:23:18 EST)
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| 04-11-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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It's easy to forget about Steve Martin's early stand up these days. With the past decade plus watching "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "The Jerk", "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and various other of Martin's movies, it's easy to forget that he was first a comedy pioneer in the 1970's, long before becoming a movie star. This fantastic book took me back to the days when Martin's appearance on Saturday Night Live was an EVENT! To days that I spent laughing at "Comedy is not Pretty", or one of his other comedy albums. I had completely forgotten about "King Tut", "Cruel Shoes" and "Let's Get Small". Was there a bigger catchphrase from the 70's than "Well Excuuuusse Meeee!", if so it was only rivaled by "Two Wilds and Crazy Guyyyys!".
Martin's book is a funny, sometimes touching, but always fascinating look at his development from teen wannabe magician to becoming one of the most popular stand up comedians of all time. For longtime fans this is a great look back at some of his classic bits, and for newer fans only familiar with Martin's filmwork, it should be eye-opening to realize just how huge Steve Martin was while only doing stand up and making the circuit of various talk shows. Excellent book that will have you pawing through your old LP's and Cassettes trying to find those old comedy albums. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-19 03:29:20 EST)
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| 04-10-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I bought this book 2 days ago and will finish it shortly. I've read every book by Steve Martin and have noticed, more than anything, his writing style. His casual effortless detailing of events in his life reads like a stream of consciousness readers digest; elegant, real and just enough. Sometimes it reads as if he IS writing about someone else (which he makes mention of) but only he could write with such clean emotion as to how he felt at each given occasion. It's obvious he's proud of all the things that have been realized in his life... he's earned it. At mid-read, the book appears to have been part of his cathartic letting go and accepting of all in his life; he sounds quite self-actualized. Quick peek into an interesting and private mans life. Now that that's done, I'd wish he'd write some more 'created' comedy and drama a la the days of Cruel Shoes!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-19 03:29:20 EST)
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| 04-08-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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book written by a brilliant psychiatrist, I recommend That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is extraordinarily insightful, gracefully written, and an overall great read. The writing just flows.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-11 21:33:51 EST)
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| 04-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I think that everyone knows Steve Martin. If you are of a certain age, you know him from his films, books, and plays. But for the majority, you know him as a "wild and crazy guy," or "King Tut," or from "excuuuuuse me." Those are bits and they really aren't representative of Steve Martin. If you want to know him, the real Steve Martin, and the life a comic leads, you have to read Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life, by Steve Martin.
Contents: Beforehand Coffee and Confusion Comedy Through the Airwaves Disneyland The Bird Cage Theatre Television The Road Breakthrough Standing Down Acknowledgements Steve Martin has written an excellent memoir of his standup career. From the age of ten, when he got his first job, selling guidebooks at Disneyland, until he walked away from his extremely popular standup act twenty-five years later, Martin takes you on a deeply personal, eye-opening journey. He shares the inspiration for many of his bits, the development of his act, and his rise to the pinnacle of comedy (at one point, he performed in front of 18,000 people at the old Coliseum at Richfield). Honest, Martin reveals details of his home life which made him leave home as soon as he could and not reconnect with his family until many years later, long after he left the grueling life on the road. In the early 1980's, Martin started to work on rebuilding his relationship with his mother, father, and sister,. It took him fifteen years. He does not end this book self-serving accolades towards his film and writing credits, but rather with a visit to where it all started, The Bird Cage Theatre at Knott's Berry Farm. This is one of the best books I have read in 2008. While there are some laugh out loud moments, Martin spends most of the time providing the reader with insight into the life of a comic. What you see, up on that stage, in front of thousands, did not happen overnight. It is a grueling and arduous road. He relates his anxiety attacks, which nearly derailed him as he was climbing the ladder of success. How difficult it was to create an act without punch lines (he wanted you to laugh, but some of those laughs may come later, after you left the show) and to know that you were creating something totally different. Martin does not attack Johnny Carson or any member of Saturday Night Live, but he does not pull punches with his life or stand up career. He was very uncomfortable with the fame (he is naturally shy and private) but he has come to terms with it. As he says, late in the book, ". . . now I am famous just right." Much like his act, this book will remain with me for a while. I found it very difficult to put it down. I highly recommend this book. It is one of the best books I have read this year, or any year, and I am very grateful to Steve Martin for sharing this story with me. Not only will you come away with a new appreciation for the comic's life, you will have newfound respect for one of the greatest comic minds. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-11 21:33:51 EST)
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| 04-05-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This was a great book! I could not put it down! I have so much respect for Mr. Martin. He is a true genius! This book paints his struggle to fame and his struggle with fame. It is a great read.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-07 02:53:42 EST)
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| 04-04-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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As a big fan of Steve Martin's stand-up career, I'm pleased that he has documented it. Much of the book was great, but it was rarely laugh out loud funny. It was not intended to be though. It is a pretty straightforward memoir, though loaded with dry humor It's enjoyable to read about how he honed his craft, how the crowds affected him, etc. Thanks for the memories, Steve.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-07 02:53:42 EST)
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| 04-04-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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In his autobiography Born Standing Up, Steve Martin sets out to explain, as he puts it, "why I did stand-up and why I walked away." The result is a history of his career, from selling guidebooks at Disneyland when he was ten through his decade and a half as a struggling magician turned comic to, finally, the years of meteoric success on which he abruptly turned his back in 1981. Martin explains his philosophy of comedy and describes the development of his act, profiling the various colleagues and acquaintances who influenced him along the way. In one chapter he provides what amounts to a thumbnail history of comedy in 1960s America.
The chapters focusing on Martin's career, if the raison d'être for the book, are less interesting than those in which the author unpacks his less than idyllic home life as a child. In a passage that must have been difficult to write he describes the incident which led him to resolve, at roughly age nine, that thenceforth "only the most formal relationship would exist between my father and me...." This too, Martin suggests, was a sort of preparation for his career: "I have heard it said that a complicated childhood can lead to a life in the arts. I tell you this story of my father and me to let you know that I am qualified to be a comedian." Most of Martin's book has to do with his hungrier years. But these led eventually to a four-year period during which he was at the pinnacle of success, playing to audiences of thirty and forty thousand. As he describes it, his act in fact suffered because of the size of the crowds: "The act was shifting into automatic. The choreography was in place, and all I had to do was fulfill it. I was performing a litany of immediate old favorites, and the laughs, rather than being the result of spontaneous combustion, now seemed to roll in like waves created far out at sea." Martin's popularity led to his increased isolation and depression. "Though the audiences continued to grow, I experienced a concomitant depression caused by exhaustion, isolation, and creative ennui. As I was too famous to go outdoors without a discomforting hoopla, my romantic interludes ceased because I no longer had normal access to civilized life. The hour and a half I spent performing was still fun, but there were no band members, no others onstage, and after the show, I took a solitary ride back to the hotel, where I was speedily escorted by security across the lobby. A key went in a door, and boom: the blunt interior of a hotel room. Nowhere to look but inward." Celebrity means that normal interaction is no longer possible. It's not hard at all to see why he walked away. Born Standing Up is a quick read. There are occasional witty turns of phrase in the book, but it is not funny per se, and it in fact borders on being dry in Martin's recitations of the people and places that studded his early career. Martin's forays into his person life make for good reading, but one is left wishing the author had spilled a little more of himself on the page. -- Debra Hamel (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-07 02:53:42 EST)
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| 04-04-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I found Steve Martin's story of how he started out very interesting. From his start at Disneyland to Knott's Berry Farm, to witing for the Smothers Brothers TV show to eventually striking out on stand up full time the story is just an enjoyable read. I've told friends to check this book out.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-07 02:53:42 EST)
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| 03-29-08 | 2 | (NA) |
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I like Steve Martin. He is an interesting performer. He has also written two quite affecting books on the subject of depression. I thought "Shop Girl" was really very perceptive. When he tries the very difficult task of focusing on his own depression, however, he fails. He is so unperceptive about his motivations and neuroses that the account becomes incoherent at times. For instance, he builds up this big story about his father beating him for no reason, and then says that is why he was compelled to become an artist. The thing is that the family he describes is pretty typical for the 1950's. We of that generation all grew up with distant, resentful fathers and weak unfulfilled mothers. It doesn't explain anything. The whole book is sort of like that.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-04-04 04:32:15 EST)
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| 03-27-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a wonderful book, easy read and a terrific peek into the life of an amazing comedian. I love Steve Martin and this book was such a pleasure to read. I kept stopping my wife from reading her book so that I could share with her something I was reading. She finally had to stop me with, "I don't want to hear anything more about Steve Martin - just read your book!" My wife and I also live in the area Steve grew up in and it was fascinating to read his tales of working at Disneyland and Knott's.
This is for any fan of Steve Martin, or stand up comedy. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-29 12:20:31 EST)
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| 03-25-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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This was a great and sometimes funny account of Steve Martin's rise to success. I think he did a great job telling the high points and did it in a way that was not like most stories about one's journey to stardom.
great job, and interesting reading (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-27 23:33:01 EST)
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| 03-25-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This book is Steve autobiography from the school years to his success as an arena level comic (one of the first if not the first). It's written straight. It's not a recollection of great jokes and it's not a walk through past triumphs. What you get is a what it was like for Steve to develop his career and his act and what life was like for him doing it. He's got a great eye for detail, a frank but light tone, and excellent writing ability.
As an example, he talks about how he got into the arrow through the head schtick. Apparently he just put it on, it was the sort of prop they had around in the environment he found himself in, and it added another edge to his jokes. Superb read. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-27 23:33:01 EST)
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| 03-24-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Steve, your book was heartfelt and a pleasure to read. Your descriptions of hard work and success convey your emotions and experiences beautifully and breathtakingly. And your feelings towards your family had me in tears at the end. Bravo!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-27 23:33:01 EST)
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| 03-23-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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I really enjoyed this book. The chapter on Disneyland is amazing, the entire book is interesting and enjoyable.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-25 05:03:54 EST)
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| 03-19-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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This is a must read for any serious performing artist-also candid personal revelations by someone who has had a unique career
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-23 12:29:21 EST)
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| 03-13-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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A fascinating glance inside one of my favorite childhood comics and adult entertainers. I sensed it was therapeutic for Steve to write it, and it was for me to read it. And by the way, Steve was the best Oscar host of the last 20+ years and should do it every year.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-20 17:09:02 EST)
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| 03-12-08 | 5 | 1\1 |
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Steve Martin is an excellent writer. I devoured this book in two nights. Very thought provoking and enjoyable.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-20 17:09:02 EST)
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| 03-10-08 | 1 | 1\1 |
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To me this is an other selp promotion book by Steve Martine, as he pats himself on the back. Who was the person who called Steve Martin a Guinuess. He is far From it. He holds the worst comedy act in history, Right up there with Jerry lewis, How could this guy get the Kenedy Center Honnor, All he did was ride on the shirt tales of the Saterday Night Live Crew. Most of his Movies Bombed! And who in there right mind would have the Balls to step into Jack Lemmons shoes inthe Out of Towners or take on Petter Sellars roll in the Pint Panther. These guys must be rolling over in there graves. The Pink Panther Bombed so bad that he is makeing Pink Panther II. What an idiot this guy is. The King Tutt thing and the Ex-cuse me Thing, had to be the most stupid comedy sketches. Threr are Comic that deserve praize, Like Robbin Williams, I just feel Steve Martin runs around praizing himself and waiting for people to agree with him. "The Jerk" pretty much somes it up. He is one.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-12 15:09:11 EST)
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| 03-09-08 | 3 | (NA) |
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For someone who writes such great comedy, I had expected more than this, not just the length of the narrative (this is an essay, more than a book) but more insight. Martin gives us his thoughts on comedy and something about the people who influenced his career. There are interesting pictures, and they are placed nicely with the appropriate text. The most meaningful parts are his descriptions of his relationships with his family. This memoir is a very rough sketch. There is a lot more he could have said about this very productive time in his life. For instance, his career as a comedy writer- exactly how did the Smothers Brothers and the Sony and Cher Comedy hour shows get written? How does he assess his contribution, and how did the other writers influence him? He covers his life on the road through some anecdotes, but it's hard to envision how these bookings happen, how he arrives, how he prepares. I didn't get a grasp of the acts where he takes people outside the venue actually work (don't the managers get upset when the drink orders stop?). SNL is given little attention. I like how he describes becoming aware of it, but more on how he is recruited, what he contributed, or how the skits developed would have been interesting. What does he consider to be his influence in the direction of the show? Even his leaving stand up is sketchy... his description of getting tired is good, but I'm still not clear on HOW he leaves it (seems to say he just stopped taking bookings when he had 2 years of commitments- but then there is an anecdote about empty seats implying a sudden stop) and SNL. Steve Martin has a huge volume of creative work. Undoubtedly someone will do a serious bio. at a later point. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-12 15:09:11 EST)
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| 03-08-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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It was very informative of one of my favorite comedians.You get to see the REAL Steve Martin,not just the character that he created on stage.It shows how he is just human like all of the rest of us.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-10 10:19:22 EST)
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| 03-07-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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He gives an amazing view into the many experiences that yielded his brilliance on stage. I highly recommend this book.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-10 10:19:22 EST)
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| 03-04-08 | 1 | 0\1 |
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Why did Steve Martin write this book? I don't know. Why did I read this book? Steve martin was a hilarious hoot who created great self-deprecating comedy for many years (and my sister-in-law gave the book to me for Christmas). Why did I read this book all the way to the finish? I hoped it would get better. It did not.
I had heard that Shop Girl, also by Martin, was well written and reviewed. That is as close as I got. I thought the book would be funny, insightful, entertaining, an escape from reality and filled with quality prose. Why would you expect well written text from one successful at delivery of one-liners? When we watched Steve Martin, part of the humor was what we perceived was going on in his head. Why, for example, did he think he was a wild and crazy guy? We went along. Why did he wear that arrow thing? We ignored it along with him. When we so exercised our imagination about what was going on in the comedian's head we filled in the blanks with our own willingness to find humor and to laugh. Steve Martin did not have to say too much. No long monologues - outlandish behavior for no apparent reason and street theater carried us along on riffs of laughter. We wanted to laugh and saw no reason to hold back. But this book. What happened? Okay, so it is his biography (and who has not wondered whether the tale of one's life would be interesting to others) and he did not get along with his Dad. He liked his Mom. You never get the impression that anyone in the family has a big heart pumping out tons of love. There were no hugs, group or otherwise, going on in Southern California when Steve was growing up. If you are looking for profound introspection, it ain't in this book. If you want insight into the human condition, go reread The Good Earth. If you want to find out about Steve Martin, the bio on Wikipedia is likely more interesting and you can see the end of the article without scrolling down too much. Born Standing Up provides you with information about every job held by Steve Martin, his companions of the female persuasion, and celebrities cresting in popularity at the same time as this comedian. Maybe it was cathartic for Steve Martin to write the book. Maybe the scene of Steve Martin saying goodbye to his father on his death bed was meant to mean more, but the emotion evoked here was as shallow as a one-liner. I do not mean to detract at all from Steve Martin's genius. It just does not show up on these pages. Some other comedian has a rave blurb on the back of the book. I suspect he read other reviews, has spent too much time reading Superman, and that he never opened this book. Pedantic, plodding, dull, dry, narrowly focused, mildly entertaining, historical, mercifully short, sleeping pill, tinder. Steve Martin deserves a better biography. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-08 22:52:17 EST)
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| 03-03-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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As a Steve Martin fan for many years, this book was like a walk down memory lane. If you don't know much about Steve and his early work, read this to get interested in listening to his records. If you are a long time fan, get this book for the great pictures of Steve throughout his career. The most valuable part of this work was the interactions with Steve and his father. Beautiful and heart-grabbing. Steve's own view of his whirlwind rise is truthful and no nonsense. I like that this book shows the serious, artful, poetic Steve that can be seen in his works like Shopgirl : A Novella. There is a whole underappreciated Steve out there that has nothing to do with King Tut and a fake arrow. I hope this book gets more people involved in the talented, seasoned artist that Steve Martin is.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-08 22:52:17 EST)
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| 03-01-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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Oh Steve. You make me so happy. Sure you've had a few missteps over the years, but who hasn't? As a teenager you killed me with your stand up. As a young adult, it was the Jerk, All of Me, LA Story, and Roxanne. And now as a...ehrm...mature adult, I absolutely delight in your writing.
This book is no exception. An amazing look back, written with a gentle voice. Thank you! (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-04 12:57:35 EST)
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| 02-29-08 | 2 | 0\1 |
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pgs 110-113 have some interesting thoughts about his stand-up. the title is misleading though. the majority of the book is a banal personal and professional memoir which is more focussed on documenting the facts than offering a personal perspective. for the same reason though the stuff near the end about his parents is actually really sad.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-04 12:57:35 EST)
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| 02-27-08 | 5 | 0\1 |
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I really like that Steve takes the time to point out the loneliness of the road, which many standup books overlook. Billy Joel put it best when he told me that "you go from being the most popular guy in the room to being a nobody." He nailed it. If you don't make an effort to go out and develop people skills, it can be very lonely. Steve captures that well in various places throughout the book. Oh yeah, guess I should mention I'm a comedian myself and toured hard throughout the 90's and am the author of God Is a Woman: Dating Disasters, which shares my own standup stories.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-01 01:12:58 EST)
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On Returning to Disneyland
