Steve Martin
He sold out arenas by playing a smug, oblivious hack.
1 special · 2018
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He walks onto an arena stage in a pristine three-piece white suit, projecting the absolute certainty of a Vegas headliner. Then he puts a novelty arrow through his head and twists uninflated balloons into animals. He plays an entertainer who believes he is a genius, delivering cheap magic tricks and non-sequiturs with smug satisfaction. He paces the stage, doing erratic little dances, working the crowd into a frenzy over deliberate nonsense.
Specials
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An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life with Martin Short
Two veteran comedians trade music, roasts, and showmanship.
Netflix · 74 min
On stage
He invented the rock-star standup, and then he left.
In 1981, at the peak of his fame, he stopped doing standup to make movies. For thirty-five years, he refused to perform the act that made him a cultural giant. When he finally returned to theaters alongside Martin Short, they built a comfortable, loose vaudeville show. He plays the haughty straight man, absorbs Short’s insults, and plays bluegrass banjo.
His solo act breaks the basic rhythm of a joke. He will wind up for a massive punchline, build the tension in the room, and then abruptly stop to play the banjo or clip his fingernails. The audience laughs at the empty space where the punchline was supposed to be. He buries these structural tricks under a layer of broad physical silliness. He sells fake noses and rubber fish with total commitment, using the slick timing he learned as a teenager demonstrating gags at the Disneyland magic shop.
Turning points
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1970s
Deconstruction of Traditional Standup Delivery
Martin abandoned formulaic punchlines to construct tension that resolved into anticlimax, forcing audiences to find humor in absurdity and establishing the modern anti-comedy movement.
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1977–1978
Breakout Commercial Stand-Up Arena Stardom
Following regular appearances on Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show, his comedy album Let's Get Small became a multi-platinum success that led to sold-out arena stadium tours.
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Departure from Standup Comedy Touring
Burnt out on the stadium environment and the repetition of catchphrase comedy, Martin walked away from live solo stand-up to focus on feature film screenwriting, acting, and theater.
At a glance
Fans also like
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Martin ShortMartin and Short share decades of comedic chemistry, co-headlining national tours, specials, and starring in Only Murders in the Building.
Also on screen
- 1976–2022
- Saturday Night Live
- The Jerk
- Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
- The Man with Two Brains
- All of Me
A clip to start with
Classic Steve Martin Appearance From 1975 | Carson Tonight Show