Joshua's review of Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin
I read this in one sitting and thought it was pretty interesting, but considering I am a) obsessed with standup comedy (don't ask) and b) very familiar with Steve Martin's standup from back in the day, I probably should've been more bowled over.
Anyway it's a nice peek inside the development of his performances, how he refined his act over the years, with some autobiographical tidbits along the way. Written in his too-refined New Yorker style -- like a lot of his writing these days, you get the impression that he's embarrassed by the old standup days (and his shitty movies) and overcompensates with a loftier style that ends up being sort of cold and airless.
But whatever, it's a brisk read and worth checking out if you're interested in what all goes into a comedy act. But maybe wait for the paperback. I bet an audio version would be good, too, if it exists.
Anyway it's a nice peek inside the development of his performances, how he refined his act over the years, with some autobiographical tidbits along the way. Written in his too-refined New Yorker style -- like a lot of his writing these days, you get the impression that he's embarrassed by the old standup days (and his shitty movies) and overcompensates with a loftier style that ends up being sort of cold and airless.
But whatever, it's a brisk read and worth checking out if you're interested in what all goes into a comedy act. But maybe wait for the paperback. I bet an audio version would be good, too, if it exists.
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