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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

BOOK REVIEW: Born Standing Up - A Comic's Life

If you only know Steve Martin from the late 1970’s as that “wild and crazy” guy, you are missing much of his talent. Martin started his professional career as a writer for television shows, most notably The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and is now an award winning author of magazine articles, movie scripts, as well as best selling books. BORN STANDING UP - A COMIC'S LIFE tells of his early days in comedy, how it started and how and why it ended.

By 1978, Steve Martin was the biggest concert draw in stand-up history. In 1981, he stopped doing stand-up completely.

In BORN STANDING UP, Martin tells of starting his career at age ten selling guidebooks at Disneyland, the newly opened theme park. His fascination with magic grew when he worked at the Disney Magic Shop and he gives credit to the pros who taught him the secrets of performing magic.

From there he went to the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm where he performed his magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. While working there he honed his act with a dedication to excellence. This early training has lasted him throughout his career.

The work, sacrifice, discipline, and originality paid off and as his fame grew, the isolation and loneliness also grew. The traveling took its toll on his relationships with his family and friends until he finally decided, at the top of his fame, to stop.

Martin tells his story in an almost self-deprecating way. Rarely do we get a look into his deepest emotions and for some reason that seems to work. The book never becomes a tell-all gossipy account of the people around him. It does take us backstage to learn more about the heavy irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the new voice that was Saturday Night Live.  As a result, not only do we get a glimpse of the rise of one of the most inventive of comics, but a glimpse into the time of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam - and all told by a talented author.

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