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I’m almost ashamed to admit that I hadn’t read a book in nearly six months. An avid reader, I’m not sure whether it was reader fatigue that lead to my hiatus, or the fact that I simply kept selecting awful books to read – the worst of which was Woody Allen’s dreadful collection of short stories, “Mere Anarchy” (the book I would re-title “Mere Agony”). All that changed, however, when my daughter gave me a very generous gift card from a major book seller for Christmas. Not having any particular book in mind, I decided to peruse the Sunday book review section of the newspaper for some inspiration. I glanced at the current Top-10 bestselling nonfiction list and immediately made up my mind: Steve Martin’s “Born Standing Up.”
I hadn’t thought about Steve Martin for years, but memories of this “wild and crazy guy” are indelibly etched in my brain - reading “Born Standing Up” was like rekindling an old friendship. Martin candidly reflects on the years from his birth in Waco, Texas, in 1945, until 1981 when he walked away from being the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up comedy. Martin admits he has ignored his stand-up career for the last twenty-five years: “…but now,” he writes, “having finished this memoir, I view this time with surprising warmth. One can have, it turns out, an affection for the war years.”
Steve Martin mixes bittersweet memories of an unhappy childhood with poignant and sometimes humorous observations of his nearly twenty year struggle to the top. “I was seeking comic originality,” writes Martin, “and fame fell on me as a by-product.” His father, Glenn, moved the family to Hollywood in 1950 in pursuit of his own dream of stardom. When success eluded him, Glenn became depressed and took his anger out on his son. “I’ve heard it said,” writes Martin, “that a complicated childhood can lead to a life in the arts. I tell you this story of my father to let you know that I am qualified to be a comedian.”
“Born Standing Up” is the latest of several books, plays, and screen plays Steve Martin has produced since abandoning his stand-up career. His recollections of Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show are particularly interesting. Carson didn’t appreciate Martin’s off-beat humor at first and relegated him to appear only when the show was being guest hosted (not exactly the kiss of death, but certainly nothing to be encouraged about). After several successful appearances, Carson relented and invited Martin back. “I was able to maintain a personal relationship with Johnny over the next thirty years,” writes Martin, ”at least as personal as he or I could make it, and I was flattered that he came to respect my comedy.”
I’m not going to waste your time with more superfluous praise for Steve Martin’s wonderful new memoir…but, if you happen to have a gift card burning a hole in your pocket, “Born Standing Up” is a moving and rewarding read.
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Mere Anarchy by Woody Allen.
