There are also a few other uses of moderate language and some brief sexual references. There are only four uses of strong language, but it’s a high amount for such a slim tome. It’s a combination of the more “private” Martin and his stage persona, and it’s a nice mix. The second half is a bit funnier, as he recalls jokes he wrote and off-the-wall routines he did. It’s interesting and informative, particularly a good primer for those wanting to get into stand-up themselves. (Hint- a LOT of hard work and failure, as one would predict) He started at age 10. I noticed Steve when he burst into popular culture in the 1970's, and this book shows how he got there. The first half is pretty straightforward, an examination of his younger years learning magic tricks, playing the banjo and trying to get laughs at a little theater at Knott’s Berry Farm. Four Stars Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin If you've ever seen or admired Steve Martin, you will enjoy this breezy autobiography that focuses mainly on his beginnings and stand-up years. Those expecting a book full of one-liners will be disappointed. You came to the right place / If youre looking for trouble / Just look right in my face / I was born standing up / And talking back / My daddy was. It took years of piecing together routines and concepts in tiny venues before he became known as a “wild and crazy guy.” In his short memoir about that time in his life, Martin describes the evolution of his comedy, the years in which he just hoped he could make people laugh and maybe earn a small living from it. But before the movie roles, Steve Martin spent years perfecting his stand-up routine, in an era before comedy clubs even existed. Now we know him as the put-upon dad in “Father of the Bride” or the harried father in “Cheaper by the Dozen,” or many other classic roles in film.
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