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00:00:13,306 --> 00:00:15,141
[laughter]
2
00:00:15,141 --> 00:00:16,893
[Steve, onstage] So, listen,
how much was it to get in?
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00:00:16,893 --> 00:00:18,728
- [audience member] Five.
- [Steve] Five bucks?
4
00:00:18,728 --> 00:00:21,064
- [sardonic laugh]
- [audience laughing]
5
00:00:22,482 --> 00:00:24,025
- [strums banjo]
- [Steve] Okay, you paid the money,
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00:00:24,025 --> 00:00:25,652
you're expecting to see
a professional show,
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00:00:25,652 --> 00:00:27,195
so let's not waste any more time.
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00:00:27,195 --> 00:00:29,531
Let's go with professional show business.
Let's go. Hey!
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00:00:29,531 --> 00:00:31,616
{\an8}- [tuning banjo]
- [laughter]
10
00:00:36,705 --> 00:00:38,832
{\an8}- You know what I--
- [feedback whines]
11
00:00:42,586 --> 00:00:44,713
Is this on? Is this mic on?
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Are we okay out there? Okay, I'm sorry.
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[jolly barbershop vocals]
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00:00:53,805 --> 00:00:55,056
Love me.
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00:01:00,770 --> 00:01:03,940
And it's all totally spontaneous
and completely unrehearsed.
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00:01:05,442 --> 00:01:07,110
Uh, it's unrehearsed.
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00:01:08,862 --> 00:01:10,405
[stammers] It's unrehearsed.
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So... Uh...
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[balloon whining]
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[Steve laughing forcefully]
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[laughter tapers, clears throat]
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What's the matter with you people,
don't you have a sense of humor?
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Hey. [laughs]
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[music ends on a trombone blast]
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[man] Cut.
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I've got something else.
We can do another one.
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[no audio]
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{\an8}[Jerry Seinfeld] This guy
was getting people so happy.
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00:02:02,165 --> 00:02:06,336
He's up there
as most idolized comedian ever.
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00:02:06,336 --> 00:02:08,754
[crowd cheering, applauding]
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{\an8}[McEuen] I always thought
of him as the door out of the '60s.
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00:02:19,266 --> 00:02:21,184
Well, here's something
you don't often see.
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[yelling]
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00:02:22,269 --> 00:02:26,022
[McEuen] You know,
you could be silly again.
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You know, I have figured out one thing
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that would totally
put an end to show business,
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00:02:30,277 --> 00:02:33,780
and that is if the human race,
instead of having two arms,
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just had one arm
right in the center of our body.
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Now the reason that would put an end
to show business, how would people clap?
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It'd be... Mmm!
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[laughter]
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{\an8}[Michaels] He reinvented stand-up.
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{\an8}That doesn't happen often.
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[crowd laughing, then jeering]
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[Michaels] But he never thought
success was a permanent state.
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00:03:01,641 --> 00:03:03,101
[crowd cheering]
47
00:03:09,691 --> 00:03:13,069
[Steve] I always thought,
"This just does not happen."
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00:03:14,195 --> 00:03:15,405
And it did.
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00:03:15,906 --> 00:03:18,116
And one more thing,
if you bought my album
50
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and you came here expecting me
to do a lot of routines
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from the record,
and I didn't do them,
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- well, excuse me!
- [crowd cheering]
53
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Good night!
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[sound fades]
55
00:03:34,090 --> 00:03:38,261
[Steve] I think if I had any guidance...
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00:03:40,472 --> 00:03:41,806
...nothing would have happened for me.
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00:03:43,350 --> 00:03:45,352
[applause, cheering]
58
00:03:46,853 --> 00:03:48,939
[Steve] I really just wanted
to be on stage.
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When I saw a stage, my eyes went wide,
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and I just imagined myself up there.
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But I guarantee you I have no talent.
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None.
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So, I had to do a workaround
in order to get on stage.
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00:04:10,877 --> 00:04:14,256
I was probably ten or eleven
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00:04:14,256 --> 00:04:18,802
when I realized you can go
to a magic store and buy a trick
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and then you read,
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,"
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00:04:23,223 --> 00:04:24,808
and you're in show business.
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[television tuning]
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00:04:28,144 --> 00:04:29,938
[humming]
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Don't be alarmed, there's nothing wrong
with the set, so help me.
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00:04:32,107 --> 00:04:33,066
[laughs]
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00:04:34,276 --> 00:04:36,611
[Steve] I was trying to be
a straight magician.
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[yells]
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00:04:37,904 --> 00:04:41,449
[Steve] But it didn't take me long
to figure out...
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When I say they're coming up,
they're coming up.
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00:04:50,125 --> 00:04:53,420
"Oh. They love it
when the tricks don't work."
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[up-tempo vocal music playing]
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[Steve] My life really didn't begin
until I was ten.
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00:05:18,111 --> 00:05:21,072
A friend of mine said,
"Hey, they're hiring kids at Disneyland."
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00:05:21,072 --> 00:05:22,407
I said, "What?!"
81
00:05:22,407 --> 00:05:25,243
That's right, anything's possible
in Disneyland.
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00:05:26,077 --> 00:05:27,621
[Steve] You can imagine
when you're ten years old
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and really haven't seen anything,
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and there was Mickey Mouse in flowers
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and there's a train pulling
in the station, and... and...
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00:05:35,337 --> 00:05:37,839
...and characters and rides
and rocket ships.
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00:05:39,966 --> 00:05:43,345
And they immediately gave me a job
to sell the Disneyland News.
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- [bell dings]
- Which no one wanted to buy.
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But the main thing was,
I was done by 9:00 a.m.,
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00:05:52,229 --> 00:05:55,232
and I could spend the rest of the day
in the park for free.
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00:05:56,399 --> 00:05:59,152
I would hang out
at the Golden Horseshoe Revue.
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And there was a comedian there.
His name was Wally Boag.
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00:06:01,905 --> 00:06:04,157
And he was the first comedian
I ever saw live.
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00:06:04,157 --> 00:06:05,367
Here we have the gambler's friend.
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This always makes the sale and
you make your fortune with these.
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00:06:07,953 --> 00:06:09,955
They never fail.
Looky here, Niagara Falls.
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00:06:09,955 --> 00:06:11,706
- [drum hit]
- From the Canadian side.
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- [drum hit]
- Niagara Falls frozen.
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[cymbal crashes]
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00:06:15,919 --> 00:06:18,797
[Steve] I saw his show
hundreds of times.
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00:06:18,797 --> 00:06:19,923
What else you got?
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00:06:20,382 --> 00:06:22,926
The average and normal person will
blow a balloon something like that.
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00:06:22,926 --> 00:06:24,678
That's the average and normal type.
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00:06:24,678 --> 00:06:27,264
And then we have
the straight forward type, they...
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[slide whistle blows]
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Say, now, you've heard of pink elephants?
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00:06:31,685 --> 00:06:33,687
Here's an elephant in color right here.
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Looking a little something like that.
Elephant, right there.
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Oh, it's nothing, I can tell
by the applause. Now, let's...
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[laughter fades]
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00:06:42,988 --> 00:06:46,449
[Steve] You know, my fantasy was,
I'm sitting there in the audience,
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00:06:46,449 --> 00:06:48,785
that he would get sick.
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Somebody would say,
"Does anybody know this show?"
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I would be ready to go.
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What's your name?
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You got a name?
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Um...
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00:07:01,131 --> 00:07:02,883
{\an8}[Melinda Dobbs] I think the fact
that it was Disneyland,
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00:07:02,883 --> 00:07:05,343
{\an8}it wasn't like a job job.
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00:07:05,844 --> 00:07:09,598
{\an8}I think sometimes he might have
made a nickel, but he didn't care.
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He was loving what he did.
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It was a nice escape for him
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because Steve kind of got
the frustrating end from our dad.
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He would just blow his stack at him.
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00:07:25,822 --> 00:07:27,574
I don't remember hugs.
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00:07:28,199 --> 00:07:30,368
I don't-- I don't remember affection.
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00:07:33,038 --> 00:07:34,581
[Steve] I remember thinking
when I was a kid, I said,
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"God, I had this happy, happiest
childhood, happiest. It was so happy."
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00:07:40,253 --> 00:07:43,215
And then later I realized that,
"Oh, yeah, happy outside the house."
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[male voice] To the happiest
place on Earth, Disneyland.
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[laughter]
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00:07:53,683 --> 00:07:55,518
[Steve] And then I got a job
at the magic shop.
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00:07:57,103 --> 00:07:58,563
And that changed my life.
134
00:07:59,940 --> 00:08:03,360
- To perform tricks all day?
- [audience laughter]
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00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,779
That's-- just a dream come true.
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00:08:06,196 --> 00:08:07,697
Eventually, you become good.
137
00:08:07,697 --> 00:08:09,908
[train whistle blows]
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00:08:09,908 --> 00:08:11,952
We had all kinds of gags.
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00:08:11,952 --> 00:08:14,537
Bunny ears and arrows through the head.
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00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,791
We did the tricks,
but we had all these jokes.
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00:08:17,791 --> 00:08:21,211
I had a friend, Jim Barlow.
He had patter worked out.
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00:08:21,211 --> 00:08:22,837
He would go up to customers and say,
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00:08:22,837 --> 00:08:25,173
"May I take your money? I mean, help you?"
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00:08:25,173 --> 00:08:26,841
I just took all of Jim's patter.
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00:08:26,841 --> 00:08:28,677
Somebody would buy something
and I would say,
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00:08:28,677 --> 00:08:32,681
"And because you are our 100th customer
today, you get a free paper bag."
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Little silly things like that.
But it's Disneyland and I'm 15.
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00:08:38,979 --> 00:08:41,523
[announcer] Martin the Magic Marvel!
Let's bring him on.
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00:08:41,523 --> 00:08:43,525
[scattered applause]
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00:08:47,070 --> 00:08:50,740
[Steve] I would do shows for my parents'
bridge parties or for Cub Scouts.
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00:08:51,366 --> 00:08:54,244
[Steve, onstage] It was nothing.
I could tell by the applause.
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00:08:54,244 --> 00:08:56,288
[laughter]
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00:08:56,830 --> 00:08:59,958
[Steve] Jim Barlow and I had developed
hundreds of gags.
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00:09:01,209 --> 00:09:03,086
[Steve, onstage] Could I have
a little magic music, please?
155
00:09:03,086 --> 00:09:05,672
[Steve] It's mostly stolen
and borrowed.
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00:09:05,672 --> 00:09:08,800
[Steve, onstage] I just wanna remind you,
if you want to laugh, go ahead.
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00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,302
If you want to leave,
the doors are locked.
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00:09:10,302 --> 00:09:12,137
[laughter]
159
00:09:12,137 --> 00:09:13,638
[chuckling] I thought I'd be
using them my whole life.
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00:09:14,222 --> 00:09:16,016
[Steve, onstage]
I said magic, not tragic.
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00:09:16,016 --> 00:09:17,642
[laughter]
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00:09:17,642 --> 00:09:19,811
Here we go! One!
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00:09:20,770 --> 00:09:21,688
Two!
164
00:09:22,689 --> 00:09:24,441
And three!
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00:09:24,441 --> 00:09:26,151
- [loud bang]
- [crowd groans, laughs]
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00:09:30,447 --> 00:09:32,908
[Steve] I often hear,
"Well, just be yourself."
167
00:09:33,533 --> 00:09:35,744
But who knows what their self is?
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00:09:36,745 --> 00:09:37,996
I don't.
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00:09:40,415 --> 00:09:42,834
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,
Cub Scouts,
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00:09:42,834 --> 00:09:44,920
I am your magical host for the evening.
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00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,548
I am Steve Martin,
your magical host for the evening.
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00:09:48,548 --> 00:09:51,343
Take business cards.
Give several to head guy.
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00:09:51,343 --> 00:09:54,304
No children's shows
under eight years of age.
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00:09:54,304 --> 00:09:58,892
Terrific show, went over terrific.
Laughs all the way through.
175
00:09:58,892 --> 00:10:03,230
Had an accident with the square circle,
but it was covered and nobody knew."
176
00:10:03,230 --> 00:10:05,357
[laughter, applause]
177
00:10:11,571 --> 00:10:17,410
You can define a personality for yourself
and become that on stage.
178
00:10:17,410 --> 00:10:20,830
You can be what you choose to be.
179
00:10:22,666 --> 00:10:25,961
{\an8}- Can you play something for us?
- Sure, sure. Yeah.
180
00:10:27,212 --> 00:10:29,047
{\an8}[imitating horn]
181
00:10:29,047 --> 00:10:31,800
- [Stu Rosen] Oh...
- No, you don't play it like that, Tex.
182
00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,761
Oh, well. Like this?
183
00:10:34,761 --> 00:10:35,679
[mimics violin]
184
00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:36,846
- No.
- No.
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00:10:37,806 --> 00:10:40,225
[Steve] I remember realizing,
186
00:10:40,225 --> 00:10:44,938
"Oh, I think there's a little bit
of a dead end for me in magic.
187
00:10:45,355 --> 00:10:49,901
In comedy, it seems more wide open."
188
00:10:51,319 --> 00:10:53,280
You come on television-- Oh.
189
00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,992
You come on television, and you know,
so many performers, they get nervous.
190
00:10:56,992 --> 00:10:58,118
I don't get nervous.
191
00:10:58,118 --> 00:11:00,287
I don't want anyone to think
that this is something I hold in my heart.
192
00:11:00,287 --> 00:11:02,330
Anyone ever thought I was nervous,
I'd die.
193
00:11:02,330 --> 00:11:04,708
- [laughter]
- [Steve] I loved Jerry Lewis.
194
00:11:05,625 --> 00:11:07,460
I loved Laurel and Hardy.
195
00:11:08,044 --> 00:11:09,754
[loud crash]
196
00:11:09,754 --> 00:11:12,507
And Nichols and May, they were like music.
197
00:11:12,507 --> 00:11:15,051
And you remember that Mommy loves you.
198
00:11:15,051 --> 00:11:16,887
[childish voice] I love you too, Mommy.
199
00:11:17,512 --> 00:11:19,139
- Goodbye, baby.
- Goodbye, Mommy.
200
00:11:19,139 --> 00:11:21,850
- [affectionate babbling]
- [audience cheering]
201
00:11:21,850 --> 00:11:23,184
[Steve] There was Lenny Bruce,
202
00:11:23,184 --> 00:11:25,186
Bob Newhart, Charlie Chaplin,
I Love Lucy,
203
00:11:25,186 --> 00:11:26,980
Jack Benny, Danny Kaye,
Bob Hope, Red Skelton,
204
00:11:26,980 --> 00:11:28,732
Peter Sellers, Steve Allen,
Jackie Gleason.
205
00:11:28,732 --> 00:11:33,028
But I had absolutely
nothing in common with what they did.
206
00:11:33,904 --> 00:11:35,947
Do you believe I can play
this song backwards?
207
00:11:36,865 --> 00:11:38,199
No. Can you?
208
00:11:38,199 --> 00:11:39,743
- Wanna see me do it?
- Yeah.
209
00:11:39,743 --> 00:11:40,869
Watch this.
210
00:11:40,869 --> 00:11:43,204
[playing rapid upbeat melody]
211
00:11:43,204 --> 00:11:45,832
- Aww...
- Yee-haw!
212
00:11:47,083 --> 00:11:51,504
[Steve] I'm in Orange County, which might
have been 10,000 miles from Hollywood.
213
00:11:52,130 --> 00:11:53,882
And I didn't have any bits.
214
00:11:53,882 --> 00:11:56,760
I felt uncomfortable without props.
215
00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,471
I'd be standing there telling a story?
216
00:11:59,471 --> 00:12:01,223
[laughs]
217
00:12:01,223 --> 00:12:03,183
[banjo music fades]
218
00:12:03,183 --> 00:12:07,812
So, how do I transform myself
into a comedian?
219
00:12:11,691 --> 00:12:15,153
When I was 18,
I worked at this very cute little theater
220
00:12:15,153 --> 00:12:17,989
at Knott's Berry Farm
called the Birdcage Theater.
221
00:12:17,989 --> 00:12:19,908
And I met a girl who worked there
222
00:12:19,908 --> 00:12:23,620
and we fell in love
in that sort of 18-year-old way.
223
00:12:26,122 --> 00:12:30,043
Her name then was Stormie Sherk,
and she became a Christian proselytizer,
224
00:12:30,043 --> 00:12:32,546
and she's a huge best selling author.
225
00:12:34,130 --> 00:12:35,715
But anyway, then she wasn't.
226
00:12:35,715 --> 00:12:38,134
She had a spirit that was not yet holy.
227
00:12:39,636 --> 00:12:43,473
And she was very enthusiastic
about knowledge and learning.
228
00:12:44,558 --> 00:12:46,518
{\an8}[Sherk] He was so open to things.
229
00:12:47,018 --> 00:12:51,189
{\an8}I wanted to give him the books
that had really affected my life.
230
00:12:52,732 --> 00:12:55,777
[Steve] She had convinced me
to read The Razor's Edge.
231
00:12:58,780 --> 00:13:02,617
And The Razor's Edge
is about man questing truth.
232
00:13:03,702 --> 00:13:06,955
There can be no real happiness
until men learn
233
00:13:06,955 --> 00:13:09,416
that it comes from within themselves.
234
00:13:11,334 --> 00:13:13,837
[Steve] I couldn't recite it back to you.
235
00:13:13,837 --> 00:13:17,215
All I know is, "Oh, I'm supposed to be
interested in the meaning of life."
236
00:13:17,215 --> 00:13:18,842
[laughs]
237
00:13:20,176 --> 00:13:23,346
[Sherk] So, I kept encouraging him.
I said, "Steve, you're so brilliant.
238
00:13:23,346 --> 00:13:26,433
You've got to go to college.
That's how you're gonna find who you are.
239
00:13:26,433 --> 00:13:30,186
That's how you're gonna learn
so much about yourself and the world."
240
00:13:31,146 --> 00:13:34,816
So I made a major change in my life.
241
00:13:34,816 --> 00:13:39,154
I applied to Long Beach State
and started studying philosophy.
242
00:13:43,074 --> 00:13:44,826
[wind blowing]
243
00:13:44,826 --> 00:13:48,747
In philosophy,
everything is being broken down.
244
00:13:48,747 --> 00:13:51,166
Everything is being rethought.
245
00:13:51,166 --> 00:13:54,085
Everything. And I like that.
246
00:13:54,085 --> 00:13:59,007
The feeling that you would
solve something grand.
247
00:14:00,342 --> 00:14:04,054
So, I started questioning
the only thing I had, which was comedy.
248
00:14:05,180 --> 00:14:06,723
Instead of, "Does God exist?"
249
00:14:06,723 --> 00:14:09,517
It was,
"Hey, how can I get some better laughs?"
250
00:14:10,477 --> 00:14:12,812
I remembered an essential element
251
00:14:12,812 --> 00:14:17,442
of my thinking about comedy,
which was indicators.
252
00:14:17,442 --> 00:14:18,944
- Like that, see?
- [audience laughing]
253
00:14:18,944 --> 00:14:20,487
I wanna tell you...
254
00:14:20,487 --> 00:14:21,947
You know,
once I wanted to become an atheist.
255
00:14:21,947 --> 00:14:24,241
I gave it up. They have no holidays.
256
00:14:24,241 --> 00:14:26,117
[crowd laughing, cheering]
257
00:14:26,117 --> 00:14:31,873
[Steve] The things comedians do
to indicate that the joke is over,
258
00:14:31,873 --> 00:14:35,877
and whether it was funny or not,
the audience has made a pact.
259
00:14:35,877 --> 00:14:38,547
"Okay, that's when we laugh."
260
00:14:39,005 --> 00:14:41,508
For example, the punch line.
261
00:14:41,508 --> 00:14:44,886
I suppose you read where
Elvis Presley passed his Army physical.
262
00:14:44,886 --> 00:14:47,097
- I feel a lot safer now, don't you?
- [laughter]
263
00:14:47,097 --> 00:14:50,475
[Steve] By telling the story,
you create tension.
264
00:14:50,475 --> 00:14:52,060
Elvis is really musical too.
265
00:14:52,060 --> 00:14:53,645
When the doctor tapped him with a hammer
266
00:14:53,645 --> 00:14:56,273
his kneecaps played
three choruses of "Don't Be Cruel."
267
00:14:56,940 --> 00:14:58,567
[Steve] With the punch line,
you release the tension
268
00:14:58,567 --> 00:15:00,986
and everybody goes "ha, ha, ha, ha!"
269
00:15:03,363 --> 00:15:05,532
That's not real laughter.
270
00:15:06,408 --> 00:15:12,205
So I thought, "What if I created tension
and never released it?
271
00:15:13,081 --> 00:15:15,292
What if I could get real laughter?"
272
00:15:17,043 --> 00:15:22,090
Like the kind you have with your friends,
where your sides are aching.
273
00:15:22,757 --> 00:15:26,469
Where there was no pact.
We were just laughing.
274
00:15:26,469 --> 00:15:29,389
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
275
00:15:29,389 --> 00:15:32,017
There was no indicators.
276
00:15:32,017 --> 00:15:36,271
There was nothing to say,
"This is a joke." You just get giggly.
277
00:15:36,271 --> 00:15:38,899
"What are we laughing at?"
"I don't know."
278
00:15:41,151 --> 00:15:42,652
So, I had this theory.
279
00:15:43,403 --> 00:15:48,491
"What if I took out the indicators,
but just kept going?"
280
00:15:48,950 --> 00:15:54,664
Like, the audience eventually would
have to pick their own place to laugh.
281
00:15:54,664 --> 00:15:58,501
It's either gonna be, "This is so stupid,"
which will make them laugh
282
00:15:58,501 --> 00:16:00,670
or, "That was funny,"
which will make them laugh.
283
00:16:00,670 --> 00:16:03,924
Or, "Now I'm laughing at the thing
that was actually two things before."
284
00:16:05,050 --> 00:16:10,513
So, there was this kind of free form
laughter without the pact.
285
00:16:11,348 --> 00:16:15,727
I was after that quality
that is indefinable,
286
00:16:15,727 --> 00:16:20,774
where it's that "I don't know why
it was funny, but it was."
287
00:16:24,069 --> 00:16:27,530
My very first show
that I would say I was actually paid for,
288
00:16:27,530 --> 00:16:29,908
the Little Place coffee shop.
289
00:16:29,908 --> 00:16:31,201
[Steve, onstage] Thank you.
290
00:16:31,201 --> 00:16:33,620
Oh, I wanted to mention,
we really have a great show tonight.
291
00:16:33,620 --> 00:16:36,414
We have Steve Martin.
He'll be out here in a minute.
292
00:16:36,414 --> 00:16:40,252
We have the Tijuana Brass,
and then we have Elvis Presley, and um...
293
00:16:40,252 --> 00:16:43,255
Oh, we have Flamey and the Burn Outs,
we have Bill Haley and the Comets,
294
00:16:43,255 --> 00:16:46,049
Truman Capote, Queen of England,
Montie Montana...
295
00:16:46,049 --> 00:16:48,927
[Steve] I had the kitchen sink in my act,
I put the magic in.
296
00:16:48,927 --> 00:16:50,095
[woman in audience] Ace of spades.
297
00:16:50,095 --> 00:16:52,389
[Steve, onstage] The ace of spades.
Well, you're wrong!
298
00:16:52,389 --> 00:16:53,682
[laughter]
299
00:16:53,682 --> 00:16:55,392
[Steve] I read E.E. Cummings.
300
00:16:55,392 --> 00:16:57,978
[Steve, onstage] "The devil, ach the great
green dancing devil devil devil devil.
301
00:16:57,978 --> 00:16:59,771
- Whee!"
- [Steve] I juggled.
302
00:16:59,771 --> 00:17:01,606
[laughter]
303
00:17:01,606 --> 00:17:03,942
[Steve, onstage] I haven't always done
a fantastically funny comedy act.
304
00:17:03,942 --> 00:17:07,487
I used to do dramatic readings,
you know, of things like, um,
305
00:17:07,487 --> 00:17:10,407
I did a dramatic reading
of the periodic table of the elements.
306
00:17:10,991 --> 00:17:12,033
It's a big one.
307
00:17:13,577 --> 00:17:14,578
Pud.
308
00:17:15,996 --> 00:17:16,955
Mup.
309
00:17:18,206 --> 00:17:19,165
Zun.
310
00:17:20,542 --> 00:17:22,127
Just kind of goes on like that.
311
00:17:22,710 --> 00:17:24,629
[Steve] It was hard getting
20 minutes of stuff.
312
00:17:24,629 --> 00:17:25,881
It really was.
313
00:17:25,881 --> 00:17:28,842
If the audience was bad,
it got down to 11.
314
00:17:28,842 --> 00:17:31,303
[laughing] You know?
315
00:17:31,303 --> 00:17:33,805
[Steve, onstage] This has really
been a big one for me, kind of...
316
00:17:33,805 --> 00:17:35,599
put me where I am today.
317
00:17:35,599 --> 00:17:37,225
It's the comedy telephone routine.
318
00:17:37,225 --> 00:17:39,352
This is where I pretend like I call
somebody up on the phone,
319
00:17:39,352 --> 00:17:42,188
talk to them and make funny jokes.
320
00:17:43,356 --> 00:17:45,483
I think you're really gonna like this one.
321
00:17:47,652 --> 00:17:49,279
Hello, is Fred there?
322
00:17:50,906 --> 00:17:52,157
Oh.
323
00:17:56,494 --> 00:17:57,746
That's a funny one. And then...
324
00:17:57,746 --> 00:17:59,414
[audience laughing]
325
00:18:00,373 --> 00:18:04,085
[Steve] I was just as happy with a look.
326
00:18:04,085 --> 00:18:05,629
Like, "What?"
327
00:18:06,379 --> 00:18:08,423
{\an8}[Sherk] There are two kinds of people
in the world.
328
00:18:08,423 --> 00:18:14,387
{\an8}Those who understand Steve Martin's humor
and those who don't.
329
00:18:14,971 --> 00:18:17,098
The audience had to catch up.
330
00:18:17,974 --> 00:18:19,351
[Steve, onstage] Thank you.
331
00:18:20,393 --> 00:18:23,730
[Steve] I transferred to UCLA,
and I took advanced logic.
332
00:18:26,274 --> 00:18:28,443
[applause]
333
00:18:29,653 --> 00:18:32,280
{\an8}[Steve, onstage]
We're having a good time. Yes.
334
00:18:34,074 --> 00:18:36,409
These are the good times
and we're having them.
335
00:18:37,494 --> 00:18:40,163
[Steve] I was influenced by Lewis Carroll,
336
00:18:40,163 --> 00:18:44,251
who was the great,
sort of, master of nonsense.
337
00:18:44,834 --> 00:18:47,128
[Steve, onstage]
One. Babies are illogical.
338
00:18:47,754 --> 00:18:51,883
Two. Nobody is despised
who can manage a crocodile.
339
00:18:52,342 --> 00:18:55,470
Three. Illogical persons are despised.
340
00:18:56,012 --> 00:18:58,765
Therefore, babies
cannot manage crocodiles.
341
00:18:58,765 --> 00:19:00,642
[laughter]
342
00:19:00,642 --> 00:19:03,478
[Steve] And then one day
I was with my friend Phil Carey
343
00:19:03,478 --> 00:19:06,147
and we decided to have an adventure.
344
00:19:06,147 --> 00:19:09,734
Phil got this assignment in his class.
I don't know what the assignment was,
345
00:19:09,734 --> 00:19:12,279
{\an8}but it was to interview someone,
so he asked Aaron Copland.
346
00:19:12,279 --> 00:19:15,407
{\an8}And Aaron Copland said, "Yeah."
347
00:19:15,407 --> 00:19:18,159
{\an8}[Carey] He had not been across country
348
00:19:18,159 --> 00:19:22,038
{\an8}and had not been
in a lot of these small towns.
349
00:19:22,038 --> 00:19:26,668
There were places that I thought,
"Steve needs to see this."
350
00:19:27,627 --> 00:19:30,213
[Steve] Phil and I were in sync.
You know how that goes.
351
00:19:30,213 --> 00:19:32,966
When you have a close friend
you can riff with.
352
00:19:32,966 --> 00:19:35,343
That's what happened on that trip.
353
00:19:35,343 --> 00:19:38,221
I've got a good name for a product.
Meat Wax.
354
00:19:38,221 --> 00:19:41,224
"Hi, friends. Are you tired of having
a dull, rotten body?
355
00:19:41,224 --> 00:19:44,895
Well, you can make it gleam again
with new spray on Meat Wax."
356
00:19:44,895 --> 00:19:50,609
[Carey] We sort of shared interests
in the strange and wonderful about life.
357
00:19:50,609 --> 00:19:52,402
[Steve] I was still 20,
358
00:19:52,402 --> 00:19:56,197
and I was proud to make it
to New York City before I turned 21.
359
00:19:56,197 --> 00:19:59,910
And when Phil and I got there,
we ran over to the Museum of Modern Art.
360
00:19:59,910 --> 00:20:01,786
[Carey] Because we had to see Guernica.
361
00:20:05,248 --> 00:20:07,834
[Steve] So, what is happening in 1964?
362
00:20:07,834 --> 00:20:11,338
You have an explosion in the art world.
363
00:20:11,338 --> 00:20:15,133
You have a culture shifting
with The Beatles.
364
00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:17,010
Give us a kiss.
365
00:20:17,010 --> 00:20:20,347
{\an8}So, when I looked at my so-called act,
366
00:20:20,347 --> 00:20:25,143
it was natural to think,
"What makes them want to see this again?
367
00:20:25,143 --> 00:20:28,855
What would make them go home
and talk about it?"
368
00:20:28,855 --> 00:20:30,899
- [cow mooing]
- [fireworks booming]
369
00:20:30,899 --> 00:20:36,196
[chuckling] Even if it was just,
"I just saw the weirdest thing," you know?
370
00:20:36,196 --> 00:20:40,784
"A comedian who thinks he's funny,
and isn't."
371
00:20:40,784 --> 00:20:44,704
I thought, there's something there.
372
00:20:44,704 --> 00:20:45,705
[fireworks whistling]
373
00:20:47,165 --> 00:20:50,210
{\an8}[Steve] I mailed a postcard
to my fabulous college girlfriend.
374
00:20:50,961 --> 00:20:54,965
{\an8}"Dear Nina, I have decided my act
is going to go avant-garde.
375
00:20:54,965 --> 00:20:58,093
{\an8}It is the only way to do what I want."
376
00:20:59,135 --> 00:21:03,765
I have no idea what I meant except
that I wasn't going to be traditional.
377
00:21:05,267 --> 00:21:06,226
I guess.
378
00:21:07,811 --> 00:21:11,940
Now, ladies and gentlemen...
[murmuring intro] ...Steve Martin.
379
00:21:11,940 --> 00:21:14,693
Good evening, thank you.
Thank you very much, this is too much.
380
00:21:14,693 --> 00:21:17,362
Really, too much. Thank you. Thank you.
381
00:21:17,362 --> 00:21:19,781
It's my farewell performance,
so thank you very much.
382
00:21:19,781 --> 00:21:21,283
So long, and thank you very much.
383
00:21:21,283 --> 00:21:22,492
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
384
00:21:22,492 --> 00:21:25,328
or hello, or whatever time it is
wherever you are.
385
00:21:25,328 --> 00:21:26,955
Good evening and welcome to the show.
386
00:21:26,955 --> 00:21:29,749
My name is Steve Martin and
I'll be out here in just a moment.
387
00:21:29,749 --> 00:21:31,543
And while we're waiting for me,
388
00:21:31,543 --> 00:21:33,753
I'd like to announce, first of all,
that two weeks ago,
389
00:21:33,753 --> 00:21:38,091
I recorded my first live comedy album.
390
00:21:38,091 --> 00:21:42,137
And two days from tonight,
we're going to erase it.
391
00:21:42,137 --> 00:21:44,389
So, that's why I'm sort of out here.
392
00:21:44,389 --> 00:21:45,473
[laughing]
393
00:21:45,473 --> 00:21:47,559
That's funny, isn't it?
394
00:21:48,184 --> 00:21:51,354
Yes, comedy is king in this amazing world.
395
00:21:51,354 --> 00:21:53,773
You know, laughter is so important.
396
00:21:53,773 --> 00:21:57,068
It's really the one thing
that distinguishes
397
00:21:57,068 --> 00:21:59,654
a human being from
all the other creatures, you know,
398
00:21:59,654 --> 00:22:03,408
is that ability when something funny
happens to really be able to lean back
399
00:22:03,408 --> 00:22:06,244
- and go, "Funny."
- [phone rings]
400
00:22:10,582 --> 00:22:13,001
[Steve] The clubs would hire comedians.
401
00:22:13,001 --> 00:22:15,503
They were always the opening act.
402
00:22:15,503 --> 00:22:19,591
{\an8}It was my only bar scene ever,
and I didn't real--
403
00:22:19,591 --> 00:22:23,428
Sounds just like a California "ever"
when I said that, but anyway.
404
00:22:24,554 --> 00:22:26,723
The mecca was the Troubadour.
405
00:22:27,933 --> 00:22:30,393
Even though there was a club
called The Mecca. [laughs]
406
00:22:31,019 --> 00:22:32,979
[announcer] ...welcome to Steve Martin.
407
00:22:34,356 --> 00:22:37,275
- [Steve, onstage] Thank you.
- [applause]
408
00:22:37,275 --> 00:22:39,110
Thank you. Well, shoot.
409
00:22:40,111 --> 00:22:42,113
You've really been
a wonderful audience, and, uh,
410
00:22:42,113 --> 00:22:44,407
thank you very much and goodnight.
411
00:22:47,369 --> 00:22:51,665
No, I just thought I'd say that.
As he said, I was doing the Bishop show...
412
00:22:51,665 --> 00:22:53,750
{\an8}[Trumbo] Usually, he'd do two shows.
413
00:22:53,750 --> 00:22:56,169
{\an8}There could be, like,
six people in the audience.
414
00:22:56,795 --> 00:22:58,838
It was weird to watch when nobody laughed,
415
00:22:58,838 --> 00:23:01,049
because then you're like,
"Oh, is this funny?"
416
00:23:01,049 --> 00:23:02,175
[laughing]
417
00:23:03,552 --> 00:23:05,929
[man on radio] Here we are in the alley
behind the Troubadour
418
00:23:05,929 --> 00:23:07,847
with Mr. Steve Martin.
419
00:23:08,723 --> 00:23:10,183
[Steve on radio] Yes, yes, it's me.
420
00:23:10,183 --> 00:23:11,518
Ladies and gentlemen, if you're listening,
421
00:23:11,518 --> 00:23:13,853
some people just walked by
and recognized me here.
422
00:23:13,853 --> 00:23:15,772
- Exciting--
- [male passerby] Woody Allen, right?
423
00:23:15,772 --> 00:23:17,774
[Steve] No, no, no, no.
424
00:23:17,774 --> 00:23:19,359
[woman] Are you Jerry Lewis?
425
00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:22,153
[Steve] No, this is Steve Martin.
The King of Comedy.
426
00:23:22,153 --> 00:23:24,281
[woman laughs]
I've never heard of Steve Martin.
427
00:23:24,281 --> 00:23:25,365
[male passerby] Make me laugh.
428
00:23:25,365 --> 00:23:27,450
[applause]
429
00:23:27,450 --> 00:23:29,119
[Trumbo] But then there'd be a second show
430
00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,372
and people had been drinking and you know,
it would go great.
431
00:23:32,372 --> 00:23:33,957
[Steve, onstage] But now I realize
a lot of you people
432
00:23:33,957 --> 00:23:35,792
are sitting out there saying to yourself,
433
00:23:35,792 --> 00:23:38,795
"Oh, this is just another
banjo magic act."
434
00:23:38,795 --> 00:23:40,672
[laughter]
435
00:23:40,672 --> 00:23:43,133
"But when is he going to do
balloon animals?"
436
00:23:43,133 --> 00:23:44,801
[laughter]
437
00:23:44,801 --> 00:23:48,346
[Trumbo] Once they got him, he had them.
438
00:23:48,346 --> 00:23:52,350
[cheering, applause]
439
00:23:54,227 --> 00:23:58,023
["Don't Talk (Put Your Head on
My Shoulder)" by the Beach Boys playing]
440
00:24:07,449 --> 00:24:11,411
[Trumbo] I think I tried hard to get him
to be romantic that summer.
441
00:24:12,871 --> 00:24:17,334
His brain works in many interesting,
different ways.
442
00:24:17,334 --> 00:24:21,171
"Dear, dear Mitz.
Actually, nothing much is happening.
443
00:24:21,171 --> 00:24:25,050
I auditioned at the Golden Horseshoe,
but haven't heard back."
444
00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,179
[Trumbo] "I'm in the process
of growing a moustache, are you?"
445
00:24:29,179 --> 00:24:30,388
[laughs]
446
00:24:37,062 --> 00:24:38,813
He had fun with my family.
447
00:24:39,522 --> 00:24:42,734
We would smoke a little pot
and laugh and eat.
448
00:24:42,734 --> 00:24:44,110
[laughs]
449
00:24:45,028 --> 00:24:47,614
{\an8}My father was a writer, a screenwriter.
450
00:24:48,657 --> 00:24:52,285
{\an8}He and many of his friends
were blacklisted.
451
00:24:53,328 --> 00:24:57,332
[Steve] There'd be dinners
with artists, writers.
452
00:24:58,541 --> 00:25:01,044
It's the first time
I ever saw art in a house.
453
00:25:02,587 --> 00:25:05,298
Conversation was the opposite of my own.
454
00:25:06,132 --> 00:25:09,594
Dinner with my parents was silent.
455
00:25:12,514 --> 00:25:16,726
That was the first time I walked into
another complete life.
456
00:25:17,769 --> 00:25:19,729
Another kind of life.
457
00:25:20,313 --> 00:25:23,692
[song continues]
458
00:25:42,752 --> 00:25:45,463
[Trumbo] You know, the way we look
at each other when we're that age,
459
00:25:45,463 --> 00:25:47,591
we don't know anything about anything.
460
00:25:48,258 --> 00:25:50,552
And so, I broke up with Steve.
461
00:25:51,136 --> 00:25:53,263
I think I could have seen
that he would go someplace.
462
00:25:53,263 --> 00:25:56,766
I didn't think he'd stop. And he didn't.
463
00:25:58,393 --> 00:26:00,061
[Steve, onstage] This is one of
the most beautiful sights...
464
00:26:00,061 --> 00:26:03,648
[Steve] I once performed
at a drive-in movie theatre.
465
00:26:03,648 --> 00:26:09,404
If they thought something was funny,
they honked. [laughs]
466
00:26:09,404 --> 00:26:11,615
[Steve, onstage] When people say,
"Hey, mind if I smoke?"
467
00:26:11,615 --> 00:26:13,825
You know, I say,
"No, you mind if I fart?"
468
00:26:14,868 --> 00:26:17,746
[horns honking]
469
00:26:21,291 --> 00:26:24,169
[Steve] I thought,
"No, I can't let this turn into my life.
470
00:26:25,045 --> 00:26:28,465
I don't wanna be doing this
in my 50s, 60s.
471
00:26:29,299 --> 00:26:33,720
So, I'll give myself till 30 to make it."
472
00:26:38,725 --> 00:26:41,603
You know, I'd work at night.
I'd go to college in the day.
473
00:26:42,312 --> 00:26:47,734
And I'm thinking, "How do I earn a living?
What do I do?"
474
00:26:48,777 --> 00:26:52,989
"August 9th, auditioned
for The Mighty Hercules TV show."
475
00:26:53,949 --> 00:26:56,117
Quit now, Hercules,
you don't stand a chance.
476
00:26:57,035 --> 00:26:59,079
That's what you think.
Here I come, Theseus.
477
00:26:59,079 --> 00:27:00,372
[Steve] "Didn't get it."
478
00:27:01,957 --> 00:27:06,962
I was definitely thinking of
becoming a professor of philosophy
479
00:27:06,962 --> 00:27:10,423
because I always felt that teaching
was show business.
480
00:27:11,132 --> 00:27:13,301
You're standing up in front of people.
481
00:27:14,302 --> 00:27:18,139
You know, and then this opportunity
came through with The Smothers Brothers.
482
00:27:18,139 --> 00:27:20,600
Which was a hit show. [laughs]
483
00:27:21,226 --> 00:27:25,313
So, here's my brother Tom with,
for the first time on television,
484
00:27:25,313 --> 00:27:29,025
30, count them, folks, 30 topless dancers.
485
00:27:30,986 --> 00:27:33,905
[Steve] They were casting around
for young writers.
486
00:27:33,905 --> 00:27:35,740
[laughter]
487
00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:37,867
I thought, "Well, that's show business."
488
00:27:42,414 --> 00:27:44,499
I had been performing stand-up comedy
around town
489
00:27:44,499 --> 00:27:46,668
and they had heard a little bit about me.
490
00:27:49,045 --> 00:27:50,964
[Steve, onstage]
I've got a great practical joke.
491
00:27:50,964 --> 00:27:53,216
Do you want to play it on your friends?
It's really funny.
492
00:27:53,216 --> 00:27:55,719
You're invited to one of those
big dinner parties,
493
00:27:55,719 --> 00:27:59,055
walk in and throw the salad on the floor.
494
00:28:00,181 --> 00:28:02,100
I did that at the last party I went to.
495
00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:03,184
[Steve chuckles]
496
00:28:03,184 --> 00:28:05,687
- That was about two years ago.
- [crowd laughing]
497
00:28:06,271 --> 00:28:08,607
[Steve] And the only thing I'd written
were some jokes in my act
498
00:28:08,607 --> 00:28:11,234
and a few, little, weird, short stories.
499
00:28:11,860 --> 00:28:14,613
But my girlfriend
was dating the head writer.
500
00:28:15,447 --> 00:28:17,574
Remember, this is 1967.
501
00:28:18,241 --> 00:28:21,953
{\an8}[Williams] I would go out to The Ice House
four or five times a week.
502
00:28:21,953 --> 00:28:25,624
{\an8}I probably saw him 20 or 30 times there.
503
00:28:26,082 --> 00:28:28,168
When you see something 30 times,
504
00:28:29,252 --> 00:28:31,838
you start to see the essence
of what's going on.
505
00:28:32,756 --> 00:28:34,507
[Steve] And they hired me.
506
00:28:34,507 --> 00:28:36,885
I was launched into the stratosphere.
507
00:28:37,427 --> 00:28:40,430
From nowhere to somewhere in a week.
508
00:28:47,270 --> 00:28:49,773
I was scared out of my mind.
509
00:28:49,773 --> 00:28:51,608
- [indistinct chatter]
- [set bell rings]
510
00:28:51,608 --> 00:28:54,694
[Williams] I would say
he was a little bit shy.
511
00:28:54,694 --> 00:28:55,987
[crewman] Rolling!
512
00:28:55,987 --> 00:28:57,614
[Williams] We didn't have
an office for him,
513
00:28:57,614 --> 00:29:01,993
and he would sit in the hallway
outside of the writers' room.
514
00:29:01,993 --> 00:29:03,662
And just leaning against the wall.
515
00:29:05,247 --> 00:29:07,540
[Steve] I went in and, you know,
I wrote something.
516
00:29:08,583 --> 00:29:11,002
Mason circled a line and he said,
517
00:29:11,002 --> 00:29:14,548
"That's the punchline and
we'll just take it and put it at the end."
518
00:29:18,510 --> 00:29:21,263
Started having anxiety attacks.
519
00:29:22,806 --> 00:29:25,350
I really struggled with it
for many, many years.
520
00:29:25,350 --> 00:29:27,394
[overlapping, echoing chatter]
521
00:29:30,689 --> 00:29:35,819
"Well, here I am... alive.
Now what do I do?
522
00:29:36,820 --> 00:29:40,991
Two days ago, I went through what
was the worst experience of my life.
523
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,454
Fantastically rapid palpitation
of the heart accompanied by fear.
524
00:29:48,331 --> 00:29:50,500
I felt very detached from the world.
525
00:29:50,500 --> 00:29:53,253
No past, only a distant present.
526
00:29:53,962 --> 00:29:55,589
I was very disjointed at work.
527
00:29:55,589 --> 00:29:58,300
I could not talk
without stumbling over words.
528
00:29:58,967 --> 00:30:00,844
I had thoughts of quitting."
529
00:30:02,637 --> 00:30:05,181
Who is that disgusting person?
530
00:30:06,850 --> 00:30:08,143
"And then...
531
00:30:08,977 --> 00:30:12,939
I drove home and realized
that I am pretty fucking great.
532
00:30:12,939 --> 00:30:15,859
I have a good job. I have a creative job.
533
00:30:16,359 --> 00:30:18,695
I have a good act, an artistic act.
534
00:30:19,237 --> 00:30:20,739
I have a mind.
535
00:30:21,698 --> 00:30:26,661
I decided to think of my work as an end
rather than happiness as an end.
536
00:30:28,496 --> 00:30:30,665
That is a good idea."
537
00:30:32,959 --> 00:30:35,128
I mean, Tommy Smothers once said,
538
00:30:35,128 --> 00:30:38,173
"Talking to Steve Martin
is like talking to nobody."
539
00:30:38,173 --> 00:30:40,759
[laughing]
540
00:30:40,759 --> 00:30:42,594
And he was right.
541
00:30:42,594 --> 00:30:46,389
{\an8}I'd like to introduce you, but I can't
quite decide how to describe your act.
542
00:30:46,389 --> 00:30:47,641
{\an8}What would you suggest?
543
00:30:47,641 --> 00:30:49,059
Oh, how about...
544
00:30:50,185 --> 00:30:52,437
- ..."world's greatest comedian"?
- [laughter]
545
00:30:54,272 --> 00:30:56,191
- No.
- [laughter]
546
00:30:58,401 --> 00:31:00,278
Hi, I'm the world's greatest comedian.
547
00:31:00,278 --> 00:31:01,363
[laughter, applause]
548
00:31:01,363 --> 00:31:03,573
Hello. Thank you. Thank you very much.
549
00:31:04,908 --> 00:31:07,744
Thank you. [clears throat]
Well, thank you.
550
00:31:07,744 --> 00:31:09,955
[laughter]
551
00:31:09,955 --> 00:31:12,749
This is too much. I didn't expect this.
Thank you.
552
00:31:12,749 --> 00:31:15,627
I'd like to start off with something
that's an old gag
553
00:31:15,627 --> 00:31:17,587
and I haven't really perfected it yet,
554
00:31:17,587 --> 00:31:20,465
but something that's always funny
no matter how many times you see it,
555
00:31:20,465 --> 00:31:22,968
it's the old
forgetting your own name gag.
556
00:31:22,968 --> 00:31:26,346
[chuckling] This is where
I start to say my own name
557
00:31:26,346 --> 00:31:28,181
and then, suddenly,
I pretend like I forgot it.
558
00:31:28,181 --> 00:31:31,101
Now, I haven't perfected this yet,
but something that's really funny.
559
00:31:31,101 --> 00:31:34,604
So, here we go,
the old forgetting your own name gag.
560
00:31:34,604 --> 00:31:36,940
[laughing]
561
00:31:36,940 --> 00:31:39,943
[audience laughing]
562
00:31:39,943 --> 00:31:41,736
Hi, folks, I'm Steve Martin.
563
00:31:42,529 --> 00:31:44,155
Oh, I blew it.
564
00:31:44,155 --> 00:31:46,449
[laughter]
565
00:31:47,367 --> 00:31:50,787
[all chanting] Peace, now!
Peace, now! Peace, now!
566
00:31:50,787 --> 00:31:53,582
[Steve] The Vietnam War was raging,
567
00:31:53,582 --> 00:31:57,002
and everyone had really long hair
and was very, very serious.
568
00:31:57,002 --> 00:31:58,795
Instead of making war,
it's better to just stay...
569
00:31:58,795 --> 00:32:01,548
- Let's stay in bed for three years.
- And grow your hair.
570
00:32:01,548 --> 00:32:02,966
- Yes.
- For peace.
571
00:32:04,384 --> 00:32:06,344
[Steve, onstage] Well, I feel
that every act should contain
572
00:32:06,344 --> 00:32:08,346
some kind of social comment
573
00:32:08,346 --> 00:32:11,099
and, uh, something really meaningful.
574
00:32:11,099 --> 00:32:13,852
So, right now,
I'd like to do my balloon animals.
575
00:32:13,852 --> 00:32:15,937
[audience laughing]
576
00:32:17,105 --> 00:32:17,939
Here we go.
577
00:32:19,065 --> 00:32:22,152
These are-- This is really fun.
This is for the kids.
578
00:32:23,612 --> 00:32:25,155
[Steve] All comedy was political.
579
00:32:26,615 --> 00:32:28,533
And you could just mention the name Nixon
580
00:32:28,533 --> 00:32:31,745
and get a big laugh or boo
or some huge response.
581
00:32:33,163 --> 00:32:37,334
And I felt that it was time
to change that.
582
00:32:37,334 --> 00:32:39,294
[audience laughing]
583
00:32:39,294 --> 00:32:44,007
{\an8}[Einstein] At the time, the comedians
were into talking about the war,
584
00:32:44,007 --> 00:32:47,469
{\an8}talking about some maybe off-color stuff.
585
00:32:47,469 --> 00:32:52,098
♪ Oh, beautiful for smoggy skies
Insecticided grain ♪
586
00:32:52,098 --> 00:32:53,475
Well, I'm with the women's libs too, man.
587
00:32:53,475 --> 00:32:56,353
You can pay all the check
and leave a big tip too.
588
00:32:56,353 --> 00:32:59,439
I'd hate to be white,
'cause y'all got to go to the Moon.
589
00:32:59,439 --> 00:33:03,985
Hey, man, let's organize and help
them white motherfuckers get to the Moon,
590
00:33:03,985 --> 00:33:05,946
so they leave us alone. Heh.
591
00:33:09,032 --> 00:33:10,909
[Einstein] Steve was simply silly.
592
00:33:12,535 --> 00:33:14,579
What he was doing was unique.
It was chancy.
593
00:33:14,579 --> 00:33:17,374
No one thought it was brilliant,
including Steve.
594
00:33:17,916 --> 00:33:19,793
Now, I know this really looks stupid.
595
00:33:19,793 --> 00:33:21,795
[audience laughing]
596
00:33:21,795 --> 00:33:26,132
And it looks like there's no explanation
for what I just did, but let me explain.
597
00:33:27,884 --> 00:33:29,344
You see...
598
00:33:30,637 --> 00:33:33,473
[audience laughing]
599
00:33:37,686 --> 00:33:39,938
[Steve] You know,
I got nothing but bad reviews.
600
00:33:44,192 --> 00:33:47,112
"The worst thing to ever happen
to American comedy." I remember that.
601
00:33:48,321 --> 00:33:52,701
"Steve Martin, who I consider to be
the luckiest person in show business."
602
00:33:52,701 --> 00:33:54,077
[laughs]
603
00:33:54,077 --> 00:33:56,496
While we're waiting for me,
I'd like to do a comedy routine
604
00:33:56,496 --> 00:33:58,081
that's sort of been a big one for me.
605
00:33:58,081 --> 00:34:01,042
I'm sure most of you will recognize
the title when I mention it.
606
00:34:01,042 --> 00:34:03,962
It's the comedy
nose on microphone routine.
607
00:34:04,713 --> 00:34:06,172
[Steve] No, no.
608
00:34:06,756 --> 00:34:10,552
Even better, he said,
"The world's luckiest amateur."
609
00:34:11,970 --> 00:34:14,389
Well, you know, kind of true.
610
00:34:14,389 --> 00:34:16,099
[breathes loudly into microphone]
611
00:34:16,099 --> 00:34:17,474
[audience laughter]
612
00:34:17,474 --> 00:34:19,561
- [scattered clapping]
- [Steve laughs]
613
00:34:20,561 --> 00:34:22,606
Even I have to chuckle on that.
614
00:34:23,481 --> 00:34:24,816
[Steve] But I liked it.
615
00:34:25,358 --> 00:34:28,028
And I just wanted it to work.
616
00:34:28,778 --> 00:34:30,530
[Steve, on tape] All right, I'm gonna
do some meditation for you now.
617
00:34:30,530 --> 00:34:33,199
Some yoga meditation
on my meditation stool.
618
00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:37,329
You sit on the meditation stool,
just like this.
619
00:34:38,371 --> 00:34:40,999
And then you get something to read,
you know.
620
00:34:41,666 --> 00:34:43,919
And meditate. Just like this.
621
00:34:44,419 --> 00:34:46,253
[Steve] This was the hippie days.
622
00:34:46,713 --> 00:34:49,590
Welcome, brothers. Peace.
623
00:34:49,590 --> 00:34:52,427
[Steve] It was just... That was the style,
I was in with the style.
624
00:34:52,427 --> 00:34:56,181
If you didn't have long hair
and smoke marijuana, you were an outcast.
625
00:34:56,181 --> 00:34:58,725
I think the pill's taking effect.
626
00:34:58,725 --> 00:35:01,228
Oh, I feel so groovy.
627
00:35:01,228 --> 00:35:03,063
How do you feel, kitty?
628
00:35:03,063 --> 00:35:05,190
[Steve] But I never smoked pot,
and I never...
629
00:35:05,190 --> 00:35:09,027
I couldn't take aspirin.
I was so afraid of anxiety attacks.
630
00:35:09,027 --> 00:35:11,446
[Steve, on video] You smoke this.
I think you might enjoy it.
631
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,158
{\an8}- What do you think of my hair?
- Awful.
632
00:35:17,994 --> 00:35:20,580
{\an8}- You look like Charles Manson.
- [Steve laughs]
633
00:35:20,580 --> 00:35:22,749
{\an8}Well, I mean, you look like a...
Well, you look like a...
634
00:35:22,749 --> 00:35:25,669
{\an8}you look like a simian.
635
00:35:25,669 --> 00:35:27,295
[Steve laughs]
636
00:35:27,671 --> 00:35:29,839
Like from the San Francisco Zoo.
637
00:35:30,507 --> 00:35:33,260
Or the San Diego Zoo, which is even worse.
638
00:35:37,013 --> 00:35:39,474
I don't think it does anything
for your career.
639
00:35:43,645 --> 00:35:46,982
[Steve] I always thought my father
was a little embarrassed by me.
640
00:35:48,275 --> 00:35:52,862
He couldn't quite be proud
of an unconventional showbiz act
641
00:35:52,862 --> 00:35:55,615
that he didn't quite understand.
642
00:35:56,074 --> 00:36:00,287
By that time, I had been so, kind of,
alienated from my father
643
00:36:00,287 --> 00:36:05,125
that negative comments
were actually my encouragement.
644
00:36:07,878 --> 00:36:10,505
- [slot machines clicking]
- [coins jingling]
645
00:36:10,505 --> 00:36:14,342
{\an8}About 1970, Ann-Margret and her husband,
Roger Smith hired me
646
00:36:14,342 --> 00:36:16,011
{\an8}to open the show for them in Vegas.
647
00:36:16,011 --> 00:36:17,971
And I was, like, I was a star.
648
00:36:17,971 --> 00:36:21,099
And they had this fantastic dressing room
that was better than any house
649
00:36:21,099 --> 00:36:23,018
I've ever lived in my life.
650
00:36:23,018 --> 00:36:27,022
And I see Elvis coming back
to visit Ann-Margret.
651
00:36:27,022 --> 00:36:29,566
He was all in white,
and he had the big belt,
652
00:36:29,566 --> 00:36:32,027
and he goes past my dressing room,
and he says,
653
00:36:32,027 --> 00:36:35,697
[mimicking Presley] "Son, you have
an oblique sense of humor.
654
00:36:36,281 --> 00:36:37,991
You want to see my guns?"
655
00:36:37,991 --> 00:36:39,701
[Steve laughing]
656
00:36:39,701 --> 00:36:41,953
[orchestral fanfare playing]
657
00:36:41,953 --> 00:36:43,663
Hello, thank you very much.
658
00:36:45,874 --> 00:36:49,753
Well, this is too much.
Whoa, thank you, you're beautiful...
659
00:36:49,753 --> 00:36:51,171
[Steve] It was the Hilton.
660
00:36:52,255 --> 00:36:53,882
Thank God it's gone.
661
00:36:54,799 --> 00:36:58,678
It had the highest ceiling of any theater,
which is a disaster for comedy,
662
00:36:58,678 --> 00:37:01,514
which means the laughs just sort of...
They don't gel.
663
00:37:01,514 --> 00:37:06,311
They just go up into the air and
they just dissipate, you know, like smoke.
664
00:37:06,311 --> 00:37:09,564
This is my impression of
The Incredible Shrinking Man.
665
00:37:09,564 --> 00:37:13,860
Now, in order for me to do this,
you have to close your eyes,
666
00:37:13,860 --> 00:37:16,905
just for about three seconds,
and then open them again.
667
00:37:16,905 --> 00:37:21,284
And you will see right before you,
The Incredible Shrinking Man.
668
00:37:21,284 --> 00:37:25,121
So, everyone, close your eyes.
I'll tell you when to open them.
669
00:37:27,666 --> 00:37:29,626
- [scattered laughter]
- Okay, open them!
670
00:37:29,626 --> 00:37:31,711
[laughter]
671
00:37:33,171 --> 00:37:35,006
Well, ladies and gentlemen.
672
00:37:36,132 --> 00:37:41,096
Well, thank you very much, really.
Too much. All right.
673
00:37:41,972 --> 00:37:45,725
The fabulous glove into dove trick.
674
00:37:48,395 --> 00:37:50,438
[laughter]
675
00:37:50,438 --> 00:37:52,107
The napkin trick.
676
00:37:56,653 --> 00:37:58,446
[woman] I think the glove's better.
677
00:37:58,446 --> 00:38:00,532
[audience laughing]
678
00:38:08,081 --> 00:38:10,458
A little delayed reaction there.
679
00:38:11,501 --> 00:38:14,045
Has Ann-Margret come on yet?
680
00:38:14,045 --> 00:38:16,423
[Steve] And I went back and
all my stuff in my dressing room
681
00:38:16,423 --> 00:38:19,134
was in the hallway. [laughs]
682
00:38:19,134 --> 00:38:20,218
In boxes.
683
00:38:21,803 --> 00:38:23,388
[laughing] That's how...
684
00:38:24,389 --> 00:38:26,016
That's how hot I was.
685
00:38:29,603 --> 00:38:32,814
{\an8}[Glenn Martin]
Okay, we have you in your glory.
686
00:38:33,315 --> 00:38:36,526
{\an8}- All right.
- Now, what's new, besides the beard?
687
00:38:37,944 --> 00:38:41,406
Well, here I am, I'm standing in front
of my parents' house.
688
00:38:41,406 --> 00:38:45,702
I'm 25 years old now.
I guess I'm a black sheep.
689
00:38:45,702 --> 00:38:48,413
[Glenn Martin laughs]
690
00:38:48,413 --> 00:38:50,415
Well... [clears throat]
I mean, we've got you,
691
00:38:50,415 --> 00:38:51,750
so we're stuck with you.
692
00:38:51,750 --> 00:38:54,878
- That's right.
- But the question is why? I mean, why?
693
00:38:54,878 --> 00:38:57,505
Well, I was thinking
about that the other day and the reason is
694
00:38:57,505 --> 00:39:02,385
I've decided, is that in my job
or in my life anymore,
695
00:39:02,385 --> 00:39:05,305
I don't have any authorities over me.
696
00:39:05,305 --> 00:39:07,057
If I had a job I'd have a boss.
697
00:39:08,308 --> 00:39:11,102
If I were living with my parents,
I'd have my parents, but I don't.
698
00:39:11,102 --> 00:39:16,524
I just work for myself
and get paid for being me.
699
00:39:17,025 --> 00:39:19,611
[Steve] But I was trying to be
somebody else here.
700
00:39:19,611 --> 00:39:22,781
Somebody said, "Oh, you look like
you're trying to be the Eagles."
701
00:39:23,615 --> 00:39:27,827
And I wasn't making any waves,
so I made a decision.
702
00:39:27,827 --> 00:39:30,538
Instead of being at the tail end
of an old movement,
703
00:39:30,538 --> 00:39:32,666
I'll be at the front end of a new one.
704
00:39:37,546 --> 00:39:42,676
Whenever I shave off my beard,
I like to use Gillette Foamy.
705
00:39:44,844 --> 00:39:46,930
[Steve] When I worked
with Bob Einstein, he said,
706
00:39:46,930 --> 00:39:49,808
"You know what's gonna help you?
Age."
707
00:39:49,808 --> 00:39:51,142
And he was right.
708
00:39:52,018 --> 00:39:55,647
Because the act looked juvenile.
709
00:39:57,357 --> 00:40:00,485
That's why it helped
when my hair turned grey a little bit.
710
00:40:01,736 --> 00:40:05,031
You'll always have to think
that a grown man was doing this.
711
00:40:07,075 --> 00:40:09,911
And so I decided,
"Okay, I'm putting on a suit,
712
00:40:09,911 --> 00:40:12,205
I'm putting on a tie
and I'm cutting my hair."
713
00:40:14,165 --> 00:40:16,543
Instead of looking like a hippie
from the '60s,
714
00:40:16,543 --> 00:40:19,087
I'll look like somebody new from the '70s.
715
00:40:19,087 --> 00:40:21,506
Look at that. Thank you very much.
716
00:40:23,258 --> 00:40:25,010
[Steve] Or like someone
from the future. [laughs]
717
00:40:25,886 --> 00:40:27,304
Thank you very much.
718
00:40:28,138 --> 00:40:29,973
I wanted to do my sound effects bit.
719
00:40:29,973 --> 00:40:32,559
All comedians do sound effects,
where you tell a little story, you know,
720
00:40:32,559 --> 00:40:34,644
and sort of make it come to life,
721
00:40:34,644 --> 00:40:36,688
you know, through the use
of sound effects.
722
00:40:36,688 --> 00:40:39,107
And I really worked on this.
It's done totally with my own voice.
723
00:40:39,107 --> 00:40:41,151
There's no... Do I look all right?
724
00:40:41,151 --> 00:40:43,153
There's no artificial gimmicks
or anything.
725
00:40:43,153 --> 00:40:45,530
So, here we go. The old sound effects bit.
726
00:40:47,282 --> 00:40:49,951
Well, I woke up this morning
and had a bowl of cornflakes.
727
00:40:50,493 --> 00:40:52,704
[squeaking through teeth]
728
00:40:52,704 --> 00:40:54,581
[laughter]
729
00:40:56,291 --> 00:40:58,710
Then I went down and started up the car.
730
00:40:58,710 --> 00:41:00,921
[squeaking through teeth]
731
00:41:00,921 --> 00:41:02,130
[laughter]
732
00:41:02,130 --> 00:41:04,466
Then a band of Hells Angels roared up.
733
00:41:05,133 --> 00:41:06,843
[squeaking through teeth]
734
00:41:06,843 --> 00:41:08,970
[laughter, applause]
735
00:41:08,970 --> 00:41:11,932
[playing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"]
736
00:41:14,059 --> 00:41:16,686
{\an8}[McEuen] We met in Disneyland
before our senior year
737
00:41:16,686 --> 00:41:19,898
{\an8}and we worked all summer
at the Magic Shop.
738
00:41:19,898 --> 00:41:21,942
We were instant friends.
739
00:41:23,401 --> 00:41:26,655
{\an8}When he started performing solo,
I told my brother,
740
00:41:26,655 --> 00:41:30,825
{\an8}"Bill, you gotta go see Steve.
He's funny now."
741
00:41:31,618 --> 00:41:33,036
You want a Steve Martin laugh?
742
00:41:33,036 --> 00:41:34,829
[mimicking Steve's laugh]
743
00:41:35,497 --> 00:41:38,541
[McEuen] My brother
had Steve start opening for us.
744
00:41:39,042 --> 00:41:41,127
He'd make $50 or $150 a night.
745
00:41:43,338 --> 00:41:46,258
He believed in Steve
and Steve believed in Steve.
746
00:41:46,258 --> 00:41:48,969
No pictures. No pictures.
747
00:41:50,053 --> 00:41:53,056
[McEuen]
Steve believed in Steve the least.
748
00:41:54,182 --> 00:41:57,477
...like to use good mic technique,
and this is basically it.
749
00:41:58,061 --> 00:41:59,688
Thank you, and good night.
750
00:42:00,438 --> 00:42:01,982
[song finishes]
751
00:42:01,982 --> 00:42:03,567
[applause]
752
00:42:06,528 --> 00:42:08,280
Good evening. I'm Linda Ron... Oh!
753
00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:09,864
[laughter, applause]
754
00:42:09,864 --> 00:42:11,866
[Steve] I opened for everybody.
755
00:42:12,492 --> 00:42:16,955
The Carpenters, Mimi Fariña,
Sonny and Cher, Poco, B.B. King,
756
00:42:16,955 --> 00:42:19,165
Sha Na Na, Merle Haggard.
757
00:42:19,165 --> 00:42:21,001
Black Oak Arkansas.
758
00:42:21,001 --> 00:42:23,378
[band jamming]
759
00:42:24,004 --> 00:42:27,674
I don't remember opening for
Black Oak Arkansas, but it must be a fact.
760
00:42:27,674 --> 00:42:29,551
- [applause]
- Well, thank you very much.
761
00:42:29,551 --> 00:42:33,054
[Steve] It was great for a while,
but I realized it was going nowhere.
762
00:42:33,054 --> 00:42:35,432
I'm just going to do
about ten minutes because...
763
00:42:35,432 --> 00:42:36,975
- [scattered cheers]
- [Steve laughs]
764
00:42:36,975 --> 00:42:38,935
Thank you, thank you.
765
00:42:39,769 --> 00:42:42,188
- Well, how about five minutes? Hey!
- [applause]
766
00:42:42,647 --> 00:42:47,152
[Steve] I'd go do a show
and I'd get paid $200 for the show,
767
00:42:47,152 --> 00:42:49,905
and it would cost me $250
to get there and get back.
768
00:42:51,281 --> 00:42:52,908
What am I doing wrong?
769
00:42:53,909 --> 00:42:57,245
No matter how good I am,
no matter how I went over,
770
00:42:58,038 --> 00:42:59,497
nobody cared.
771
00:43:00,415 --> 00:43:02,918
{\an8}[McEuen, mimicking crowd]
Dirt Band! Dirt Band!
772
00:43:03,501 --> 00:43:05,587
{\an8}That's what he'd hear a lot
during his show.
773
00:43:06,963 --> 00:43:08,673
[Steve] I can remember being off stage
774
00:43:08,673 --> 00:43:11,301
and you hear the noise of the audience
before the shows, kind of like...
775
00:43:11,301 --> 00:43:12,761
[mimics crowd murmuring]
776
00:43:12,761 --> 00:43:14,846
And then they go, "And now, Steve Martin,"
777
00:43:14,846 --> 00:43:18,516
and there's no sound change,
no applause.
778
00:43:18,516 --> 00:43:20,185
[mimics crowd murmuring, chuckles]
779
00:43:20,185 --> 00:43:22,646
It just continues and you start
doing your act and there's still...
780
00:43:22,646 --> 00:43:24,522
Yeah, you're-- It was a battle.
781
00:43:27,025 --> 00:43:29,819
[Steve] If I turn 30, I'd better
start looking for something else,
782
00:43:29,819 --> 00:43:33,240
'cause I thought, you know, this...
I just don't want to end up doing this.
783
00:43:35,742 --> 00:43:39,371
Aspen, December 28th, 1974.
784
00:43:40,538 --> 00:43:42,499
"Jack Benny died yesterday
785
00:43:42,499 --> 00:43:45,752
and that would be the proper time
for the beginning of a journal.
786
00:43:46,586 --> 00:43:50,257
Jack Benny's voice was one of the
earliest sounds I know,
787
00:43:50,257 --> 00:43:54,761
and that sound has been perhaps
what I want to create."
788
00:43:54,761 --> 00:43:57,013
[Benny] Did you see my wife?
No, I haven't.
789
00:43:57,013 --> 00:43:58,682
Matter of fact,
I don't even know your wife.
790
00:43:58,682 --> 00:44:00,392
Then how do you know you didn't see her?
791
00:44:00,392 --> 00:44:01,476
[audience laughter]
792
00:44:01,476 --> 00:44:02,561
Have you ever see me before?
793
00:44:02,561 --> 00:44:04,521
No? Then how do you know it's me?
794
00:44:04,521 --> 00:44:06,606
[laughter, applause]
795
00:44:08,692 --> 00:44:11,194
[Steve] Sometimes, like the night
in New York City,
796
00:44:11,194 --> 00:44:16,074
I sobbed in my hotel room after
watching old film clips of comedians.
797
00:44:17,617 --> 00:44:19,452
I'm getting happy feet!
798
00:44:21,580 --> 00:44:23,999
"I must develop the use of my body more.
799
00:44:25,041 --> 00:44:29,254
I was using it well, I thought.
But few laughed."
800
00:44:30,255 --> 00:44:33,466
Because audiences of 1974 were terrible.
801
00:44:33,925 --> 00:44:35,635
They're conditioned
through late night rock shows
802
00:44:35,635 --> 00:44:38,138
to yell and participate vocally in a show.
803
00:44:38,597 --> 00:44:40,765
[man in audience] Now make orange juice!
804
00:44:40,765 --> 00:44:44,144
- [laughing]
- [crowd laughter]
805
00:44:44,144 --> 00:44:45,645
"No thanks."
806
00:44:46,980 --> 00:44:50,358
"So, this year
will be very revealing of myself.
807
00:44:50,358 --> 00:44:52,444
I intend to perform only.
808
00:44:52,986 --> 00:44:56,197
No slipshod halfway shows
in hostile environments."
809
00:44:59,951 --> 00:45:05,040
And that was the first time I thought,
"Headline. Don't open."
810
00:45:09,127 --> 00:45:11,254
When you headline,
it has a different power.
811
00:45:13,298 --> 00:45:17,802
So I went from playing 500 seat places,
opening for somebody,
812
00:45:17,802 --> 00:45:20,263
to playing for literally 40 people.
813
00:45:21,598 --> 00:45:24,851
I got a great dirty trick
you can play on a three-year-old kid.
814
00:45:26,436 --> 00:45:30,148
See, kids learn how to talk
from listening to their parents.
815
00:45:30,774 --> 00:45:32,525
See, what you do,
you have a three-year-old kid
816
00:45:32,525 --> 00:45:34,069
and you want
to play a dirty trick on them.
817
00:45:34,069 --> 00:45:36,363
You talk wrong.
818
00:45:37,447 --> 00:45:39,866
So, now it's like his first day in school,
and he raises his hand,
819
00:45:39,866 --> 00:45:41,826
"May I mambo dog face
to the banana patch?"
820
00:45:41,826 --> 00:45:43,912
[audience laughing]
821
00:45:53,505 --> 00:45:55,048
[Steve] But it worked.
822
00:45:56,299 --> 00:45:59,261
[audience members] More! More! More!
823
00:46:05,725 --> 00:46:09,312
[footsteps reverberating]
824
00:46:12,816 --> 00:46:16,236
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
825
00:46:16,236 --> 00:46:18,154
This is too much. Thank you.
826
00:46:19,614 --> 00:46:23,326
Okay, I guess I'll just practice one joke
for tonight's show.
827
00:46:24,244 --> 00:46:26,371
Well, this grasshopper walks into a bar.
828
00:46:26,371 --> 00:46:30,208
The bartender says,
"Hey, we got a drink named after you."
829
00:46:30,208 --> 00:46:34,379
And the grasshopper says,
"You mean you got a drink named Fred?"
830
00:46:34,379 --> 00:46:36,256
Laughter, laughter, laughter, laughter.
831
00:46:36,256 --> 00:46:38,425
"Hey, we got a drink named after you."
832
00:46:38,425 --> 00:46:41,761
And the grasshopper says,
"You mean you got a drink named Fred?"
833
00:46:41,761 --> 00:46:44,431
[all] Laughter, laughter, laughter.
834
00:46:44,431 --> 00:46:45,724
[awkward chuckle]
835
00:46:46,474 --> 00:46:49,394
{\an8}[McEuen] Steve was always trying
to find an audience,
836
00:46:49,394 --> 00:46:52,856
{\an8}finding some here and some over there.
837
00:46:53,607 --> 00:46:56,651
I've seen the world from both sides now!
838
00:46:56,651 --> 00:46:59,362
From upside down and round and round.
839
00:46:59,362 --> 00:47:02,198
And I only have one question.
840
00:47:03,241 --> 00:47:05,076
Where am I?
841
00:47:06,036 --> 00:47:09,372
[radio DJ] We've got to remind you that
you're listening to WRVU, Nashville.
842
00:47:09,372 --> 00:47:10,707
Uh, where are you appearing next?
843
00:47:10,707 --> 00:47:14,169
We'll give you a Johnny Carson type plug,
make me feel just like JC.
844
00:47:14,169 --> 00:47:16,338
{\an8}[Steve, on radio]
Well, Johnny, I'll be at the...
845
00:47:16,338 --> 00:47:18,173
{\an8}I don't know where I'll be,
as a matter of fact.
846
00:47:18,173 --> 00:47:21,092
I think I'm going to Russellville.
I don't even know what state that's in.
847
00:47:21,092 --> 00:47:22,469
- [DJ laughs]
- [phone rings]
848
00:47:22,469 --> 00:47:24,012
- Yes?
- [DJ laughs]
849
00:47:24,012 --> 00:47:25,263
Should I answer that?
850
00:47:25,263 --> 00:47:28,308
Hello, BSU, WPWPW, yes?
851
00:47:28,308 --> 00:47:30,518
[male caller] I saw you
with your arrow through your head.
852
00:47:30,518 --> 00:47:32,437
- You did?
- Yeah, it was intense.
853
00:47:32,437 --> 00:47:35,273
I have never, ever worn an arrow
through my head.
854
00:47:35,273 --> 00:47:39,527
That's the peculiar thing.
You must be mistaking me for someone else.
855
00:47:39,527 --> 00:47:41,238
- [female caller] Hello?
- You're on the air.
856
00:47:41,238 --> 00:47:43,240
- I'm on the air?
- Well, yes.
857
00:47:43,240 --> 00:47:44,824
- [DJ] He asked you first.
- Is this Steve Martin?
858
00:47:44,824 --> 00:47:48,495
- Uh... Could be.
- It could be?
859
00:47:49,120 --> 00:47:51,248
Well, I'm at the party room in Hemingway.
860
00:47:51,248 --> 00:47:53,458
- [laughs]
- The only thing we're missing is you.
861
00:47:53,458 --> 00:47:56,545
- Oh, girls, girls!
- [woman giggles]
862
00:47:56,545 --> 00:47:58,171
Well, I have a sexual problem.
863
00:47:58,171 --> 00:47:59,631
Oh, what's that?
864
00:47:59,631 --> 00:48:01,508
- I like to wear men's underwear.
- [DJ laughs]
865
00:48:01,508 --> 00:48:04,010
All right!
866
00:48:04,678 --> 00:48:08,348
How many people remember a couple
of years ago when the earth blew up?
867
00:48:08,348 --> 00:48:10,642
[audience laughing]
868
00:48:10,642 --> 00:48:12,602
See, so few people remember that.
869
00:48:12,602 --> 00:48:16,898
And you would think that something
like that people would remember, but no.
870
00:48:18,483 --> 00:48:20,443
You don't remember that?
871
00:48:20,443 --> 00:48:22,904
The earth blew up
and was completely destroyed.
872
00:48:23,947 --> 00:48:26,783
And we escaped to this planet
on the giant space ark.
873
00:48:26,783 --> 00:48:28,910
[laughter]
874
00:48:29,744 --> 00:48:32,122
And the government decided not
to tell the stupider people
875
00:48:32,122 --> 00:48:33,915
because they thought it might...
876
00:48:34,916 --> 00:48:37,335
[audience laughing]
877
00:48:37,335 --> 00:48:39,963
Oh, well, let's move on.
878
00:48:41,423 --> 00:48:43,216
[applause]
879
00:48:43,216 --> 00:48:46,011
[laughter, applause]
880
00:48:50,056 --> 00:48:53,894
{\an8}[Byrne] There were a lot
of college gigs early on. A lot of clubs.
881
00:48:54,978 --> 00:48:58,982
Every club he played in, you'd start
to hear Steve Martin routines
882
00:48:58,982 --> 00:49:00,775
coming from the staff.
883
00:49:00,775 --> 00:49:03,987
He just seeped into
everybody's consciousness.
884
00:49:03,987 --> 00:49:06,573
[crowd laughing, applauding]
885
00:49:08,241 --> 00:49:09,326
[Steve, onstage] Wait a second.
886
00:49:09,326 --> 00:49:13,830
[Steve] You know, you perform
in all kinds of odd performing situations.
887
00:49:15,206 --> 00:49:19,127
I remember one night
I was playing for about 100 students.
888
00:49:19,127 --> 00:49:21,463
[Steve, onstage] I'm into language,
that's kind of my thing, I guess.
889
00:49:21,463 --> 00:49:23,965
You know, being a professional comedian,
you have to have a knowledge of language
890
00:49:23,965 --> 00:49:28,094
and that's, uh, let's face it, some people
have a way with words, other people...
891
00:49:29,512 --> 00:49:30,931
- Uh...
- [laughter]
892
00:49:32,057 --> 00:49:34,100
...oh, not have way, I guess.
893
00:49:34,851 --> 00:49:37,437
[Steve] It wasn't a theater.
It was one of those school rooms
894
00:49:37,437 --> 00:49:40,106
with the little stage,
like for drama students.
895
00:49:40,106 --> 00:49:43,652
So, there's no wings.
You had to exit through the class.
896
00:49:44,945 --> 00:49:48,031
And I finished, and I said,
"Thank you and good night."
897
00:49:48,782 --> 00:49:50,659
And they're still sitting there like this.
898
00:49:54,454 --> 00:50:00,001
So, I actually went out and I said,
"It's over. It's actually over."
899
00:50:00,794 --> 00:50:02,546
And they still sat there.
900
00:50:05,006 --> 00:50:07,842
So, I went through the audience,
and I just started talking.
901
00:50:07,842 --> 00:50:10,178
I have no idea what I was saying.
902
00:50:10,178 --> 00:50:11,972
You know, folks,
we've had some fun out here
903
00:50:11,972 --> 00:50:14,057
and I think that's so important.
904
00:50:14,057 --> 00:50:18,270
People come to me, they say,
"Steve, what's your motto?"
905
00:50:19,729 --> 00:50:21,356
My motto.
906
00:50:21,356 --> 00:50:22,941
"Laugh once a day.
907
00:50:23,692 --> 00:50:26,194
Because a day without sunshine
is like...
908
00:50:26,194 --> 00:50:27,320
...night."
909
00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:29,406
[laughter]
910
00:50:30,407 --> 00:50:34,536
[Steve] I left and it had a little bit
of a weird Pied Piper effect
911
00:50:34,536 --> 00:50:37,455
because they just started following me.
912
00:50:43,461 --> 00:50:46,590
Eventually, I ended up taking
the audience out into the street
913
00:50:46,590 --> 00:50:48,216
and walking around with them.
914
00:50:50,427 --> 00:50:55,098
And I was walking along outside and
this audience sort of following along.
915
00:50:55,098 --> 00:50:57,893
And I came across a drained swimming pool.
916
00:50:58,935 --> 00:51:03,064
And I said, "Okay," I said,
"Everybody get in the pool.
917
00:51:04,774 --> 00:51:07,152
And now I'm going to swim across you."
918
00:51:11,156 --> 00:51:15,660
I went home that night and I thought,
"Oh, something happened. That was good."
919
00:51:18,830 --> 00:51:21,333
And that was the beginning
of a very important part of my career
920
00:51:21,333 --> 00:51:23,710
where I left the stage.
921
00:51:23,710 --> 00:51:26,004
[crowd laughing]
922
00:51:26,004 --> 00:51:30,675
Now, I've got to get rambling,
and you've been a great crowd, really.
923
00:51:30,675 --> 00:51:34,721
Gee, I think I'll read for a while.
924
00:51:34,721 --> 00:51:36,806
[laughter]
925
00:51:37,641 --> 00:51:39,100
[Steve] Everything sort of opened up.
926
00:51:39,100 --> 00:51:40,810
[balloon whistling]
927
00:51:41,895 --> 00:51:45,607
{\an8}[Mull] He'd take people out for hamburgers
and order 350 of them
928
00:51:45,607 --> 00:51:47,108
{\an8}or something like that.
929
00:51:47,859 --> 00:51:49,152
[Steve on radio]
Did you see the show tonight?
930
00:51:49,152 --> 00:51:50,779
[male caller]
Yeah, I was with you in Krystal.
931
00:51:51,238 --> 00:51:52,656
[Steve] Did you enjoy the burger?
932
00:51:52,656 --> 00:51:54,658
[male caller] No, I didn't get a chance.
There were too many people.
933
00:51:54,658 --> 00:51:57,285
[Steve] All I saw was
a couple of waitresses crying.
934
00:51:57,285 --> 00:51:58,453
[both laughing]
935
00:51:59,371 --> 00:52:01,081
[reporter] The last couple
of times he did that, in fact,
936
00:52:01,081 --> 00:52:03,708
he drew complaints
from neighbors a block away.
937
00:52:03,708 --> 00:52:07,170
They complained to police
about the volume of the noise
938
00:52:07,170 --> 00:52:08,880
caused by hundreds of people laughing.
939
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:11,841
[Steve, onstage] By the way,
I do sell drugs between shows.
940
00:52:11,841 --> 00:52:13,260
[laughter]
941
00:52:14,344 --> 00:52:16,721
Is that the police? Oh, God.
942
00:52:16,721 --> 00:52:18,098
- [man] Outside.
- Having some jive.
943
00:52:18,098 --> 00:52:19,683
- Are they outside?
- [man] Yeah.
944
00:52:19,683 --> 00:52:21,643
If the police come,
act natural, all right?
945
00:52:21,643 --> 00:52:24,104
[all laughing]
946
00:52:24,104 --> 00:52:26,523
Listen, if the police come,
I want everyone to put on a balloon hat
947
00:52:26,523 --> 00:52:28,692
so they won't tell which one is me.
948
00:52:28,692 --> 00:52:31,486
Don't you worry about it. It's my problem.
949
00:52:31,486 --> 00:52:32,779
[laughter]
950
00:52:32,779 --> 00:52:35,740
Okay, let's rip the place apart!
951
00:52:38,118 --> 00:52:40,870
[Steve] Then the owner said,
"Yeah, well, we're doing okay,"
952
00:52:40,870 --> 00:52:43,206
he said, "But we don't get many
Steve Martins here."
953
00:52:43,206 --> 00:52:45,292
Like I was a big hit.
954
00:52:45,292 --> 00:52:47,919
And I thought,
"What are you talking about?"
955
00:52:47,919 --> 00:52:50,297
[laughs]
956
00:52:50,297 --> 00:52:52,883
I was in debt $5,000.
957
00:52:53,717 --> 00:52:56,261
College gigs just did not pay very well,
958
00:52:56,261 --> 00:53:01,057
so I agreed to headline the Playboy Club
in San Francisco for a week.
959
00:53:01,057 --> 00:53:05,562
The crowd was much older than
I was used to, but I needed the money.
960
00:53:06,187 --> 00:53:11,401
I'm all dressed up because
it's a very special kind of restaurant.
961
00:53:11,401 --> 00:53:13,695
[crowd murmur]
962
00:53:13,695 --> 00:53:15,947
[Steve] And I said
to a musician backstage, I said,
963
00:53:15,947 --> 00:53:18,408
"Hey, we got a full house out there."
964
00:53:22,579 --> 00:53:24,664
And he just kind of looked at me,
and he went...
965
00:53:24,664 --> 00:53:25,749
[mimicking slow chuckle]
966
00:53:29,169 --> 00:53:31,963
"The Bunny introduced me as Steve Miller."
967
00:53:38,053 --> 00:53:39,930
They didn't pay to get in to see me.
968
00:53:40,639 --> 00:53:42,432
I was tangential.
969
00:53:43,975 --> 00:53:45,310
Puppy dog.
970
00:53:49,397 --> 00:53:53,610
I heard a guy say,
"I don't understand any of this."
971
00:53:54,319 --> 00:53:57,822
And it was not a moment of pride.
[chuckling] You know.
972
00:54:00,325 --> 00:54:03,411
Death. Comedy death.
973
00:54:03,411 --> 00:54:05,830
Which is worse than regular death.
974
00:54:05,830 --> 00:54:07,666
[crowd noise, clapping]
975
00:54:07,666 --> 00:54:09,918
- [woman shrieks]
- [yelling]
976
00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:18,969
[Steve] "Where is the old-time
show business I dreamed of?
977
00:54:18,969 --> 00:54:20,929
Is this it?
978
00:54:22,514 --> 00:54:25,141
Where's my theme song?"
979
00:54:26,768 --> 00:54:30,146
Comedy is timing.
There's no way around it.
980
00:54:30,146 --> 00:54:35,235
If the audience is not allowing you
to use your timing, then you're dead.
981
00:54:36,027 --> 00:54:38,321
I have a joke I'd like to tell you--
[yells]
982
00:54:38,321 --> 00:54:40,198
[laughter, applause]
983
00:54:40,198 --> 00:54:41,992
[Steve] "Alternatives:
984
00:54:43,118 --> 00:54:44,869
Quit.
985
00:54:45,579 --> 00:54:47,163
TV.
986
00:54:47,622 --> 00:54:49,457
A likely possibility."
987
00:54:49,457 --> 00:54:52,085
{\an8}- I want to go into show business.
- [crowd laughter]
988
00:54:52,836 --> 00:54:54,170
I don't believe this.
989
00:54:54,170 --> 00:54:56,631
Hey, would I lie?
990
00:54:58,550 --> 00:54:59,676
[Steve] So, there I was.
991
00:55:00,594 --> 00:55:04,931
And I had my act
that I'd been working on for ten years.
992
00:55:05,974 --> 00:55:08,018
It's like waiting around the corner,
you know?
993
00:55:08,018 --> 00:55:10,687
You've got all your bags packed
and you're ready to go.
994
00:55:10,687 --> 00:55:12,439
And you're just waiting
for the bus to come.
995
00:55:12,439 --> 00:55:15,275
"Here comes my bus and I'm getting on
and I've got all my bags with me."
996
00:55:15,275 --> 00:55:17,485
[streetcar bell clangs]
997
00:55:21,615 --> 00:55:24,659
{\an8}[Steve, onstage] Well, you know, if it
looks like I'm fooling around up here, um,
998
00:55:24,659 --> 00:55:27,245
{\an8}I wasn't gonna tell you this, but...
999
00:55:27,245 --> 00:55:30,373
I'm quitting show business tonight.
Thank you.
1000
00:55:30,373 --> 00:55:32,083
[scattered cheers, applause]
1001
00:55:32,083 --> 00:55:35,045
And this is my final performance
in the business.
1002
00:55:35,045 --> 00:55:36,671
- So, I'm just kind of...
- [man] Why?
1003
00:55:36,671 --> 00:55:39,090
...doing anything
I ever wanted to do, you know,
1004
00:55:39,090 --> 00:55:41,551
and it doesn't matter
if I go over, you know,
1005
00:55:41,551 --> 00:55:43,220
or if everybody hates me, you know,
1006
00:55:43,220 --> 00:55:44,930
or if there's reviewers out there going,
1007
00:55:44,930 --> 00:55:48,266
[uptight voice] "I didn't think that
this was the most wonderful thing..."
1008
00:55:48,266 --> 00:55:49,559
[laughter]
1009
00:55:49,559 --> 00:55:53,480
So I'm just kind of doing anything
I ever wanted to do, so...
1010
00:55:54,481 --> 00:55:57,150
[laughter, applause]
1011
00:55:58,568 --> 00:56:01,071
[Steve] I was really stupid.
1012
00:56:01,821 --> 00:56:06,576
It took me a while to figure out,
this act doesn't work everywhere.
1013
00:56:07,327 --> 00:56:08,828
[laughter]
1014
00:56:08,828 --> 00:56:12,040
At the Playboy Club, it was just weird.
1015
00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:14,125
The Boarding House was very hip
1016
00:56:14,125 --> 00:56:16,878
and it became notable
because it was weird.
1017
00:56:16,878 --> 00:56:18,380
[chuckles]
1018
00:56:18,380 --> 00:56:20,257
You ever feel like
doing something just crazy?
1019
00:56:20,257 --> 00:56:21,883
I mean, really, just, like, crazy thing?
1020
00:56:21,883 --> 00:56:24,594
- [man] Whoo!
- Let's go murder someone.
1021
00:56:26,137 --> 00:56:27,847
[Mull] See, I think it was generational.
1022
00:56:27,847 --> 00:56:31,184
{\an8}There was a generation
of pot smoking, crazy people
1023
00:56:31,184 --> 00:56:34,854
{\an8}who could bend enough to get
what you were talking about.
1024
00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:37,566
And they weren't going
to the Playboy Club.
1025
00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:42,779
Let me shuffle the cards first
using the famous cow pasture shuffle.
1026
00:56:44,239 --> 00:56:45,824
[laughter]
1027
00:56:45,824 --> 00:56:47,701
[applause, whooping]
1028
00:56:48,952 --> 00:56:50,745
Now, what's your sign?
1029
00:56:50,745 --> 00:56:53,415
Scorpio. Let's see, I'm a feces.
So, that'll make...
1030
00:56:53,415 --> 00:56:55,792
[laughter]
1031
00:56:56,459 --> 00:56:58,753
{\an8}[Elias] You have to find your audience.
1032
00:56:59,379 --> 00:57:00,964
{\an8}And Steve did that.
1033
00:57:00,964 --> 00:57:03,717
They were all there for him.
There were his fans.
1034
00:57:03,717 --> 00:57:05,969
[muffled speech]
1035
00:57:07,596 --> 00:57:10,015
See, I always fill the balloons up
with words and if they pop, they go...
1036
00:57:10,015 --> 00:57:12,767
- [high voice] "Damn it!"
- [laughter]
1037
00:57:15,061 --> 00:57:17,480
[crowd laughing]
1038
00:57:20,233 --> 00:57:21,735
Puppy dog.
1039
00:57:25,196 --> 00:57:28,950
Actually, what this is, it's a, uh...
birth control device.
1040
00:57:29,951 --> 00:57:31,912
And I'll show you how this works.
1041
00:57:32,704 --> 00:57:36,875
See, if you wear this... on your head...
1042
00:57:37,834 --> 00:57:39,461
...then no one will talk to you.
1043
00:57:41,171 --> 00:57:44,007
[laughter, applause]
1044
00:57:44,007 --> 00:57:46,218
I'd like to get serious just for a moment.
1045
00:57:47,802 --> 00:57:49,804
[applause]
1046
00:57:50,722 --> 00:57:54,768
[Elias] There was a presence there
on stage of someone quite special
1047
00:57:54,768 --> 00:57:57,187
that you just wanted to see.
1048
00:57:58,063 --> 00:57:59,481
So, I guess I'll say goodnight now.
1049
00:57:59,481 --> 00:58:03,109
And, you know, ordinarily,
I just walk off the stage
1050
00:58:03,109 --> 00:58:05,362
and go back to the dressing room,
you know, but...
1051
00:58:06,363 --> 00:58:07,781
...I don't think I'm going
to do that tonight.
1052
00:58:07,781 --> 00:58:09,241
I think tonight...
1053
00:58:10,575 --> 00:58:12,869
...I'm going to Bananaland.
1054
00:58:15,622 --> 00:58:17,958
And it's so beautiful
in Bananaland tonight.
1055
00:58:17,958 --> 00:58:19,542
You know, it's just...
1056
00:58:20,252 --> 00:58:24,256
The little men are in their
banana-skin coats and banana-shoes,
1057
00:58:25,090 --> 00:58:27,300
and they have the little banana-mobile.
1058
00:58:28,843 --> 00:58:31,846
And it's so wonderful
in Bananaland because...
1059
00:58:32,847 --> 00:58:35,976
...in Bananaland,
only two things are true.
1060
00:58:37,018 --> 00:58:41,106
One, all chairs are green.
1061
00:58:42,732 --> 00:58:47,237
And two, no chairs are green.
1062
00:58:47,237 --> 00:58:49,322
[light laughter]
1063
00:58:50,448 --> 00:58:52,576
That's where I'm going.
1064
00:58:53,952 --> 00:58:58,623
{\an8}[McEuen] The end of the '60s
lasted until about 1975.
1065
00:58:58,623 --> 00:59:01,668
It was a very dark period
1066
00:59:01,668 --> 00:59:07,007
to have this clean guy in a white suit
come out and take you away.
1067
00:59:07,007 --> 00:59:11,136
If you bought into it,
you'd go for a fun ride.
1068
00:59:12,137 --> 00:59:15,515
["Surf's Up" by The Beach Boys playing]
1069
00:59:39,497 --> 00:59:41,958
[Steve] But remember,
the Boarding House seated 300 people,
1070
00:59:41,958 --> 00:59:44,419
so it wasn't a breakout.
1071
00:59:44,419 --> 00:59:48,715
But if you have a packed house,
that feels like something's happening.
1072
00:59:48,715 --> 00:59:51,551
[song continues]
1073
00:59:56,514 --> 00:59:57,933
[Steve, onstage]
I think we should all be one.
1074
00:59:57,933 --> 01:00:01,144
That's why I'm just going to step down
among the people.
1075
01:00:02,312 --> 01:00:03,688
Don't touch me.
1076
01:00:05,440 --> 01:00:11,404
[Steve] And when that corner turned,
I felt great, you know?
1077
01:00:23,500 --> 01:00:27,212
That was actually the first time
I was ready for anything.
1078
01:00:28,380 --> 01:00:31,091
The act was starting to click.
1079
01:00:36,429 --> 01:00:39,516
[loud cheering, applause]
1080
01:00:41,059 --> 01:00:43,895
[band music playing]
1081
01:00:47,440 --> 01:00:49,025
[music stops]
1082
01:00:51,611 --> 01:00:53,613
[cheering, applause continue]
1083
01:00:58,535 --> 01:01:01,121
♪ Oh, the shark bites ♪
1084
01:01:01,121 --> 01:01:03,873
♪ With it's teeth, dear ♪
1085
01:01:03,873 --> 01:01:07,919
♪ And it keeps them pearly white ♪
1086
01:01:09,379 --> 01:01:11,965
♪ Oh, the shark bites ♪
1087
01:01:11,965 --> 01:01:14,718
- ♪ With its teeth, dear ♪
- [crowd clapping along]
1088
01:01:14,718 --> 01:01:18,722
♪ And it keeps them pearly white ♪
1089
01:01:20,015 --> 01:01:22,517
♪ Oh, the shark bites ♪
1090
01:01:22,517 --> 01:01:25,186
♪ With it's teeth, dear ♪
1091
01:01:25,186 --> 01:01:26,813
♪ And it keeps them... ♪
1092
01:01:26,813 --> 01:01:30,942
Here's one of the funniest guys I've ever
met in my entire life, Mr. Steve Martin.
1093
01:01:30,942 --> 01:01:33,069
- Steve Martin.
- Oh, wow.
1094
01:01:33,069 --> 01:01:34,738
He's back tonight to do something else,
1095
01:01:34,738 --> 01:01:36,740
and I don't have the slightest idea
what it is.
1096
01:01:36,740 --> 01:01:38,992
Well, it's great to be back here, and...
1097
01:01:38,992 --> 01:01:43,079
I know that sounds corny, because every
entertainer who comes on goes,
1098
01:01:43,079 --> 01:01:45,332
"Hey, it's really great to be here."
1099
01:01:45,332 --> 01:01:48,084
And it really sounds phony,
but believe me, I'm sincere when I say,
1100
01:01:48,084 --> 01:01:50,086
"Hey, it's really great to be here."
1101
01:01:50,086 --> 01:01:52,214
- Cher, it's really great to be here.
- Thank you.
1102
01:01:52,214 --> 01:01:54,799
Well, actually, excuse me,
it's great to be here. I'm sorry.
1103
01:01:54,799 --> 01:01:58,053
Okay, um... well, actually,
it's really great to be here.
1104
01:01:58,053 --> 01:01:59,512
This is where it's great to be. I'm sorry.
1105
01:01:59,512 --> 01:02:01,014
I think Steve is so far out.
1106
01:02:01,014 --> 01:02:05,602
I mean, he always does these
weird, crazy, unimaginable things.
1107
01:02:05,602 --> 01:02:08,313
- Hey, hold it a second. Wait a second.
- What are you going to do--?
1108
01:02:08,313 --> 01:02:11,566
Telling these people
I do weird and crazy things, John.
1109
01:02:12,400 --> 01:02:14,819
Great to be here. Wow!
1110
01:02:14,819 --> 01:02:17,072
Oh, boy, I remember when
it was great to be there,
1111
01:02:17,072 --> 01:02:19,407
but it is great to be here.
1112
01:02:19,407 --> 01:02:24,204
♪ And it keeps them pearly white ♪
1113
01:02:24,204 --> 01:02:26,831
[Steve] I was always fascinated
by arrogance.
1114
01:02:26,831 --> 01:02:29,251
I have a favor I'd like to ask you.
Would you take my picture?
1115
01:02:29,251 --> 01:02:31,711
Let me get in kind of
a casual thing, like a...
1116
01:02:32,671 --> 01:02:34,506
- Like a...
- [audience laughing]
1117
01:02:36,550 --> 01:02:39,135
[Steve] And I started to create
a character for me.
1118
01:02:39,135 --> 01:02:41,972
These cameras are so fantastic, like
an idiot can really work this kind of...
1119
01:02:42,931 --> 01:02:46,226
[Steve] A kind of overly confident idiot.
1120
01:02:46,893 --> 01:02:51,773
I started to realize what I was doing
was a parody of show business.
1121
01:02:52,482 --> 01:02:58,154
{\an8}[Gopnik] His act was not comedy.
It was about the absurdity of performing
1122
01:02:58,154 --> 01:03:03,451
and the ridiculousness of people standing
up in front of other people being funny.
1123
01:03:03,451 --> 01:03:04,911
Do I look stupid?
1124
01:03:04,911 --> 01:03:06,746
[laughter, applause]
1125
01:03:06,746 --> 01:03:08,665
{\an8}[Mull] It was aggressively stupid.
1126
01:03:08,665 --> 01:03:11,293
Have I degraded myself?
1127
01:03:12,377 --> 01:03:15,922
[Mull] And aggressive stupidity,
you can't ignore it.
1128
01:03:16,631 --> 01:03:20,051
I've been stuck on this escalator
for 40 minutes. [huffs]
1129
01:03:20,051 --> 01:03:23,555
[Mull] When you insist on something
that is wrong.
1130
01:03:24,097 --> 01:03:24,973
Help!
1131
01:03:24,973 --> 01:03:31,187
[Mull] What it was, was here is
an asshole who is going to act like one.
1132
01:03:31,187 --> 01:03:34,524
But he wants you to know
that he knows that.
1133
01:03:34,524 --> 01:03:36,860
That we're both gonna laugh
at the same asshole.
1134
01:03:37,819 --> 01:03:39,988
[Steve, onstage]
Hey, I don't do a Vegas act.
1135
01:03:39,988 --> 01:03:43,199
See in Vegas, you know,
it costs like $15 to get in.
1136
01:03:43,199 --> 01:03:45,035
You go and you pay the money
and you sit down
1137
01:03:45,035 --> 01:03:47,412
and the opening act
usually like a singer, you know.
1138
01:03:47,412 --> 01:03:50,540
And he's really great,
really keeps it moving really fa--
1139
01:03:50,540 --> 01:03:52,792
You can't understand a word he says,
but it doesn't matter
1140
01:03:52,792 --> 01:03:54,127
because he's so entertaining.
1141
01:03:54,127 --> 01:03:55,712
Hey, good evening, ladies and gentlemen...
1142
01:03:55,712 --> 01:03:58,965
[high-speed babbling]
1143
01:04:04,054 --> 01:04:06,181
♪ Curtain up, light the light ♪
1144
01:04:06,181 --> 01:04:08,266
Okay, and I'd now like
to introduce the band.
1145
01:04:08,266 --> 01:04:11,186
[high-speed babbling]
1146
01:04:11,186 --> 01:04:12,896
Frank's an old personal friend of mine.
Okay.
1147
01:04:12,896 --> 01:04:15,148
Sammy Davis Jr.,
personal friend of mine. Okay!
1148
01:04:16,608 --> 01:04:18,818
Oh, hey, great to be... here.
1149
01:04:21,655 --> 01:04:23,949
♪ Oh, the shark bites... ♪
1150
01:04:23,949 --> 01:04:27,077
[babbling] Steve Martin,
I'm a personal friend of mine too, okay.
1151
01:04:27,577 --> 01:04:28,912
It's great to be here!
1152
01:04:28,912 --> 01:04:32,082
[laughter, applause]
1153
01:04:32,082 --> 01:04:34,960
And now, it's time for a little dance.
And here we go!
1154
01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:37,045
[laughter]
1155
01:04:45,011 --> 01:04:49,140
[Steve] Sammy came over.
But there was an instant endorsement.
1156
01:04:49,140 --> 01:04:50,600
Yeah, I didn't know
what I was supposed to do
1157
01:04:50,600 --> 01:04:53,353
because, you know,
we never hugged at home.
1158
01:04:53,353 --> 01:04:56,231
[laughs] Am I supposed to hug?
I don't know.
1159
01:04:56,231 --> 01:04:58,024
That's five or six minutes
of the funniest things
1160
01:04:58,024 --> 01:04:59,150
I've ever seen here for a long time.
1161
01:04:59,150 --> 01:05:00,485
- Oh, wow.
- Really. That's super.
1162
01:05:00,485 --> 01:05:01,903
That's really funny.
1163
01:05:03,780 --> 01:05:10,328
[Steve] I felt that I alone was carrying
the banner for the new comedy and then...
1164
01:05:10,328 --> 01:05:12,372
[studio audience laughing]
1165
01:05:15,750 --> 01:05:18,587
Live from New York, it's Saturday night!
1166
01:05:18,587 --> 01:05:23,383
[Steve] I saw Saturday Night Live
and I thought, "Oh. Oh, no."
1167
01:05:23,383 --> 01:05:25,677
- I would like...
- [John Belushi, accented] I would like...
1168
01:05:25,677 --> 01:05:28,388
to feed your fingertips...
1169
01:05:28,388 --> 01:05:30,807
to the wolverines.
1170
01:05:31,975 --> 01:05:34,394
[Steve laughs]
There's somebody else doing it.
1171
01:05:35,562 --> 01:05:38,940
{\an8}[Michaels] I was aware of him
when he was writing on Smothers Brothers
1172
01:05:38,940 --> 01:05:40,817
{\an8}and I was writing on Laugh-In.
1173
01:05:40,817 --> 01:05:43,361
I think there was a touch football game
between the two.
1174
01:05:43,361 --> 01:05:44,738
[bell dings]
1175
01:05:45,697 --> 01:05:50,035
Later, Lily Tomlin and I saw him
in LA somewhere, I think.
1176
01:05:50,493 --> 01:05:52,287
Hey, man, wanna smoke some shit?
1177
01:05:52,287 --> 01:05:54,664
No, I don't want any marijuana.
1178
01:05:54,664 --> 01:05:56,750
Marijuana? This is shit.
1179
01:05:56,750 --> 01:05:59,252
[audience laughter]
1180
01:05:59,252 --> 01:06:01,087
I was real naive in those days,
too, you know.
1181
01:06:01,087 --> 01:06:03,465
People would come and say,
"Hey, you wanna snort?"
1182
01:06:03,465 --> 01:06:04,966
And I go, "Sure."
1183
01:06:04,966 --> 01:06:06,384
[snorting]
1184
01:06:06,384 --> 01:06:08,053
[laughter, applause]
1185
01:06:09,512 --> 01:06:11,932
[Michaels] I thought,
"I'm really missing something here."
1186
01:06:12,474 --> 01:06:14,893
We were doing deeply political satire.
1187
01:06:15,602 --> 01:06:18,355
And, uh... Steve wasn't.
1188
01:06:19,105 --> 01:06:22,275
[Steve] You know, the show
was so hot, you know.
1189
01:06:22,275 --> 01:06:24,110
They were on a roll.
1190
01:06:24,110 --> 01:06:27,072
And I had this little bit
of drawing power,
1191
01:06:27,072 --> 01:06:29,199
but I was still underground.
1192
01:06:29,783 --> 01:06:31,576
[Michaels] I wanted people
I knew could do the show
1193
01:06:31,576 --> 01:06:33,828
and so, Steve was a risk.
1194
01:06:35,580 --> 01:06:36,790
[applause]
1195
01:06:36,790 --> 01:06:40,126
[Don Pardo]
Ladies and gentlemen, Steve Martin!
1196
01:06:40,126 --> 01:06:42,170
[Michaels] For me, risk is oxygen.
1197
01:06:42,170 --> 01:06:46,007
If you're not on the edge,
how are you expected to feel alive?
1198
01:06:46,550 --> 01:06:49,261
[applause continues]
1199
01:06:49,678 --> 01:06:54,266
[Steve] I can only think a few times
in my life before I was about to go on
1200
01:06:54,266 --> 01:06:56,768
where I would think,
"Wait'll they see this."
1201
01:06:58,019 --> 01:07:01,022
Most of the time it was,
"I hope this goes well."
1202
01:07:01,523 --> 01:07:03,942
Boy, I'll never forget
how great it was to be over there.
1203
01:07:04,484 --> 01:07:06,069
Okay, we're moving now.
1204
01:07:06,069 --> 01:07:07,696
[laughter]
1205
01:07:07,696 --> 01:07:08,905
Excuse me.
1206
01:07:11,741 --> 01:07:13,451
- All right.
- [loud laughter]
1207
01:07:16,454 --> 01:07:18,790
Are we on? We are.
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
1208
01:07:18,790 --> 01:07:22,878
To, uh, open the show, I always like
to do one thing that is impossible.
1209
01:07:22,878 --> 01:07:26,506
So right now I'm going to suck this stool
into my lungs.
1210
01:07:30,176 --> 01:07:32,429
- Oh, darn. Okay.
- [laughter]
1211
01:07:34,097 --> 01:07:36,725
Well, here's
something you don't often see.
1212
01:07:36,725 --> 01:07:38,518
[yelling]
1213
01:07:38,518 --> 01:07:42,522
Introducing Fido-flex,
the digital watchdog.
1214
01:07:42,522 --> 01:07:47,193
And now, it's time to play Jeopardy 1999.
1215
01:07:47,193 --> 01:07:51,489
Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!
1216
01:07:52,741 --> 01:07:54,826
No, I gotta... Oh.
1217
01:07:54,826 --> 01:07:55,952
Zoom!
1218
01:07:56,369 --> 01:08:00,373
[Steve] I remember thinking,
"Wow, other people."
1219
01:08:00,373 --> 01:08:01,666
[laughs]
1220
01:08:01,666 --> 01:08:03,001
[Steve, onstage]
What's your favorite landmass?
1221
01:08:03,001 --> 01:08:05,921
The Dalmatian Islands,
just off the coast of Yugoslavia.
1222
01:08:05,921 --> 01:08:08,632
The southern one?
A little further inland?
1223
01:08:08,632 --> 01:08:12,344
[both] Just above the 30th parallel!
1224
01:08:12,844 --> 01:08:15,597
[Steve] I'd worked alone for 15 years.
1225
01:08:15,597 --> 01:08:18,933
And now you're in a sketch and
you're looking in someone's eyes,
1226
01:08:18,933 --> 01:08:21,978
and they have a gleam in their eye
and you have a gleam in your eye.
1227
01:08:22,687 --> 01:08:23,897
It's really a good feeling.
1228
01:08:25,732 --> 01:08:27,567
The banjo's such a happy instrument.
It really is.
1229
01:08:27,567 --> 01:08:31,862
It's a good thing for a comedian like me,
and just a happy thing.
1230
01:08:31,862 --> 01:08:32,947
You can go,
1231
01:08:32,947 --> 01:08:37,035
♪ Oh, murder and death
And grief and sorrow ♪
1232
01:08:37,035 --> 01:08:39,829
[playing upbeat banjo riff]
1233
01:08:39,829 --> 01:08:43,833
Okay, I want to do this last banjo tune
and we'll move on with the show.
1234
01:08:43,833 --> 01:08:47,462
Can I get, like, a tight shot?
Maybe on the fingers on this, okay?
1235
01:08:47,462 --> 01:08:49,548
Dave? Dave Wilson, the director.
1236
01:08:50,382 --> 01:08:53,176
I'd like to start off
with a tight shot. Okay?
1237
01:08:54,009 --> 01:08:55,719
[laughter]
1238
01:08:55,719 --> 01:08:58,348
I did this thing in dress,
I thought we had it worked out, I'm sorry.
1239
01:08:58,348 --> 01:08:59,933
[clears throat] Excuse me.
1240
01:08:59,933 --> 01:09:01,768
Okay, I'll do something else then.
1241
01:09:01,768 --> 01:09:04,145
I can go with it.
All right, you know what I'm saying?
1242
01:09:05,188 --> 01:09:06,815
It's just, uh...
1243
01:09:07,524 --> 01:09:09,067
You know, you ask for something,
you think you're gonna get it,
1244
01:09:09,067 --> 01:09:11,570
throws you off when you're a performer,
a professional, like I am.
1245
01:09:11,570 --> 01:09:15,031
And, uh... I'm sorry if I look
a little angry, but I guess I am.
1246
01:09:15,031 --> 01:09:17,826
Because, you know, it hurts you.
You know what I'm saying?
1247
01:09:17,826 --> 01:09:22,746
It hurts the people who are
watching the show when, me, the artist,
1248
01:09:22,746 --> 01:09:25,750
comes out here and I can't get what?
A little cooperation. Know what I mean?
1249
01:09:25,750 --> 01:09:29,337
I mean, I can't get a little help
from the backstage crew?
1250
01:09:30,130 --> 01:09:33,884
Excuse me.
1251
01:09:38,138 --> 01:09:39,931
I'm sorry, I'm angry.
1252
01:09:39,931 --> 01:09:42,308
[playing jaunty melody]
1253
01:09:43,852 --> 01:09:45,395
I'm sorry.
1254
01:09:45,395 --> 01:09:47,438
We'll be back after this commercial.
1255
01:09:47,438 --> 01:09:50,275
[applause, cheering]
1256
01:09:53,152 --> 01:09:55,906
[Steve] And I had a show the next day,
on a Monday.
1257
01:09:55,906 --> 01:09:57,991
- Fifteen, Steve. Fifteen minutes.
- [Steve] Thank you.
1258
01:09:59,409 --> 01:10:01,578
I said, "How many people are out there?"
1259
01:10:01,578 --> 01:10:04,831
And he said, "7,000."
1260
01:10:05,665 --> 01:10:06,917
I'm like, "What?"
1261
01:10:08,543 --> 01:10:12,214
[crowd cheering]
1262
01:10:15,967 --> 01:10:20,055
And there was this impact like a wave.
1263
01:10:20,931 --> 01:10:23,516
[crowd roars]
1264
01:10:25,101 --> 01:10:27,479
"Oh." [chuckles]
1265
01:10:30,357 --> 01:10:31,816
"Something's changed."
1266
01:10:33,401 --> 01:10:34,444
[man] Thank you. Keep it.
1267
01:10:35,153 --> 01:10:36,738
[Steve chuckles]
1268
01:10:37,322 --> 01:10:38,281
[man] Telephoto lens.
1269
01:10:38,865 --> 01:10:39,908
Double scotch.
1270
01:10:39,908 --> 01:10:40,992
[woman] Do you recognize him?
1271
01:10:40,992 --> 01:10:42,619
He's hosted the Tonight Show
a couple of times.
1272
01:10:42,619 --> 01:10:44,079
[indistinct chatter]
1273
01:10:44,079 --> 01:10:46,456
[woman 2] Is Steve Martin here?
I wanna seduce him. [laughs]
1274
01:10:47,832 --> 01:10:49,834
{\an8}[Seinfeld] In the mid-'70s, he came out
1275
01:10:49,834 --> 01:10:53,296
{\an8}and it just felt like
a flash bulb of energy.
1276
01:10:53,296 --> 01:10:56,341
- [splutters]
- [laughter]
1277
01:11:00,595 --> 01:11:02,806
[Seinfeld] This is just gonna be pure fun.
1278
01:11:08,520 --> 01:11:09,479
I'm a rambling guy.
1279
01:11:09,479 --> 01:11:11,523
Way to go, Steve! That's good stuff.
1280
01:11:12,399 --> 01:11:13,733
[Tom Brokaw] One of the most
refreshing comedians
1281
01:11:13,733 --> 01:11:16,403
to come along in a long time
is Steve Martin.
1282
01:11:16,403 --> 01:11:18,238
As you know, he advertises himself
1283
01:11:18,238 --> 01:11:21,199
as a wild and crazy guy
when he's on stage.
1284
01:11:21,825 --> 01:11:24,452
[Steve] The first time we did
the Czech brothers, it played okay.
1285
01:11:24,452 --> 01:11:27,372
[exaggerated accent]
We are two wild and crazy guys.
1286
01:11:28,748 --> 01:11:30,375
[Steve] And we kind of forgot about it.
1287
01:11:31,793 --> 01:11:35,672
And then the next time I hosted,
Danny said, "Let's do another one."
1288
01:11:35,672 --> 01:11:38,633
And suddenly the sketch started
and there was this...
1289
01:11:38,633 --> 01:11:41,303
[loud cheering and applause]
1290
01:11:45,932 --> 01:11:48,435
{\an8}[Dobbs] We would go up to see his show.
1291
01:11:48,435 --> 01:11:53,148
{\an8}We got to the theater and people
were lined up around the building.
1292
01:11:53,148 --> 01:11:56,109
I didn't think he was opening
for somebody,
1293
01:11:56,109 --> 01:11:59,654
and then I started seeing
rabbit ears and thought,
1294
01:11:59,654 --> 01:12:02,824
"Oh my gosh, it was all for him."
1295
01:12:03,909 --> 01:12:06,202
It's kind of fun for me to see
the people in the audience
1296
01:12:06,202 --> 01:12:09,372
with the amateur model
arrow through the head.
1297
01:12:09,372 --> 01:12:11,833
[cheers, laughter]
1298
01:12:13,418 --> 01:12:15,879
This, of course,
is the professional model, um...
1299
01:12:16,922 --> 01:12:19,132
Made in Germany, cost 150 dollars.
1300
01:12:19,132 --> 01:12:22,886
But... that's okay for me! Hah!
1301
01:12:26,389 --> 01:12:30,310
Because I am a wild and crazy guy.
1302
01:12:42,030 --> 01:12:44,574
[host] This must be, obviously,
very exciting for you now.
1303
01:12:44,574 --> 01:12:47,202
Really, 'cause Steve gets
standing ovations as a comedian.
1304
01:12:47,202 --> 01:12:49,704
- That very seldom happens.
- Yeah, it's been a...
1305
01:12:50,747 --> 01:12:53,250
In the last six months
it's been explosive.
1306
01:12:53,250 --> 01:12:56,044
- Yeah.
- Which, you know, I'm thankful for
1307
01:12:56,044 --> 01:12:59,798
- and puzzled by, but am very happy about.
- Yeah.
1308
01:13:00,423 --> 01:13:02,342
We're having some fun now, hey!
1309
01:13:02,342 --> 01:13:05,554
[Steve] The biggest shift was,
so I'm playing these places
1310
01:13:05,554 --> 01:13:10,308
and I was still doing the bit
where I would take audiences outside.
1311
01:13:11,184 --> 01:13:13,520
And I realized they're standing
in traffic,
1312
01:13:13,520 --> 01:13:16,231
they're standing on cars,
and I said, "Well, that bit's over."
1313
01:13:16,231 --> 01:13:18,692
Becoming too dangerous, literally.
1314
01:13:20,151 --> 01:13:23,989
I mentioned it earlier in the show
as the drug joke.
1315
01:13:23,989 --> 01:13:25,699
And I hate to do that because, uh...
1316
01:13:25,699 --> 01:13:27,993
it creates myths
and I'm not into drugs anymore.
1317
01:13:27,993 --> 01:13:32,622
I quit completely and I hate people
who are still into it so, uh...
1318
01:13:32,622 --> 01:13:33,707
[laughter]
1319
01:13:33,707 --> 01:13:37,085
Well, I do take one drug now for fun,
and, uh, maybe you've heard of it.
1320
01:13:37,085 --> 01:13:38,920
It's a new thing.
I don't know if you have or not.
1321
01:13:38,920 --> 01:13:41,882
It's a new thing, uh... makes you small.
1322
01:13:41,882 --> 01:13:43,216
[laughter]
1323
01:13:43,216 --> 01:13:44,593
About this big.
1324
01:13:47,137 --> 01:13:49,014
[radio DJ] And you might as well
plug your album while you're here.
1325
01:13:49,014 --> 01:13:51,558
Are they prepared comedy gags?
1326
01:13:51,558 --> 01:13:54,144
[Steve on radio] No, it's completely
spontaneous. Every album is different.
1327
01:13:54,144 --> 01:13:57,105
[radio DJ] I'll be darned.
How many did they release? Millions?
1328
01:13:57,105 --> 01:13:58,899
[Steve on radio] Yeah.
I've recorded a million of them.
1329
01:13:58,899 --> 01:14:00,859
And they're all completely different.
1330
01:14:07,324 --> 01:14:09,451
[host] Steve Martin. Let's Get Small.
1331
01:14:09,451 --> 01:14:11,494
[Steve] These represent funny comedy gags.
1332
01:14:11,494 --> 01:14:13,496
You can play this
on your record player at home.
1333
01:14:13,496 --> 01:14:14,414
[host] That's it.
1334
01:14:14,414 --> 01:14:17,292
And, you know, I'll be home,
sitting with my friends, and, uh...
1335
01:14:17,292 --> 01:14:20,253
we'll be sitting around
and somebody will say,
1336
01:14:20,253 --> 01:14:21,463
"Hey...
1337
01:14:23,506 --> 01:14:25,008
Let's get small."
1338
01:14:25,008 --> 01:14:26,551
[laughter]
1339
01:14:30,805 --> 01:14:34,976
{\an8}[McEuen] My brother recorded
all his albums before Saturday Night Live,
1340
01:14:34,976 --> 01:14:38,480
{\an8}before Tonight Show,
and they sat around for two years.
1341
01:14:42,234 --> 01:14:44,361
Now, I know I shouldn't get small
when I'm driving.
1342
01:14:44,903 --> 01:14:46,321
[light laughter]
1343
01:14:46,321 --> 01:14:48,949
But I was driving around the other day,
and I said, "What the heck," you know.
1344
01:14:48,949 --> 01:14:50,492
So I'm driving, going...
1345
01:14:50,492 --> 01:14:53,286
[laughter, applause]
1346
01:15:00,335 --> 01:15:05,423
I hold in my hand the first
platinum comedy album in history.
1347
01:15:05,423 --> 01:15:06,758
Platinum means you have to sell...
1348
01:15:06,758 --> 01:15:09,511
- Wow.
- ...a million albums.
1349
01:15:09,511 --> 01:15:11,137
[audience cheering]
1350
01:15:11,137 --> 01:15:13,473
It's an honor to know
that you sold a million albums,
1351
01:15:13,473 --> 01:15:15,475
but it's also kind of weird
to know that there are
1352
01:15:15,475 --> 01:15:18,478
a million lunatics out in the country.
1353
01:15:19,437 --> 01:15:20,897
There are a great deal
more than a million.
1354
01:15:20,897 --> 01:15:23,316
They're just slowly finding you out.
1355
01:15:23,984 --> 01:15:24,818
Well... [clears throat]
1356
01:15:24,818 --> 01:15:26,486
[McEuen] Steve never thought
he'd get a record deal.
1357
01:15:26,486 --> 01:15:27,904
[whistling melody]
1358
01:15:27,904 --> 01:15:30,115
[McEuen] And he ended up
selling nine million albums.
1359
01:15:34,035 --> 01:15:35,328
[host] And what would be
your day like though?
1360
01:15:35,328 --> 01:15:37,872
For example, today, what you did
the Good Morning, America show.
1361
01:15:37,872 --> 01:15:39,916
- I did Good Morning, America.
- Did this show.
1362
01:15:39,916 --> 01:15:42,335
Then we fly to Washington, DC.
1363
01:15:42,335 --> 01:15:45,088
Two shows at Kennedy Performing Arts.
1364
01:15:46,256 --> 01:15:48,717
[Steve] When I played Kennedy Center,
I asked the promoter,
1365
01:15:48,717 --> 01:15:50,594
"I'm just curious,
how much am I making?"
1366
01:15:51,595 --> 01:15:53,763
And he said, "25,000."
1367
01:15:53,763 --> 01:15:56,141
And I said, "Wow, that's great."
1368
01:15:56,141 --> 01:15:58,768
And he said,
"And the second show is better."
1369
01:15:58,768 --> 01:16:01,563
And then we come back here
and then we go to, uh...
1370
01:16:01,563 --> 01:16:03,315
I think, Boston the next day,
1371
01:16:03,315 --> 01:16:06,401
and we're doing 50 cities in 60 days.
1372
01:16:10,906 --> 01:16:12,365
[Steve, onstage]
How many people are here?
1373
01:16:12,365 --> 01:16:16,077
Two, four, six, seven,
1374
01:16:16,077 --> 01:16:19,289
eight, ten, 11, 12, 13,
1375
01:16:19,289 --> 01:16:22,125
plus 16, 17.
1376
01:16:22,125 --> 01:16:24,377
There's the guy at the bar.
That's 18.
1377
01:16:24,377 --> 01:16:26,254
So I do just--
Should I do more time, or...?
1378
01:16:26,254 --> 01:16:29,716
No, probably shouldn't do more time,
that's just ridiculous.
1379
01:16:34,471 --> 01:16:38,475
[McEuen] Steve Martin would sell out
before the ads could finish running.
1380
01:16:40,060 --> 01:16:42,187
[Dobbs] And then we would
go in restaurants
1381
01:16:42,187 --> 01:16:45,815
and we could overhear people talking
and using his tag lines.
1382
01:16:48,944 --> 01:16:52,572
{\an8}[Byrne] I think they were just really
happy to be part of something.
1383
01:16:53,990 --> 01:16:56,201
It was a cultural phenomenon.
1384
01:17:01,164 --> 01:17:04,542
Oh, no, I'm getting happy feet! Whoa!
1385
01:17:04,542 --> 01:17:06,503
[crowd cheering]
1386
01:17:08,296 --> 01:17:11,716
[Byrne] And we didn't use
any video projection or anything.
1387
01:17:11,716 --> 01:17:15,428
And 20,000 people away.
They were getting it.
1388
01:17:15,428 --> 01:17:18,056
[cheering continues]
1389
01:17:18,056 --> 01:17:20,433
[Steve] And I think what happened is,
1390
01:17:20,433 --> 01:17:26,147
material became secondary
to the nature of the act.
1391
01:17:26,147 --> 01:17:30,026
It's where you're performing right down
to your fingertips.
1392
01:17:32,279 --> 01:17:34,281
Where every movement counts.
1393
01:17:35,490 --> 01:17:38,868
Where there's nothing extraneous.
1394
01:17:40,787 --> 01:17:43,248
You're conducting the audience.
1395
01:17:43,999 --> 01:17:45,667
Okay. I'd like to-- Oh!
1396
01:17:45,667 --> 01:17:47,294
[crowd laughing]
1397
01:17:52,132 --> 01:17:55,594
He made 60 sell-out
concert appearances in 1977.
1398
01:17:55,594 --> 01:17:58,555
Last month, he gave a one-man concert
here in Southern California
1399
01:17:58,555 --> 01:18:01,725
before 9,000 fans
at the Anaheim Convention Center,
1400
01:18:01,725 --> 01:18:04,936
not too far from where he grew up
in the little town of Garden Grove.
1401
01:18:04,936 --> 01:18:07,814
About 17 years ago, I used to stand
across the street at Disneyland
1402
01:18:07,814 --> 01:18:11,568
and sell guidebooks for 25 cents.
1403
01:18:11,568 --> 01:18:15,488
And... I think one of the big thrills
for me is to be able to...
1404
01:18:16,197 --> 01:18:18,366
...not to come back in a limousine,
1405
01:18:18,366 --> 01:18:20,327
but to be able to come back
and see your old friends
1406
01:18:20,327 --> 01:18:22,579
and kind of be the same thing
that you were...
1407
01:18:22,579 --> 01:18:24,414
[man] Hey, Steve,
one of your old friends is here.
1408
01:18:24,414 --> 01:18:25,790
Oh, really? Well, get rid of him.
1409
01:18:25,790 --> 01:18:26,833
[laughter]
1410
01:18:29,920 --> 01:18:34,007
[Elias] Once we sat on his...
the porch of this house in Aspen.
1411
01:18:34,716 --> 01:18:37,510
{\an8}And he says, "Is this the life?
1412
01:18:37,510 --> 01:18:39,638
{\an8}I mean, we just wrote some great comedy.
1413
01:18:39,638 --> 01:18:44,017
You have a great bottle of wine.
It's a beautiful sunset.
1414
01:18:45,518 --> 01:18:47,896
This is... this is the best."
1415
01:18:47,896 --> 01:18:51,691
And I remember saying to myself,
"No. It's not the best.
1416
01:18:53,485 --> 01:18:55,278
[chuckling] I want a...
I want a girlfriend."
1417
01:18:55,278 --> 01:18:58,031
[whimpers, panting]
1418
01:18:58,031 --> 01:19:00,575
[interviewer] What about your love life?
How is Steve Martin's love life?
1419
01:19:01,785 --> 01:19:04,120
Well... [chuckling]
1420
01:19:04,120 --> 01:19:07,958
[woman] Are you married?
Are you straight? Are you nuts?
1421
01:19:09,542 --> 01:19:12,254
[Steve] Think of it this way.
Say I get married,
1422
01:19:12,254 --> 01:19:15,507
and I say, "Well, going on the road
for three months
1423
01:19:15,507 --> 01:19:17,008
and I'll see you sometime."
1424
01:19:18,969 --> 01:19:22,973
I've never... I don't have a home life.
1425
01:19:24,307 --> 01:19:25,684
Actually, that's a myth
about entertainers.
1426
01:19:25,684 --> 01:19:27,936
You always think you meet girls,
and you don't.
1427
01:19:27,936 --> 01:19:29,479
Because here I'm in town for nine days,
1428
01:19:29,479 --> 01:19:32,232
and you don't have time
to get to know anybody.
1429
01:19:32,232 --> 01:19:33,942
And I'm not into that one-night thing.
1430
01:19:33,942 --> 01:19:36,194
I think a person should
get to know someone
1431
01:19:36,194 --> 01:19:38,989
and even be in love with them
before you...
1432
01:19:38,989 --> 01:19:40,782
...use and degrade them.
1433
01:19:40,782 --> 01:19:43,201
[crowd laughing]
1434
01:19:45,579 --> 01:19:46,955
Would you mind if I kissed you?
1435
01:19:48,373 --> 01:19:50,166
No, I don't mind.
1436
01:19:51,751 --> 01:19:53,044
Good.
1437
01:19:56,590 --> 01:19:58,550
I'll remember that for the future.
1438
01:20:00,218 --> 01:20:04,014
I also get the sense that
you really are quite buttoned-up,
1439
01:20:04,014 --> 01:20:06,099
and nobody's gonna get too close
to Steve Martin.
1440
01:20:06,099 --> 01:20:07,976
And yet your persona is,
1441
01:20:07,976 --> 01:20:09,603
"I'm the wild and crazy guy,
and I'll do anything.
1442
01:20:09,603 --> 01:20:12,689
I'll take my pants off and run around
with the dog in front of me."
1443
01:20:13,773 --> 01:20:14,733
Yeah.
1444
01:20:23,658 --> 01:20:27,954
[Steve] Well, I say, like, um,
if you make it in business,
1445
01:20:27,954 --> 01:20:31,124
you sit behind a big,
elegant desk with a view,
1446
01:20:31,124 --> 01:20:34,419
and if you make it in show business,
you end up riding an elephant.
1447
01:20:34,419 --> 01:20:36,296
[chuckles]
1448
01:20:37,255 --> 01:20:39,716
I remember talking
to Carl Gottlieb and he said,
1449
01:20:39,716 --> 01:20:45,180
"You know, when a TV actor walks
into the room, everybody goes,
1450
01:20:45,180 --> 01:20:48,683
'Hey, how you doing?' They walk.
'Hey... We love you, blah-blah.'
1451
01:20:48,683 --> 01:20:51,686
When a movie actor walks in
they go, 'Ooooh.'"
1452
01:20:51,686 --> 01:20:54,522
[laughs]
1453
01:20:54,522 --> 01:20:57,234
And I kind of like that.
Actually kind of impressed me.
1454
01:20:59,236 --> 01:21:01,863
[man] Oh, Steve, you better
pull yourself together.
1455
01:21:01,863 --> 01:21:03,823
You've got a big movie offer.
1456
01:21:04,658 --> 01:21:06,117
I do?
1457
01:21:07,244 --> 01:21:08,995
What's the movie offer?
1458
01:21:10,372 --> 01:21:13,083
[Steve] From stand-up
to movies is just smart.
1459
01:21:14,042 --> 01:21:16,670
If I do the best stand-up show
I've ever done,
1460
01:21:16,670 --> 01:21:19,422
the next day it's completely gone.
It's over.
1461
01:21:19,422 --> 01:21:21,466
Whoa!
[high voice] "God damn it!" What?
1462
01:21:23,260 --> 01:21:26,680
Plus, I had to fly to Florida.
1463
01:21:26,680 --> 01:21:30,016
But if I do a movie,
I can do seven takes,
1464
01:21:30,016 --> 01:21:32,561
get it right, forever,
1465
01:21:32,561 --> 01:21:34,312
and then the movie goes to Florida.
1466
01:21:35,188 --> 01:21:36,898
Excellent choice.
1467
01:21:36,898 --> 01:21:39,150
[talk show host] This is not your
first movie. You've been in others.
1468
01:21:39,150 --> 01:21:40,318
I was in Gone with the Wind.
1469
01:21:42,279 --> 01:21:44,030
I did On the Waterfront.
1470
01:21:44,656 --> 01:21:46,241
- Did you?
- A Streetcar Named Desire.
1471
01:21:46,700 --> 01:21:48,785
And now, The Jerk.
1472
01:21:49,911 --> 01:21:52,038
[Steve] It started off
as Banana Boulevard.
1473
01:21:52,038 --> 01:21:54,457
About a guy who can't live in the world,
1474
01:21:54,457 --> 01:21:59,462
so he has to become crazy
and he crosses over into Bananaland.
1475
01:22:00,547 --> 01:22:02,215
I had 17 versions.
1476
01:22:02,215 --> 01:22:04,926
I mean, it's...
They're unproduceable, all right?
1477
01:22:09,806 --> 01:22:13,852
I wrote it, two other really good writers,
Carl Gottlieb, who wrote Jaws.
1478
01:22:14,644 --> 01:22:16,062
{\an8}[Gottlieb] The fish movie.
1479
01:22:16,521 --> 01:22:19,524
{\an8}[Steve] And Michael Elias,
who was a great comedy writer.
1480
01:22:19,524 --> 01:22:22,402
{\an8}[Elias] I do interviews about my novel.
1481
01:22:22,402 --> 01:22:24,195
{\an8}They all want to talk about The Jerk.
1482
01:22:24,195 --> 01:22:26,114
"What's your favorite part?
Which part did you write?
1483
01:22:26,114 --> 01:22:27,866
What was it like to write
with Steve Martin?"
1484
01:22:27,866 --> 01:22:30,535
I want to sell my book. [laughs]
1485
01:22:33,830 --> 01:22:35,749
{\an8}He hates these cans!
1486
01:22:35,749 --> 01:22:36,833
{\an8}[can clattering]
1487
01:22:36,833 --> 01:22:39,002
{\an8}Stay away from the cans!
1488
01:22:39,002 --> 01:22:40,879
Could you explain to us what it's about?
1489
01:22:41,838 --> 01:22:44,132
Well, I... When I saw the film completed,
1490
01:22:44,132 --> 01:22:48,345
I honestly did not know what it was about.
1491
01:22:50,096 --> 01:22:51,640
There's cans in there too!
1492
01:22:51,640 --> 01:22:53,391
Then a friend of mine, I said,
"How did you like the film?"
1493
01:22:53,391 --> 01:22:58,772
He says, "I loved it. It's about
the most naive person who ever lived."
1494
01:23:01,316 --> 01:23:02,609
More cans!
1495
01:23:03,485 --> 01:23:05,278
Die, you bastard!
1496
01:23:09,032 --> 01:23:10,951
Steve Martin,
America's hottest young comedian,
1497
01:23:10,951 --> 01:23:13,328
has just taken the big leap
onto the big screen,
1498
01:23:13,328 --> 01:23:16,539
making his movie debut
in a new picture called The Jerk.
1499
01:23:16,539 --> 01:23:18,083
{\an8}[crowds cheering]
1500
01:23:18,083 --> 01:23:20,669
{\an8}[Gottlieb] It was a hit from day one.
1501
01:23:24,673 --> 01:23:28,510
You know, Steve was a little nervous,
but he didn't let it show.
1502
01:23:28,510 --> 01:23:31,846
First axiom of the business,
"Never let 'em see you sweat."
1503
01:23:37,394 --> 01:23:40,981
[Steve] When I was on stage,
I would think,
1504
01:23:40,981 --> 01:23:43,441
"I know what I am right now. I'm a cat."
1505
01:23:43,441 --> 01:23:45,735
[Steve, onstage] Whoa! Give me that,
give me that, give me that!
1506
01:23:45,735 --> 01:23:47,654
[mimicking cat scratches]
1507
01:23:47,654 --> 01:23:50,073
[Steve] Or, "I'm R. Crumb."
1508
01:23:51,366 --> 01:23:55,203
I always felt the act
is what you want it to be.
1509
01:23:55,203 --> 01:23:56,871
You want it to be smart,
you can find that.
1510
01:23:56,871 --> 01:23:58,999
You want it to be stupid,
you can find that.
1511
01:23:58,999 --> 01:24:01,418
You want it to be parody,
you can find that.
1512
01:24:02,377 --> 01:24:04,379
Boy, those are good seats up there.
1513
01:24:04,379 --> 01:24:06,715
[laughter, applause]
1514
01:24:12,888 --> 01:24:16,308
[loudly] The show has started!
1515
01:24:21,563 --> 01:24:24,149
{\an8}[Elias] I used to like walking
behind him...
1516
01:24:24,900 --> 01:24:27,694
...and seeing people look at him,
people could not believe.
1517
01:24:27,694 --> 01:24:30,530
"Holy shit, it's Steve Martin."
1518
01:24:32,157 --> 01:24:34,451
{\an8}[Byrne] Yeah, you're outdrawing
Fleetwood Mac.
1519
01:24:35,327 --> 01:24:37,746
{\an8}You know, I mean, in the same venues.
1520
01:24:39,456 --> 01:24:41,124
{\an8}[Gopnik] Because we tend to forget
that in the '70s,
1521
01:24:41,124 --> 01:24:45,629
{\an8}Steve was not a successful comedian,
he was like a rock star.
1522
01:24:45,629 --> 01:24:48,548
He was the first comedian
who could play stadiums.
1523
01:24:48,548 --> 01:24:51,176
It was very odd and strange.
1524
01:24:53,053 --> 01:24:56,014
It's like it was...
It's a panicky emotion.
1525
01:24:56,014 --> 01:24:58,725
Because he was alone for much of his life.
1526
01:24:59,684 --> 01:25:04,397
[Steve] At its biggest, we did three days
at the Nassau Coliseum.
1527
01:25:04,397 --> 01:25:06,274
Forty-five thousand.
1528
01:25:06,274 --> 01:25:08,026
[crowds cheering, laughing]
1529
01:25:08,026 --> 01:25:10,237
I mean, your whole life is number one.
1530
01:25:10,237 --> 01:25:13,949
Well, only way to go now is down.
1531
01:25:13,949 --> 01:25:16,284
[fans screaming]
1532
01:25:16,284 --> 01:25:18,662
[all shouting]
1533
01:25:19,913 --> 01:25:21,081
Steve!
1534
01:25:21,081 --> 01:25:23,124
[Steve] Okay, calm
down, don't anybody get hurt.
1535
01:25:23,667 --> 01:25:25,418
Could you sign my cigarette?
1536
01:25:25,418 --> 01:25:27,754
[yelling, indistinct]
1537
01:25:29,464 --> 01:25:31,716
[Steve] The size of the audience
was never a problem.
1538
01:25:31,716 --> 01:25:33,426
It was the mania.
1539
01:25:33,426 --> 01:25:35,595
Well, I'm a little disappointed that, uh...
1540
01:25:35,595 --> 01:25:37,097
more photographers didn't show up.
1541
01:25:37,097 --> 01:25:39,391
[all laughing]
1542
01:25:39,391 --> 01:25:40,433
[man] There you go.
1543
01:25:40,433 --> 01:25:43,144
[Steve] I thought I was still
doing comedy.
1544
01:25:43,853 --> 01:25:47,399
But really, I was a party host.
[chuckles]
1545
01:25:47,399 --> 01:25:51,152
Okay, good. Now let's repeat
the non-conformist oath.
1546
01:25:51,152 --> 01:25:53,238
I promise to be different.
1547
01:25:53,238 --> 01:25:56,032
[crowd] I promise to be different!
1548
01:25:56,032 --> 01:25:58,034
I promise to be unique.
1549
01:25:58,034 --> 01:26:00,161
[crowd] I promise to be unique!
1550
01:26:00,161 --> 01:26:03,248
I promise not to repeat things
other people say.
1551
01:26:03,248 --> 01:26:05,333
[laughter]
1552
01:26:06,209 --> 01:26:07,210
Good! Okay.
1553
01:26:08,545 --> 01:26:11,756
{\an8}[Steve] There's this moment,
like around '75, '76,
1554
01:26:11,756 --> 01:26:14,759
where I think I'm really funny.
1555
01:26:15,844 --> 01:26:19,848
But by '80, it's not new.
1556
01:26:22,267 --> 01:26:24,936
{\an8}[Steve on TV] You'll call
a disc jockey up and you'll go,
1557
01:26:24,936 --> 01:26:26,354
"Hello." And they'll go...
1558
01:26:26,354 --> 01:26:27,939
[raucous laughter]
1559
01:26:28,523 --> 01:26:30,609
[David Letterman] You know,
every time I go anywhere on an airplane,
1560
01:26:30,609 --> 01:26:33,820
stewardesses are always doing you,
I mean, so to speak.
1561
01:26:33,820 --> 01:26:36,948
- [laughs]
- [crowd laughter]
1562
01:26:36,948 --> 01:26:39,784
You know what I mean?
They always say wild and crazy guy,
1563
01:26:39,784 --> 01:26:41,912
and then they always go, "Excuse me."
1564
01:26:41,912 --> 01:26:44,039
Isn't it funny when they do that?
1565
01:26:44,039 --> 01:26:47,792
[laughter, applause]
1566
01:26:47,792 --> 01:26:50,503
[Marvin Scott] Will the real
Steve Martin step forward?
1567
01:26:50,503 --> 01:26:52,464
{\an8}Well, he wasn't anywhere in sight,
1568
01:26:52,464 --> 01:26:55,800
{\an8}but more than 100
aspiring Steve Martins were.
1569
01:26:55,800 --> 01:26:59,763
But that's okay for me
'cause I am a wild and crazy guy.
1570
01:27:00,889 --> 01:27:04,059
There. Okay.
Having some fun now, hey, kids?
1571
01:27:05,268 --> 01:27:07,646
Well, excuse me!
1572
01:27:07,646 --> 01:27:12,317
Excuse me!
1573
01:27:12,317 --> 01:27:14,611
- Excuse moi!
- Excuse...
1574
01:27:14,611 --> 01:27:17,113
Excuse me!
1575
01:27:17,113 --> 01:27:18,990
I'm gonna rip his face off,
I swear to God!
1576
01:27:18,990 --> 01:27:22,452
[applause]
1577
01:27:22,452 --> 01:27:24,704
- Let me ask you a serious question now.
- Okay.
1578
01:27:25,622 --> 01:27:27,499
- You've got your serious attitude, now.
- Yeah.
1579
01:27:27,499 --> 01:27:29,334
You made a lot of money.
Are you any happier now
1580
01:27:29,334 --> 01:27:31,378
with the money you've made than you were,
say, five years ago
1581
01:27:31,378 --> 01:27:33,088
when you were scrambling around?
1582
01:27:33,088 --> 01:27:34,089
Uh...
1583
01:27:34,089 --> 01:27:36,716
- Generally, relatively.
- Money does not buy happiness.
1584
01:27:38,635 --> 01:27:41,346
[audience hooting, laughing]
1585
01:27:41,346 --> 01:27:44,891
I know what you're saying.
You don't even want to say it seriously.
1586
01:27:44,891 --> 01:27:46,309
No, I mean that seriously.
1587
01:27:46,309 --> 01:27:48,520
- I meant that it doesn't buy happiness.
- Yeah.
1588
01:27:48,520 --> 01:27:52,357
You still have to have
your personal problems.
1589
01:27:52,357 --> 01:27:54,943
- Right. Do you have--
- You can't buy your way out of...
1590
01:27:54,943 --> 01:27:58,572
Do you have personal problems?
Find anything... we can talk about?
1591
01:27:58,572 --> 01:28:01,950
I... since we started this spot,
I have wet my pants.
1592
01:28:01,950 --> 01:28:04,369
- Right here?
- [laughter]
1593
01:28:05,412 --> 01:28:06,621
That's all right, we'll...
1594
01:28:08,707 --> 01:28:10,584
{\an8}[McEuen]
I was in the dressing room once
1595
01:28:10,584 --> 01:28:12,210
{\an8}and his father was up there.
1596
01:28:13,044 --> 01:28:17,382
{\an8}Steve walks in after a perfect
hour and five minutes,
1597
01:28:17,382 --> 01:28:20,802
and his father goes,
"You know what was wrong with that show?"
1598
01:28:22,429 --> 01:28:24,764
Anyway, I sneaked out. [laughs]
1599
01:28:24,764 --> 01:28:27,350
'Cause there was nothing wrong
with the show.
1600
01:28:28,518 --> 01:28:30,437
Say I want to do something
kind of special.
1601
01:28:30,437 --> 01:28:34,524
My parents are in the audience tonight
and, um... I'd like to introduce them.
1602
01:28:34,524 --> 01:28:37,652
They've been my parents
all my life. And...
1603
01:28:37,652 --> 01:28:39,738
[applause]
1604
01:28:41,323 --> 01:28:45,535
[Steve] Well, the family was not a...
a goal for me.
1605
01:28:45,535 --> 01:28:50,498
I wasn't shown...
that it was something fantastic.
1606
01:28:51,583 --> 01:28:53,919
And, uh...
1607
01:28:54,586 --> 01:28:58,632
Not sure if I'm phrasing it correctly,
because it's such a...
1608
01:28:59,674 --> 01:29:03,011
a common thing for most people,
and it just wasn't for me.
1609
01:29:04,846 --> 01:29:07,599
- [camera clicking]
- [forced laughter]
1610
01:29:10,268 --> 01:29:12,395
I can't hold this smile much longer.
1611
01:29:12,395 --> 01:29:15,815
[crowd cheering]
1612
01:29:33,041 --> 01:29:37,754
[Steve] It's-- On one hand, you feel
this exceeding love coming at you.
1613
01:29:40,173 --> 01:29:43,009
But it's not what you expected it
to feel like.
1614
01:29:44,052 --> 01:29:46,096
Creates anxiety.
1615
01:29:47,389 --> 01:29:51,101
{\an8}[Gopnik] I said to Steve once, "Don't you
get a high when the show's over?"
1616
01:29:52,060 --> 01:29:55,188
And he kind of looked at me like,
"Not really, no."
1617
01:29:55,188 --> 01:29:58,483
I thought, "Wow, that is so unusual
for a performer."
1618
01:30:02,320 --> 01:30:05,365
[Steve] I was very, very isolated
and very lonely.
1619
01:30:06,575 --> 01:30:09,744
You, um, literally can't go outside.
1620
01:30:11,413 --> 01:30:15,208
It's very hard to find alone time,
except when you're deeply alone.
1621
01:30:15,208 --> 01:30:17,377
[laughs] You know.
1622
01:30:17,377 --> 01:30:20,213
Your own silence is not there for you.
1623
01:30:22,841 --> 01:30:24,926
[Steve on tape]
You want people to like you.
1624
01:30:25,468 --> 01:30:27,846
But it's something that
leaves you kind of cold.
1625
01:30:29,848 --> 01:30:34,227
It's easy to come to the conclusion
you're doing it for all the wrong reasons.
1626
01:30:39,816 --> 01:30:42,402
[people chattering, indistinct]
1627
01:30:43,403 --> 01:30:47,198
[Steve] You know, in Vegas,
you could see the back booths are lit.
1628
01:30:48,283 --> 01:30:49,534
And I saw an empty one.
1629
01:30:50,493 --> 01:30:53,413
Now, later, a comedian friend said,
1630
01:30:53,413 --> 01:30:56,207
"Maybe somebody just didn't show up."
[laughs]
1631
01:30:56,917 --> 01:31:02,214
But it played into a sadness
I was going under.
1632
01:31:04,591 --> 01:31:07,594
And I just didn't want to see that it.
I didn't want to go downhill.
1633
01:31:08,929 --> 01:31:12,182
And I don't need any of this!
I don't need this stuff!
1634
01:31:13,183 --> 01:31:15,894
I don't need you. I don't need anything.
1635
01:31:16,645 --> 01:31:19,856
The act, essentially, was conceptual,
1636
01:31:19,856 --> 01:31:22,692
and once the concept was understood,
1637
01:31:22,692 --> 01:31:24,778
there was nothing more to develop.
1638
01:31:25,779 --> 01:31:28,281
I sort of created my own dead end.
1639
01:31:30,617 --> 01:31:33,995
I felt that I was on a speeding train
called stand-up comedy.
1640
01:31:33,995 --> 01:31:37,040
Coming in the other direction
was a speeding train called movies.
1641
01:31:37,040 --> 01:31:38,124
[horn blowing]
1642
01:31:38,124 --> 01:31:43,505
My job was to get off the stand-up train
and throw myself onto the movie train.
1643
01:31:44,422 --> 01:31:46,967
And I thought, "Ahh, I get to start over.
1644
01:31:47,968 --> 01:31:50,262
I can be an actual new person."
1645
01:31:50,262 --> 01:31:55,225
["On Some Faraway Beach"
by Brian Eno playing]
1646
01:31:55,225 --> 01:31:58,395
[sustained applause, cheering]
1647
01:32:16,663 --> 01:32:19,082
[crowd cheering]
1648
01:32:29,718 --> 01:32:31,011
[Steve] An act is built.
1649
01:32:31,011 --> 01:32:36,725
I mean, I did my act
for literally 15 years before it clicked.
1650
01:32:38,768 --> 01:32:40,437
[interviewer]
Why didn't you quit before that?
1651
01:32:41,938 --> 01:32:43,481
Too stupid.
1652
01:32:43,481 --> 01:32:45,275
[laughing]
1653
01:32:51,781 --> 01:32:54,117
- [music stops]
- [Steve] Uh, well, no.
1654
01:32:54,117 --> 01:32:56,286
Unfortunately, the story goes on.
1655
01:32:56,286 --> 01:32:59,748
[up-tempo music playing]