The older I get, the more I enjoy listening to talk radio, podcasts, and audiobooks in my car.  My latest listen was Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up (released in 2007), read by the man himself.  It’s basically an autobiography focusing on his career as a comedian, from his early years as a teenage kid doing magic at Disneyland to his late 70’s appearances hosting Saturday Night Live and filling up arenas doing stand up to his break into movie stardom in The Jerk.  Here’s a clip of him doing magic/comedy on the Smothers Brothers show, and down below, watch him and Dan Aykroyd in their famous sketch “Two Wild and Crazy Guys”.

I’ve always been a huge Steve Martin fan.  I grew up on his movies!  He’s my Dad’s age, and in some ways, that’s why I feel connected to him, even though we are generations apart.  He’s a very good writer, and a surprisingly serious guy.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him tell me the story of his life, and how he busted his butt to become successful.  It wasn’t so easy.  He certainly wasn’t an overnight sensation, though he talks about moments in his career that really catapulted him to the next level of fame.  And he gets sad and personal, discussing his difficult relationship with his family, the loneliness of performing out on the road, and the emotional and even physical stress of being famous.  But it’s also very funny at times, as he looks back at the origins of many of his legendary jokes and bits, and highlights some of his hilarious (and sometimes misunderstood) material.

I think anyone that has ever hustled to make it as a performer in show business will be able to relate to Steve Martin’s struggle, and the time and dedication he put in to his craft while he was coming up.  And if you’re not the type of person with stage experience or showbiz dreams, you’ll enjoy listening to one of the most talented and intelligent comedians of our time tell his life story.

Cop it HERE.