Sterling Terrell

recovering economist

Martin Mull

Martin Mull

Of course, you and I probably know of Martin Mull via his roles in the film Clue and the show Rosanne.

Funny how many people that do X in Hollywood started out doing Y…

I alternated obscure appearances across America with higher-profile opening-act jobs at the Boarding House in San Francisco, the Troubadour in Los Angeles, and the Great Southeast Music Hall in Atlanta, where I first performed with the singer/ comedian Martin Mull. Martin’s wit was Sahara-dry; he performed onstage sitting on living room furniture and sang his own comic songs, with titles like “Noses Run in My Family,” “I’m Everyone I Ever Loved,” “( How Could I Not Miss) A Girl Your Size,” and “Jesus Christ, Football Star.”

-Steve Martin, Born Standing Up (Amazon)

Oblique Humor Is Better Than Anonymity

Oblique Humor Is Better Than Anonymity

I am sorry, but if Elvis stopped backstage at my comedy show.

Elvis stopped backstage: And spoke to me?!

Even if he said I had an “oblique sense of humor,” I think my response would be something like:

So you’ve heard of me?! I knew it!

(And of course, Martin has oblique humor.)

This is all true for writers too, of course.

“I hate what you write.” is 1,000x better than “I have never heard of you.”

One night, from my dressing room, I saw a vision in white gliding down the hall—a tall, striking woman, moving like an apparition along the backstage corridor. It turned out to be Priscilla Presley, coming to visit Ann-Margret backstage after having seen the show. When she turned the corner, she revealed an even more indelible presence walking behind her. Elvis. Dressed in white. Jet-black hair. A diamond-studded buckle. When Priscilla revealed Elvis to me, I was also revealed to Elvis. I’m sure he noticed that this twenty-five-year-old stick figure was frozen firmly to the ground. About to pass me by, Elvis stopped, looked at me, and said in his beautiful Mississippi drawl: “Son, you have an ob-leek sense of humor.”

-Steve Martin, Born Standing Up (Amazon)

Sterling Terrell