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1-Page Summary of Born Standing Up

Overall Summary

Steve Martin, in his memoir, Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life (2007), looks back on his early life and how the experiences he had affected him later. For example, he talks about working at Disneyland as a teen and being an actor. He also discusses how those experiences influenced his comedy career and personal life. The book became popular because of Martin’s popularity as an actor when it was released.

Martin starts his memoir with an ambivalent reflection on his childhood. He says that he felt like he was disliked by his father and that it seemed to get worse as he got older. Martin’s father had a hard time in real estate, the family didn’t have much money, and Martin’s father wanted him to be a comedian but Martin wasn’t interested. His mother would often whisper things under her breath when she was scared of getting hit by her husband or if she thought her husband could hear what she said. She told Martin not to repeat anything she said because their dad might get mad at them for repeating it even though they were just trying to help.

In the latter years of Martin’s childhood, he and his father rarely spoke to each other. He avoided most social engagements with him as well. Later on in the memoir, Martin recalls how they reconnected when they were adults, though it was difficult for them to overcome their past issues.

After high school, he worked at two theme parks in Southern California: Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. He sold magazines for two cents each at Disneyland, which was depressing to him because the pay was so low. However, this experience motivated him to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. At first his audiences were small and he performed often without much success, but eventually he gained fame after working hard on his routine for many years. In 1981, he decided to retire from stand-up comedy because it had gone as far as it could go for him; however, during those last four years of his career when he enjoyed fame and fortune (and became wealthy), Martin remained philosophical about the work of comedians like himself who are popular culture icons that become irrelevant almost instantly upon their exposure to the public.

Martin dedicated the next years to his fledgling acting roles, and was hugely successful. He recalls shifts in the film industry’s motivations and goals as well as changes in American society. These factors ultimately changed what Americans were interested in. Martin acknowledges that comedy that is funny today would be considered corny or obsolete back then.

Martin’s memoir, in which he describes himself as someone who uses his sensitivity and ability to express himself to make sense of misfortunes and confusion, suggests that his artistic work has helped him transcend the taxing everyday world.