born standing up

I have heard it said that a complicated childhood can lead to a life in the arts.
- Steve Martin, Born Standing Up

I am reading Steve Martin's memoir and am enjoying it very much. Strangely, yet comfortingly, I have felt a kinship with Martin, reading about his strained relationship with his father and reflecting on my own complicated relationship with my family. Now, when I wonder why I feel like I need to "express" myself, this sentence just seems to sum it up. It's also a confirmation of what I have always dreaded, yet have resigned to believing is responsible for much of my creativity. "A-ha."

It's interesting to see that Martin was just a regular, not particularly talented guy who, like many of us, was trying to find his way, his own happiness, as he delved into the things that interested him as a boy --magic, then later comedy; and developing into the famously funny Steve Martin we know today. It seemed so easy for him to step into his destiny, while my path has seemed so arduous -- but maybe 30 years from now, if I were to look at where I am today, my path would appear just as crystal clear as Martin's journey.


In the book, Martin refers to many of his favorite entertainers, including Richard Pryor. As a kid, I had heard my dad speaking of liking Richard Pryor. I always remembered Richard Pryor as the goofy scared guy carried by Superman. It was not until I got much older that I learned that that innocent looking man was a cocaine addict, used profanity in his stand-up routines, openly talked about race and other taboo topics in America, and was a troubled soul who frankly used the transgressions against him and by him, as comic material. I also heard that he was a comic genius.

Realizing that I have never been graced with Pryor's genius, I recently checked out some of his acts on YouTube. Wow. Rarely have I seen a performer with the absolute surrender that Pryor displays. And he's just friggin' good. It's like an experience. And I'm also intrigued by his evolution starting with his cleaner, squeakier days, like on the Ed Sullivan show. Enjoy them for yourself.