Like many celebrities, comedian Demetri Martin has never been to Madison. Although he is excited to perform his comedy routine in front of a packed house tonight, it’s unlikely he’ll get to experience much of the city.
Martin’s pit stop in Madison marks the 17th stop on his whirlwind “Telling Jokes in Cold Places” tour. Adding to the frenzy of a jam-packed tour, the Barrymore Theatre recently announced Martin will perform not once but twice, taking the stage again at 11 p.m. because the 8 p.m. show sold out so quickly.
“I like doing the shows, but I’ve been to so many cities now and I haven’t seen hardly any of them,” Martin said in a brief phone interview with The Badger Herald.
The shaggy-haired funny man has a track record of comedic success as a writer for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” a contributor on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and as a stand-up comedian. He also had his own television show, which launched in 2009 and ran on Comedy Central for two seasons called “Important Things with Demetri Martin.” Now after a two-year break from television, Martin said he has plenty of new material for his fans.
“I’m a little bit older now and the material is going to reflect two more years of age and wisdom,” Martin said.
Although his upcoming show will feature new material, you can expect the same dry sense of humor and understated delivery style. Martin’s jokes reflect the sharp intellect of a Yale-educated man, incorporating puns, palindromes and unparalleled literalism. For example, when Martin gets animated, he does so by busting out a large drawing pad.
In other words, you won’t see him traipsing across the stage to tell a story, nor will he contort his face or make silly voices to tell a joke. Martin’s jokes speak for themselves. His humor is not the kind that will produce an all-out belly laugh, but it will make you smirk and appreciate his wit.
In addition to having time to craft a whole new set of jokes, Martin used the last two years to do some introspection and expand his comedic repertoire.
“I’ve learned that I like writing a book more than I thought I was going to,” the comedian said, referencing his recent book, titled “This is a Book.” He says it’s the first of three books he’ll write.
“I got a deal years ago to do it and I was too busy. I procrastinated. I put it off. Finally I had to write it and hand it in. Once I finally sat down to write it, I enjoyed it. That was a nice thing to learn,” Martin said.
However, it seems like the tour is wearing on Martin. He somehow managed to squeeze in an interview right after a long conference call and just before the sound check for another show. It could have just been a busy day, but there is more than a hint of tiredness in his voice, suggesting that every day of the last month has been like this.
Despite his apparent fatigue from weeks of unrelenting touring, Martin answers questions candidly and honestly, giving serious thought to each response. He was very laid back and does not use the interview as one last attempt to sell tickets or crack a joke. Rather, he gives an earnest glimpse into the life of a comedian whose fans have demanded a lot from him.
Unlike his audience, which will likely be composed of University of Wisconsin students who spend exorbitant amounts of time creating memes online and finding other ways to avoid studying, Martin quite literally does not have time to waste on the Internet.
“It’s funny. With travel I get to use the Internet less because I wake up early, go to the airport – you have to turn off electronic devices – and land. Then I go to my hotel. I try to get some food or something. Usually I don’t have much time before I have to go the sound check and do the show. Then I go to sleep because I’m tired,” Martin said.
Even if Martin did have more free time, it is clear he would not spend it online. Spare time is mostly for penning jokes, sometimes in a notebook or on a computer and sometimes on a typewriter when he wants to get serious.
Martin admits this without an aura of pretention. For him, the choice to use a typewriter is not a matter of hipness or love for vintage technology, but out of utility. He can type jokes faster than writing them by hand, uninterrupted from the constant e-mails that pop up on his desktop.
When Martin is not writing jokes, he passes the time by reading non-fiction and listening to music. Lately, he has been on a jazz kick, thanks to the Ken Burns documentary of the same title. He is particularly fond of bebop.
While it may not be shocking that a man with an Ivy League education enjoys jazz and reading, he expects his show will have an element of unpredictability. When asked if anything will surprise the audience, he says, “Yeah, I think everything, cuz they’re jokes. Every punch line will be a surprise,” without a trace of sarcasm.
Demetri Martin will perform stand-up at the Barrymore Theatre Friday at both 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tickets for the 11 p.m. performance are $35 and available at www.majesticmadison.com
