You may not know the name, but there's a chance you've met Demetri Martin. He's everywhere. With a shaggy mop, youthful complexion and draped in conservative music geek attire, he's not your typical comedian. Perhaps that's why The Daily Show picked up the bookish, goofy comedian last year to host "Trendspotting," a segment where the younger, cooler Martin exposes older folks to the latest new trends: the hot Xmas gift (from frankincense to Xbox 360), the hookah ("like a candy store on fire") and MySpace (because Friendster "got kinda gay").
A former writer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Martin dropped out of NYU's School of Law to pursue comedy — a move that seems to be paying off for the 33-year-old. Winning comedy awards worldwide and selling a couple of scripts to major studios, Demetri's on a roll in just about every media. He just became the face of Microsoft's Windows Vista campaign (check out www.clearification.com, where an animated and interactive Demetri engages you about his nipples), writing and starring in bizarre short films subliminally associated with the software giant's new operating system. Martin also has a new CD, These Are Jokes, out on Comedy Central's imprint. Mixing his wry, randomly observational stand-up with modest music and endearing guest appearances by his mom and grandma, it's a reliably droll comedy album. Some jokes he tells straight: "I think drowning would be a horrible experience, but I bet a little less horrible if right before that you're really thirsty." Others he puts to music and themes, like sames and opposites: "Earrings are the same as sneezes — two is okay but ten in a row is annoying." And then there's his supporting tour, coming to Toronto and Vancouver (November 4 and 5), where he gives a three-tiered performance — stand-up, music and props. Who knows where, why, what or how, but chances are you'll meet Demetri very soon.
A former writer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Martin dropped out of NYU's School of Law to pursue comedy — a move that seems to be paying off for the 33-year-old. Winning comedy awards worldwide and selling a couple of scripts to major studios, Demetri's on a roll in just about every media. He just became the face of Microsoft's Windows Vista campaign (check out www.clearification.com, where an animated and interactive Demetri engages you about his nipples), writing and starring in bizarre short films subliminally associated with the software giant's new operating system. Martin also has a new CD, These Are Jokes, out on Comedy Central's imprint. Mixing his wry, randomly observational stand-up with modest music and endearing guest appearances by his mom and grandma, it's a reliably droll comedy album. Some jokes he tells straight: "I think drowning would be a horrible experience, but I bet a little less horrible if right before that you're really thirsty." Others he puts to music and themes, like sames and opposites: "Earrings are the same as sneezes — two is okay but ten in a row is annoying." And then there's his supporting tour, coming to Toronto and Vancouver (November 4 and 5), where he gives a three-tiered performance — stand-up, music and props. Who knows where, why, what or how, but chances are you'll meet Demetri very soon.
