.
Demetri Martin (born May 25, 1973) is an American comedian, actor, artist, musician, writer and humorist. Martin is best known for his work as a stand-up comedian, contributor on The Daily Show and for his Comedy Central show Important Things with Demetri Martin.
Early life
Demetri Martin was born to a Greek American family[1] in New York City, New York, and grew up in Toms River, New Jersey. He is the son of Lillian, a nutritionist, and Dean C. Martin, now deceased, a Greek Orthodox priest.[2] Martin graduated from Yale University in 1995. Although he was accepted into Harvard Law School, he went to New York University School of Law after he received a full scholarship.[3] In 1996 Martin interned for the Domestic Policy Council at the Clinton White House,[4] then after completing his second year of law school he dropped out.
Career
In 2001, Martin caught his first big break in stand-up comedy when he appeared on Comedy Central's stand-up showcase Premium Blend. At the 2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe he won the Perrier award with his show If I....[5] The show was turned into a British television special in 2004. From 2003 to 2004, Martin wrote for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[6] In 2004, Martin had his own Comedy Central Presents stand-up special. His special was divided into three parts. In the first, he performed in traditional stand-up comedy fashion. In the second segment, he used humorous drawings as visual aids, which would serve either as the punchline or a background. During the third segment, he played a guitar and put on a pseudo-play where he would strum his guitar while talking; some of his comedian friends dressed as fairies and dragons acted according to the story he was telling, detailing the magical land where his jokes came from. Martin's mother and grandmother also appeared.
Since late 2005, he has been credited as a contributor on The Daily Show, on which he has appeared as the named "Senior Youth Correspondent" and on which he hosts a segment called "Trendspotting". He has used this segment to talk about so-called hip trends among youth such as hookahs, wine, guerilla marketing and Xbox 360. A piece about social networking featured his profile on MySpace.[7] On March 22, 2007, Demetri made another appearance on The Daily Show, talking about the Viacom lawsuit against Google and YouTube.
He has recorded a comedy CD/DVD titled These Are Jokes, which was released on September 26, 2006. This album also features Saturday Night Live member Will Forte and stand-up comedian Leo Allen.
Martin returned to The Daily Show on March 22, 2006, as the new Youth Correspondent, calling his segment "Professional Important News with Demetri Martin". In 2007, he starred in a Fountains of Wayne music video for "Someone to Love" as Seth Shapiro, a character in the song. He also starred in the video for the new Travis single "Selfish Jean", in which he wears multiple t-shirts with lyrics written on them.
On September 2, 2007, Martin appeared on the season finale of the HBO series Flight of the Conchords. He appeared as a keytar player named Demetri.[8]
He also had a part in the movie The Rocker (2008) starring Rainn Wilson. Martin played the part of the videographer when the band in the movie was making their first music video.
In 2009, he hosted and starred in his own television show called Important Things With Demetri Martin on Comedy Central. Later in June, it was announced his show had been renewed for a second season.[9] The second season premiered, again on Comedy Central, on February 4, 2010. Martin has stated that Important Things will not return for a third season.
Prior to completing work on his second season, Martin starred in the comedy-drama film Taking Woodstock (2009), directed by Ang Lee, which premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In the film Martin plays Elliot Tiber, a closeted gay artist who has given up his ambitions in the city to move upstate and help his old-world Jewish family run their Catskill Mountains motel. The film is based on the book written by Tiber.
On April 25, 2011, Martin released his first book, titled This Is a Book.
Future plans
Martin sold his movie concept Will to DreamWorks; he is expected to play a key supporting role.[10] He will play the lead in the film Moon People, a pitch that he sold to Columbia Pictures.
Martin also signed a blind script deal with CBS in October 2010 to produce, write, and star in his own television series.[11]
After CBS was shown the pilot for the series, they decided not to air it.[12]
On August 11, 2011, Fox ordered a presentation of a new animated show they might air.
If I
If I is a Perrier Comedy Award-winning comedy one-man show written and performed by Demetri Martin at the 2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[13] It was also aired on British television as a special. The show is an autobiographical examination of Martin's life, as seen through various definitions of the word "if."
The title of the special comes from a lengthy palindromic poem that Martin wrote; the words "if I" are at the center of the poem.[14]
Comedic style
Martin is known for being an unconventional stand-up comic. He uses extensive wordplay (particularly paraprosdokians), one-liners, and drawings on a "large pad", as well as accompanying his jokes with music on either guitar, harmonica, piano, keyboard, glockenspiel, toy bells, ukulele, or tambourine, sometimes all at once.[15] He has cited comedian Steven Wright as an important influence (both use deadpan one-liners in their acts) and he is also a fan of Bill Cosby.[16]
Personal life
According to a July 2011 interview on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Demetri had a short-lived marriage to a girl he knew from high school. They began dating after high school and got married when he was in NYU Law School and she was attending NYU Medical School. He was aged 25 and in the end of his marriage with Gabrielle Doe when his stand-up career began.[17]
Martin moved to Santa Monica, California in 2009.[18]
Discography
Invite Them Up (2005)
These Are Jokes (2006)
Demetri Martin. Person. (2007)
Filmography and television work
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Analyze That Personal Assistant credited as "Demitri Martin"
2003 If I Himself British television special, also writer
2004 12:21 Himself short film, also writer
2004 Late Night with Conan O'Brien Himself 1 episode, series writer
2007 "Someone to Love" Seth Shapiro Fountains of Wayne music video
2007 Flight of the Conchords Demetri Season 1, Episode 12
2008 The Rocker Kip (a music video producer)
2009 Paper Heart Himself
2009 Post Grad Ad Exec
2009 Moon People lead role and writer
2009 Taking Woodstock Elliot Tiber lead role
2009–2010 Important Things with Demetri Martin Himself / Various lead role, writer, series creator, executive producer, and composer
2011 Take Me Home Tonight Goldman Sachs Employee supporting role
2011 Contagion Dr. David Eisenberg
2011 Conan Himself guest
Written works
This Is a Book, April 2011, ISBN-13: 978-0446539708.
Awards and nominations
Year Award For Category Result Other notes
2003 Perrier Comedy Award If I Won At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2004 Emmy Awards Late Night with Conan O'Brien Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program Nominated Shared with Mike Sweeney (head writer), Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Andy Blitz, Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Allison Silverman, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg
2005 Writers Guild of America Award Late Night with Conan O'Brien Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series Won Shared with Mike Sweeney (head writer), Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Andy Blitz, Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Allison Silverman, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg
2006 Barry Award Dr. Earnest Parrot Presents Demetri Martin Won Award for best show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
References
^ "Demetri Martin: The joker in the pack". The Independent (London). August 17, 2004.
^
"Sepinwall on TV: 'Important Things with Demetri Martin' Interview". TV & Film. New Jersey Entertainment. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
"Article: 'I know men who can far outgeek me'; Demetri Martin is obsessed with word games and maths, and sets himself bizarre challenges. He's also a favourite to win this year's Perrier Award". The Evening Standard. August 21, 2003. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
^ http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_195_-_demetri_martin
^ http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2010/08/demetri_martin_talks_jokes_his.php
^ Martin, Demetri (May 25, 2004). "Diary: A Weeklong Electronic Journal". Slate. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
^ "Demetri Martin Bio". Comedy Central. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
^ "News Team: Demetri Martin". The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Comedy Central. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
^ "The Flight of the Conchords" The Third Conchord (2007) - Full cast and crew
^ Itzkoff, Dave (June 2, 2009). "Another 'Important' Season for Demetri Martin". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
^ Gardner, Chris (March 27, 2006). "'Will' Fills D'Works Bill". Variety. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
^ "Demetri Martin To Star, Write, Produce Own CBS Show". October 19, 2010.
^ "Demetri Martin's CBS Show Not Happening". March 11, 2011.
^ Boztas, Senay (August 24, 2003). "Martin Lands Perrier Award". The Sunday Times (London). Retrieved May 12, 2009.
^ "Festival: It's All Geek to Me". The Sunday Times (London). August 17, 2003.
^ "Comedian Demetri Martin's 'Important' TV Show Fails at Funny". The Daily Texan. February 20, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2010.[dead link]
^ Huang, Keith (May 5, 2005). "Word Games". Gelf. Retrieved February 24, 2007.
^ http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_195_-_demetri_martin
^
The Adam Carolla Show (podcast), 13 April 2011, 20 minute mark
Horn, John (June 21, 2009). "Demetri Martin, star of 'Taking Woodstock'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 April 2011. "Martin, who recently moved from Brooklyn to West Los Angeles"
| Ancient Greece
Science, Technology , Medicine , Warfare, , Biographies , Life , Cities/Places/Maps , Arts , Literature , Philosophy ,Olympics, Mythology , History , Images Medieval Greece / Byzantine Empire Science, Technology, Arts, , Warfare , Literature, Biographies, Icons, History Modern Greece Cities, Islands, Regions, Fauna/Flora ,Biographies , History , Warfare, Science/Technology, Literature, Music , Arts , Film/Actors , Sport , Fashion --- |
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
