Demetri Martin not only has a unique sense of humor, he also has very unique methods for delivering that humor. I have enjoyed watching some episodes of his show and also enjoyed his collection of drawings in the book Point Your Face at This, but I realize now that I cannot enjoy a steady diet of his writing, due to his vulgarity, innuendos, and shameless carnality. Am I a prude? Sure, why not. Life is too short for locker-room talk (thank you, Mr. Trump), and there are so many more worthwhile books to distract me from life, when necessary.
While I still found many of Martin’s lines poignantly funny—“Nearly ½ of all people in the United States are torsos” (36)—I also quickly realized the emptiness in most of the words he’s written. It’s hard for me to imagine someone giving their lives to selling stupidity, but entire industries are built upon this concept. King Solomon’s cry of “Vanity! Vanity!” kept itching the back of my neck whenever I read a few pages of this book, so I finally just had to drop it. While I’m sure I’ll return some vacation day to books written by comedians (like Jim Gaffigan), I’ll probably avoid any more text-based book by Martin. If he produces another sketch book where it’s easy to flip past the vulgar, perhaps. But for now, and for the sake of morality, I’m done with his writing.
©2016 E.T.
Check Out These Other Books by Comedians:
- Fatherhood by Bill Cosby (1986)
- Why Geese Fly Farther Than Eagles by Bob Stromberg (1992)
- This is a Book by Demetri Martin (2011)
- Point Your Face at This by Demetri Martin (2012)
- Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan (2013)
- Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan (2014)
- I Must Say by Martin Short (2014)
- Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld (2020)