Demetri Martin Quotes

Ever since I was a little kid, whenever my parents would have company over, I would put on shows, whether they would be magic shows, singing shows, dancing shows, little skits.

Stand-up comedy is something that you have to strive to do, multiple times a night, every night, to be good.

I just try to do things on stage that I think the audience would enjoy. And I try to draw on and add to acts that I've enjoyed watching.

Being performers, that's what we do: We put on shows and want people to watch.

I would just stand there puzzled, then realize this would be a great place to make a show.

Every comic is really a frustrated rock star.

A live performance is the same no matter what genre it is. Wrestling, rock 'n roll, hosting, acting - it's the same thing.

I will always do stand-up, even if my acting career takes off. Stand-up is my life.

Stand-up keeps you alive. It is definitely the most specialized field in comedy because you need to stay sharp and well-tuned every night.

Once I started doing stand-up, everything fell into place. That was when I started acting more; I felt like I'd found my place in the business.

I didn't learn fire-eating to conquer my fears. I learned fire-eating because I desperately wanted to be in show business.

I was a failed actor but I still wanted to show off, so I ended up doing live comedy.

I always want to go back and do stand-up; I like the freedom.

I grew up with music hall and revue and was used to filling in the little gaps here and there to get bigger audience reaction.

I've always wanted to do a segment on a talk show. Jay Leno has been such a good friend, and if he would allow me, I'd have to get it all together, but I'd like to go on 'The Tonight Show' and do a set with no props. Or come out with a trunk and never touch it. Or come out with a clear trunk with nothing in it.

Being a dancer and a singer gave me some advantage with regards to having a stage presence. I always take my timing from the audience because they are half of my act.

When I use music on stage, the prime directive is to entertain the public, so it is different.

I realize as I get older that stand-up is a huge part of who I am. I think I'll do it for the rest of my life.

The only way to stay sharp is to do live shows. There is no part-time comedy.

I definitely love performing live because there are moments of spontaneity. And as much as you're performing on stage, I feel like the audience is performing, too.

I think I probably would have gone into stand-up.

The beauty of making theater is that you have to go and do it the next day. Making a show nightly is a really difficult skill. It's something every theater actor and every theater maker is challenged with.

I like stand-up. I've done it since I was a teenager, so it's kind of my first job and first kind of creative way to express myself.

I've been performing stand-up comedy for ten years, it's what I love and will always do.

There's nothing like the spontaneity of making something work on stage.