# Martin Mull has passed at 80 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [June 29, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465 "2024-06-29T00:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/1 "2024-06-29T00:49:17Z")
He was an absolute genius > **[Martin Mull, Funnyman and ‘Fernwood 2 Night’ Star, Dies at 80](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/martin-mull-dead-funnyman-fernwood-2-night-star-1235935445/)** > > He made you laugh in 'Clue,' 'Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,' 'Roseanne' and 'Arrested Development' and with songs like "Ventriloquist Love." ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/2 "2024-06-29T00:52:37Z")
Oh my gosh, Martin Mull is one of the most understated funny people I’ve ever seen on TV. The only person I can think of off the top of my head who is funnier without seeming to try at all would be Bob Newhart. He is indeed a legend. I didn’t realize he was so old, I hadn’t seen him in so long. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/3 "2024-06-29T00:55:18Z")
His “Dueling Tubas,” a parody of “Dueling Banjos,” is a classic. He was a very funny and somewhat underappreciated man. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/4 "2024-06-29T01:02:28Z")
He was usually the Center Square on Tom Bergeron’s iteration of _ **Hollywood Squares** _, and had the best jokes and adlibs on the show. RIP, Martin. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/5 "2024-06-29T01:23:15Z")
Yeah, totally underrated because everything he did was funny and original. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/6 "2024-06-29T01:25:19Z")
A chandelier fell on him? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/7 "2024-06-29T01:32:36Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > His “Dueling Tubas,” a parody of “Dueling Banjos,” is a classic. He was a very funny and somewhat underappreciated man. Let us bow our heads in silence. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ojqrd7FeXmg/hqdefault.jpg "Dueling Tubas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojqrd7FeXmg&t=28) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/8 "2024-06-29T01:34:07Z")
Was it Martin Mull? Or was it… Gene Parmesan, Private Detective! ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/9 "2024-06-29T01:45:20Z")
Awww! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XsmyIzmpiPk/hqdefault.jpg "Martin Mull - Humming Song (Very Funny)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsmyIzmpiPk) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/10 "2024-06-29T01:58:04Z")
Ah, no. I’m sad. When I was a kid, I’d buy comedy albums at our local record store, really just randomly, so Redd Foxx, David Frye, Monty Python, and yes, Martin Mull; I loved “Martin Mull & His Fabulous Furniture In Your Living Room”, and as a teenager could have recited all of it. I also stayed up late to watch Mary Hartman x 2 and the two Fernwood shows. Just so sly and funny, that man. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/11 "2024-06-29T02:02:04Z")
I never would have known about Ferwood 2 Nite if it hand’t been for Nick at Night. He was pretty good in everything I ever saw him in. Mull had a good run, but I’m still going to miss him. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/12 "2024-06-29T02:20:43Z")
This news reminds me of, and hits me almost as hard as, hearing of Robin Williams’ death. The best humor is rooted in a great sense of humanity. RIP Martin Mull ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/13 "2024-06-29T02:43:54Z")
Colonel Mustard has joined Mrs. White and Mrs. Peacock. We’re down to only half of the players remaining: Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, and Mr. Green. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/14 "2024-06-29T02:58:16Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > A chandelier fell on him? Near him. He said he couldn’t take any more scares! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/15 "2024-06-29T03:20:52Z")
Fun fact about Martin Mull. I remember this one from Letterman appearance: Each year for quite awhile, he kicked field goal on his birthday from the yardage that equaled his age. I believe, this may be crazy, but I believe he told Dave he just kicked his 50th from the 50 yard line. Obviously 30 years ago. Anyone else remember him saying this? ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/16 "2024-06-29T03:32:41Z")
One of my favorites from the Dr. Demento radio show: [“Men” (starts about 2:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WUCM4Au174&ab_channel=MartinMull-Topic) RIP, Colonel Mustard. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/17 "2024-06-29T12:11:31Z")
I came across his albums when they were first released. He was one of the greats of humorous music. _Live in your Living Room_ had both funny songs and very funny intros to them and _Normal_ showed how good he could be without a laugh track. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/18 "2024-06-29T12:15:40Z")
He was also perfectly cast, and did a fantastic job, as the pharmacist on “Two and a Half Men.” RIP, Martin. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/19 "2024-06-29T13:21:19Z")
I’ll always remember his definitive [history of White people in America.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_White_People_in_America) (available on Youtube) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465/20 "2024-06-29T14:48:04Z")
He did a great special in 1979. Lots of nice songs, commercial parodies, etc. Some clips are on YouTube. My favorite is the [song](https://youtu.be/soboYiV0wKg?t=299) where he hums the dirty parts so as not to offend. He’s called out in the New Riders of The Purple Sage’s _Lonesome L.A. Cowboy_: “I know Chris and Rita, and Marty Mull are meeting at the Troubadour …” Because he was cool. " Yeah, you gonna make it all 220?" [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-mull-has-passed-at-80/1003465.md?page=2)