# WTF happened to Steve Martin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284 "2003-12-16T07:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/1 "2003-12-16T07:58:19Z")
I used to love Steve Martin. His stand up was hilarious and _The Jerk_ remains one of my favorite movies ever, and I love many of his other roles (_The Man with Two Brains The Lonely Guy; All of Me; Little Shop of Horrors; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; My Blue Heaven; L.A. Story; The Spanish Prisoner; Bowfinger_). Now I see these promos for this wretched piece of tripe _Cheaper by the Dozen_. It’s such a disappointment. Was it _Father of the Bride_ when he began to lose his grip? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/2 "2003-12-16T08:14:24Z")
Screw the movies. Check out his writing. I liked _Bowfinger_, and he wrote the script for that. He’s written a two novellas and some plays of various lengths and I think are BRILLIANT. Very intellectual and funny - not _Jerk_-type stuff at all - and weird. I’ve heard that a few of them (the novella Shopgirl and the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, which I love) are going to be movies. I wonder if he’s not working more, in bad movies, just to get some money to help make those movies happen. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/3 "2003-12-16T08:17:29Z")
I love Steve Martin to, but he’s never been consistant. In your OP, you mention Bowfinger and The Spanish Prisoners as films you like, but they came after the two Father of the Bride movies. He’s done sever movies I havn’t cared for (Pennies from Heaven, & The Three Amigos to name a couple) but he always seems to come back with a great film. While most of the average white guy/father/husband characters he plays I don’t really enjoy, I really liked Parenthood. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/4 "2003-12-16T08:25:12Z")
Don’t forget _Pure Drivel_, his collection of humourous essays. I absolutely cannot ever read it in public. I laugh so much, people think I’m crazy. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/5 "2003-12-16T08:29:00Z")
When I went to Las Vegas on my Honeymoon, they were showing his personal art collection at the Bellagio. He did the tour via headsets. As I moved from painting to painting and listened to his commentary I was…well, I shouldn’t have been shocked. I never had any reason to doubt he wasn’t an intelligent, insightful person, but I can honestly say that that was the highlight of my trip (other than, you know, the actual honeymoon part). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/6 "2003-12-16T08:41:40Z")
Right, _Pure Drivel_ (a collection of mostly New Yorker essays) is quite funny as well. I’ve seen a little of his standup, very funny. He’s been great on SNL historically. Really early in his career, he did a short film - it’s all of seven minutes long - called _The Absent-Minded Waiter_. I laughed harder at that than I have at many full-length movies. After reading most of what he’s written in the last few years, I wonder if movies were never really his ideal medium… he could have a really good ‘second career’ as a writer. ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/7 "2003-12-16T08:57:31Z")
Good points, **Marley23**. A similar m.o. used by Ida Lupino and John Cassavetes. Regarding _The Jerk_, I like to think of it as highbrow/lowbrow - intellectual though it doesn’t appear to be. I must confess to ignorance of _Pure Drivel_. I will look for it. Thank you, **Kung Fu Lola**. And **Odinoneeye** , if you look at his film work in the 80’s, there was much more consistency in the quality of the roles he was taking. It simply seems to me that after _FotB_ there was a change. ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/8 "2003-12-16T09:02:06Z")
Regarding _Bowfinger_, btw, isn’t it true that Heather Graham’s character is based on Anne Heche? ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/9 "2003-12-16T13:08:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kung fu lola \* > \*\*Don’t forget _Pure Drivel_, his collection of humourous essays. I absolutely cannot ever read it in public. I laugh so much, people think I’m crazy. \*\* Same here. His _New Yorker_ pieces are pure bliss. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/10 "2003-12-16T13:11:24Z")
I had heard the Heather Graham character in Bowfinger was based on Sharon Stone, I think it’s a case of “fill in the actress you don’t like” here… ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/11 "2003-12-16T13:29:36Z")
In the recent Loony Toons movie, Steve Martin seemed to be channelling Martin Short. Seeing as I cannot stand Martin Short, the performance was one of the weakest points of the movie, which was otherwise reasonably enjoyable… ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/12 "2003-12-16T13:51:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jehovah68 \* > \*\*It simply seems to me that after _FotB_ there was a change. \*\* POST FotB I&II Sgt. Bilko- not so good Spanish Prisoner- FUCKING AWESOME! Out of Towners- Fair Bowfinger- FUCKING AWESOME! Joe Gould’s Secret- small role but he still gets credit for participating in a film that was FUCKING AWESOME! Novocaine- FUCKING AWESOME! Bringing Down the House- crap Cheaper By the Dozen- not looking forward to it Next Up: Shopgirl- not done yet but it’s another one that he wrote (I didn’t read it) looks FUCKING PROMISING! **jehovah68** , with all due respect, I believe the burden of proof falls on you. He’s still doing o.k. in my book. . ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/13 "2003-12-16T13:57:02Z")
It’s been interesting that he’s been sort of carving out that old ‘Spencer Tracey’ space for himself as the somewhat bemused father figure. That and doing several remakes. Like Ben Affleck said, “One safe movie…one art movie. Then there are the movies you do because you owe the director a favor.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/14 "2003-12-16T14:30:49Z")
Actually, I never found him to be that entertaining. I found his humor to be obvious and juvenile, and his acting to be over the top (not unlike Jim Carrey.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/15 "2003-12-16T14:38:45Z")
Chalk me up as someone who simply cannot understand why anyone likes “The Spanish Prisoner.” Martin is fine in it, but the pacing is bad, it’s all plot and no story, and it’s marred by some pretty terrible acting outside of Martin, most notably Rebecca Pidgeon, who is the worst actress to appear in actual Hollywood films in the last fifty years. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/16 "2003-12-16T14:52:49Z")
This guy can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. He’s funny, smart, handsome, and he can dance his socks off! I’m glad he’s branched out and explored his other interests. He’s the cat’s meow! ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/17 "2003-12-16T14:54:22Z")
I thought Shopgirl was _ok_, but not great. I loved Cruel Shoes, though. Too bad it’s out of print. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/18 "2003-12-16T14:55:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Like Ben Affleck said, “One safe movie…one art movie. Then there are the movies you do because you owe the director a favor.” \*\* While understanding completely why such a mindset exists, I do loathe it objectively. You should be doing a movie because you think it is a worthwhile piece of cinema, not because its got a bunch of big names in it so its sure to gross a couple hundred million. Of course I’m not making my living off films, either. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/19 "2003-12-16T14:55:31Z")
pepperlandgirl- I saw that exhibit! It was great! and I loved his audio tour! (My brother didn’t know the level of Steve’s education & intellectual depth till then). RE Heather Graham in BOWFINGER- her character was a slam at Anne Heche, who had once been his girlfriend ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284/20 "2003-12-16T15:02:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Chalk me up as someone who simply cannot understand why anyone likes “The Spanish Prisoner.” Martin is fine in it, but the pacing is bad, it’s all plot and no story, and it’s marred by some pretty terrible acting outside of Martin, most notably Rebecca Pidgeon, who is the worst actress to appear in actual Hollywood films in the last fifty years. I liked the movie a little better, but I agree that Rebecca Pidgeon is kind of annoying, and she seems to have exactly one facial expression for all occasions. The fact that she’s married to David Mamet may have something to do with her appearance in his movies. Check out Steve Martin in _Leap of Faith_, a little-seen movie about a Peter Popof-type evangelist/con artist. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-happened-to-steve-martin/219284.md?page=2)