With his first big break in 2005 on “Premium Blend,” Demetri Martin and his odd style of humor has been grabbing attention world-wide.

After multiple successful comedic endeavors of a “Comedy Central Presents…” special, a 1-hour special titled “Demetri Martin. Person”, a book called “These are Words” and a TV show called “Important Things With Demetri Martin,” there was much anticipation for his next performance.

So, when word broke of his next show, “Demetri Martin. Stand Up Comedian,” a Q&A was arranged with numerous college newspapers. The following are excerpts.

The Oakland Post:  For fans of your special, ‘These are Jokes’ and fans of your show, what can those fans expect out of your new special?

 

Demetri: My new special is really like most of the things I’ve put out. Based on jokes, a lot of one-liners, I tried to pan it down. So, in the other television specials I did, I had a bunch of friends come onstage, and they were wearing costumes, and things like that. And there was set decoration, you know, like a tree or something. But, this time I tried to really simplify it and just focus mostly on the jokes. So it’s just like a black curtain on a black stage, and I’m up there telling jokes. There are some drawings, and I play guitar a little bit in the last part of the show, but mostly just a big bunch of jokes. Basically. So yeah, it will be what I usually do but I kinda panned it down, and simplified things a little bit.

LaSalle University: I want to know, what do you do to prepare before a show?

Demetri : You mean a show I’m doing on the road, that sort of thing? Well, I don’t do much, but I always try out new material on any show I do, because my jokes are so short, I can just swap out and it works pretty great. When I go on the road, you know I can do the tree each day, or not try depending on time I get. So, there’s a lot of wiggle room within that time to try out things. So what I usually do is go through my notebook and see what new bits I wanna try. And, usually they have a large pad for me backstage, ‘cause I tell my writers, ‘Hey, I need a large pad so I can do the drawings.’ Because it’s kind of cumbersome to travel with. So when I get to the venue, around soundcheck I’ll go in the back and I’ll view all the drawings that I’m going to show on the stage during the show and I usually eat something, lately it’s been a caprese sandwich with mozzarella cheese. Tomato and basil. Then I, you know, I do the show. I don’t have any rituals, other than caring for the stuff that I have to present, and eating. Oh and I kill — I kill a small animal if there’s one nearby. I don’t usually share that with people. You know, I kill it and I feel powerful.