Sunday, January 5, 2014

What does your blog host have in common with Gandhi, Hitler & Nixon?

I apologize in advance for yet another blog regarding my Personal Letter from Steve Martin, but I just can't get over the fact that something I kept in my sock drawer for 30 years just continues to circumnavigate the globe. (just google search "Personal Letter from Steve Martin" and you'll see what I mean)

I'm not sure why the UK's Daily Mail features my letter THIRD behind a letter from some fella name Gandhi to Hitler (I rate behind Hitler?), or a letter from an 8-year-old boy to President Nixon urging him to eat his vegetables (wait, I rate behind Nixon too?), but I do like the accolades underneath THE LETTER..

This letter from Hollywood star Steve Martin was sent to 17-year-old fan Jerry Carlson in 1979 and in just a few lines shows why he's such a popular comedy actor.

I'm blushing! For a publication as reputable as the Daily Mail to call me "a popular comedy actor"... REALLY? Ya think? I mean, I do try very hard on this blog to entertain and amuse... Thank you for those kind words. You're almost forgiven for placing me third.That Martin fella is pretty good too.



Per the Letters of Note website, the book by the same name has been completed and the promotional tour across the pond is apparently responsible for the explosion of recent links and stories.
the US edition will not be published until May 6th, 2014, but you can pre-order here.

I'm just hoping that my Personal Letter From "a teenage boy named Jerry" to Steve Martin is added to the list of prominent historical letters in time for the U.S. edition.

5 comments:

  1. I don't know how to break this to you...
    By the way, Steve Martin comments on and links to my blog.
    He blogs at: http://theoldadam.com/
    it surprised me, too.

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  2. Such a personal, warm letter demands to be included. I'm sure it was just a small oversight and they'll correct their mistake immediately.

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  3. Ed, you crack me UP!

    DaBlade (Jerry!?)...you do, too.

    By the way, I met your hero.

    I was at a Comedy Club on Santa Monica Blvd. about 30 years ago! He did his act, including taking all of the audience out ONTO Santa Monica Blvd, for some reason...it was funny, but I've forgotten WHY.
    We went back in, all sat down again, and the show ended.

    I was with a girlfriend named Janice WInogradsky. VERY VERY pretty girl...suddenly some guy approached her and said "Mr. Martin would like you to come upstairs"....she didn't want to GO! I had to nearly PUSH her up the stairs and promised I would go with her... and I did.

    We ended up in a smallish room in which Jimmy Walker (ya, that one) and Steve Martin were...Martin was LITERALLY deflated (not to pun on the balloon shtick he'd just included in his frenetic act!). He was sitting like an empty shell in a chair in a corner and looked up at us and asked Janice out :-)

    She said "no" and we both left after a very short conversation.

    I was struck with two things:
    1. How completely dull and quiet he was upstairs in contrast to the show personna

    2. How weird to get girls from an audience.

    kinda fun; thanks for the reminder!

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  4. @Z: He was too intimidated by your beauty, so he went after your friend to get close to you.
    We guys do that all the time.

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  5. Ed, you're killing me! Let me know if Navin Johnson ever shows up at your place.

    Z, I loved that story, or as Jimmy Walker would say, "Dynomite!" How interesting that Steve was so spent exhausted and mellow after his performance. HEY that's how I get after I blog! We leave it all out on the field of play :) I agree with Ed that Steve was really after you and you shooting him down is probably why he gave up stand up. Thanks for stopping by!

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