Demetri Martin - Biography

Born:

May 25, 1973

Demetri Martin Overview:

From his appearances on The Daily Show to his popular stand-up specials, Demetri Martin has become the premiere hipster comedian in America. Influenced by comedians like Steven Wright, Steve Martin and Mitch Hedberg, Martin specializes in deadpan one-liners and absurd observations. He often incorporates music (he's a one-man band) into his act, and is possibly best known for using markers and a giant paper tablet to create visual jokes.

He makes sketches, analyzes and rearranges words to create humor.

Quick Demetri Martin Facts:

Demetri Martin was born and raised in New Jersey.
His first time on stage performing stand-up came at age 24.
He released his first stand-up album and DVD, These Are Jokes, in 2006.
His second stand-up special, Demetri Martin: Person, debuted on Comedy Central in 2007.
In 2009, Martin became the star of his own sketch show, Important Things with Demetri Martin, on Comedy Central.
Martin has also worked as a writer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Early Days:

Demetri Martin was born in Toms River, New Jersey in May of 1973. By the seventh grade, he had decided what he wanted to do for the rest of his life: practice law. He attended Yale University and NYU Law School on a full scholarship, but quickly became bored and restless with law school. He dropped out at the end of his second year of law school to pursue a career in comedy.

Odd Jobs and Open Mics:

While trying to get a career in stand-up going by performing at comedy clubs and open mics around New York, Martin worked a series of odd jobs -- one of which was as an intern at Comedy Central's The Daily Show when it was still hosted by Craig Kilborn.

In 2001, Martin taped an appearance on the Comedy Central stand-up showcase Premium Blend and began to gain some recognition as a comedian.

Jobs on Television:

In 2003, Martin became a staff writer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, where he worked for a year and was nominated for an Emmy Award.

In 2005, Martin returned to The Daily Show (where he once worked as an intern), now hosted by Jon Stewart. Acting as a correspondent, Martin taped segments and showcased his visual approach to comedy.

Demetri Martin Stand-up Albums and Specials:

With visibility high from his appearances on The Daily Show, Martin was gaining a huge cult following among young people and the college crowd. In 2006, he recorded his first stand-up album and DVD, These Are Jokes.

In 2007, Martin taped his second stand-up special, Demetri Martin: Person, for Comedy Central.

Martin got his own show on Comedy Central, Important Things with Demetri Martin, which premiered in 2009. It combined brief stand-up segments with sketch comedy.

Also in 2009, Martin was cast as the lead in the feature film Taking Woodstock for director Ang Lee.

Additional Demetri Martin Facts: