I just reread Steve Martin’s memoir Born Standing Up, about his years doing standup in the 70s and 80s. Lately, digging into show biz tales of “hittin’ the big time” have been a life raft. When I was a kid I loved the very Shakespearean idea of the “play within the play.” I rewatched Singin’ in the Rain, after a few years away from it and was so touched by how beautiful Technicolor is, how beautifully Gene Kelly could dance, and the romance of old Hollywood glitz and glam that feels both so near and far here.
Since moving to LA, everything in the world feels like it’s about LA. Every song, every movie, everything that I’ve ever consumed that was made after 1920– somehow traces back to some aspect of Los Angeles. Everyone who lives in Los Angeles also thinks everything is about Los Angeles. And you don’t believe it until you live here, and then you believe it too. Steve Martin got his start doing stand-up in the suburbs of LA, and then eventually at the Troubador on Santa Monica Boulevard. In my favorite anecdote from the book, he read a hateful review that described his comedy as “completely forgettable.” The following night, on stage at the Troubador, he read the review out loud and proceeded to peel five bananas and squeeze them into pulp with his bare hands while a confused audience looked on. The comedy business feels just as impractical as the music business… even though I had the lightbulb moment a few months ago that I “just love show biz” it’s a delicate line to walk… Anyways. Here’s a clip from Singin’ In the Rain of “Would You” another rare and perfect song. I hope your week has been filled with ease.
(For the true nerds, I was intrigued to learn that this particular song was overdubbed, three times, by three different actresses, which is ironic given the actual plot of the movie. It never is what you think it is.)