Steve Martin draws 18,000
by Robert Ward, The Knickerbocker News, August 5, 1979
“Well, hi gas wasters!”
Steve Martin’s opening line to a Saratoga Performing Arts Center crowd Sunday was his typical unexpected, irreverent humor. It drew hearty applause.
“For that welcome, I’ve decided to give the greatest performance of my life,” he continued before adding, “On second thought, I’ll just do a regular show. Why get excited?”
Martin, who might best be described as a one-man “Laugh-In,” used a lot of “regular” material and some new routines before a total crowd of about 18,000 at afternoon and evening shows.
Although the well-known lines like “Well, excu-u-u-se me!” drew the most laughter, the comedian seemed in best form when performing his trademark visual jokes – despite the apparent difficulty of playing them for the audience on SPAC’s crowded lawn.
For example, Martin drew loud laughs as he juggled two oranges in one hand, pretending to perform complicated maneuvers as he waved around a third orange that never left his other hand.
Both the new and old material – including his hit, “King Tut,” for an encore – drew enthusiastic and sometimes raucous applause. But the act seemed just a little tired at times – perhaps a sign that a one-man “Laugh-In” act is as hard to sustain as the TV show, which was canceled after several seasons.
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