A Steve Martin Event That Disappointed the 92nd Street Y – NYTimes.com

by Art Fag City on December 2, 2010 · 5 comments

A Steve Martin Event That Disappointed the 92nd Street Y – NYTimes.com – The 92nd Street Y sent out an apology and refund to audience members because Steve Martin spoke too much about the art world? Even if he's there to speak about his book, it's not like their audience is known for being uninterested in the arts. Something seems fishy here.


Pentagram Ecology: Frieze Art Fair, 2013	This Week’s Must-See Art Events: Carry Us?	Pulse Draws More Visitors

Anonymous

Might have been the same audience that booed Robert Wilson at the Met a few years back: Homo Manhattan Neanderthalensis. On the other hand, not wanting to hear Deborah Solomon is perfectly understandable, but it does seem cruel to Steve. One last quip: sounds like the Y is getting back in the gymnasium business.
http://twitter.com/nevverdaily Peteski

Comedians/Actors know a lot about art … I’m shocked.
Caio Fern

Hilarious
Ehvaporate

Early in Steve Martin’s career he had a stage gag where he had the spotlight operator do the opposite of what he requested, over and over. At first he would act indignant, then irrate and then lose his shit. The audience would not know what to think (paraphrased from a Terry Gross interview). It makes me smile to think that he will benefit from the same schtick, be it on purpose or not. Either way it’s free PR. Oh how we ( art people) love self righteous indignation.
“well excuuuuuse me!”.
Anonymous

This post suggests it had nothing to do with art and everything to do Deborah Solomon’s abominable interviewing style: http://emdashes.com/2010/12/more-on-martin-and-solomon-and.php
I believe it, but the solution would be for 92Y not to invite her, as opposed to trying to micromanage the result.

Intro to The Art World: A Beginners Reading List