Combining music, artwork and apathy into his act, Martin will perform Wednesday in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center at 8 p.m. Presented by University Union Performing Arts and the SU Panhellenic Council, the event is available to all Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, faculty and staff. Tickets cost $5 and were available at the Schine Box Office until the event sold out last Thursday. 

 

‘He’s very relatable, quirky and a lot of kids know him, so we knew he would be a perfect fit in our performing arts series,’ said Amanda Shaw, co-director of University Union Concerts with Jamie Berman. They are responsible for bringing high-profile comedians, speakers and other special events to campus. Shaw, a senior child and family studies major, and Berman, a senior public relations major, said they are thrilled to deliver such a recognizable name to the Syracuse spotlight.

 

Known for his Comedy Central stand-up specials, a starring role in his own Comedy Central show, ‘Important Things with Demetri Martin,’ and his frequent contributions to ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ in the segment ‘Trendspotting,’ Martin is no stranger to the college audience. 

 

‘I watched his show on Comedy Central and thought it was hilarious,’ said Greg Boilard, a sophomore communications and rhetorical studies major. ‘He’s really different compared to other comedians.’

 

And if different refers to musical medleys, meandering stories and markedly unmathematical graphs, Martin fits the description perfectly. Generally armed with a guitar, harmonica or keyboard, he delivers jokes in a casual, almost bored manner. Martin’s onstage antics revolve around sketching on a large pad of paper, a staple that has developed into a trademark for the comedian. His drawings range from plays on words, of which palindromes rank among his favorites, to self-deprecating cartoons and societal mockeries.   

 

‘We’re responsible for providing the technical requirements needed for the show,’ said Berman. ‘Usually, they’re things like pianos or specific types of microphones, but in this case it was a giant pad of paper.’

 

Andrew Chernoff, a senior broadcast and digital journalism and political science major, is one of the students looking forward to the show.

 

 ‘We’re all college students, and we watch Comedy Central all of the time,’ he said. ‘It’s cool to see a big name come to the Hill, following in the footsteps of Daniel Tosh.’

 

Shaw and Berman said Martin was looking to do a fall tour and is conveniently stopping at Syracuse a few months after the release of his book, appropriate titled ‘This Is a Book’ His first venture into the literary realm hit shelves April 25 and contains 288 pages of essays, illogical charts and silly scribbles. 

 

Shaw hopes that his performance, in the midst of midterms, will help alleviate some of the stress on students’ shoulders and make them laugh.   

 

‘College is difficult — we get that,’ said Shaw. ‘Everyone works really hard to get here and stay here, and it’s our job to provide them with entertainment. We want them to laugh.’

 

admuller@syr.edu