Demetri Martin, Stand-Up Guy

Nicole Savini

Demetri Martin

The Comedy of Demetri Martin

 Live at the Bowery Ballrom

 From Martin's BBC film 12:21

Demetri Martin, 31, is at the forefront of a new breed of young comics who get laughs with acerbic, relaxed observational humor. He's been called the "voice of Generation Y" and his writing and stand-up work have started to earn him critical praise -- and several significant paydays.

NPR's Jesse Baker spoke to the New York-based comic about his work as a writer for NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien and his numerous side projects.

A graduate of Yale, Martin dropped out of law school six years ago to take up comedy full time. Armed with only his acoustic guitar and a "to do" list of material, he began to test out his jokes on New York City club audiences.

Martin now spends 60 hours a week writing for O'Brien and he's midway through a screenplay for comedy film guru Ivan Reitman of Animal House fame.

The comic is also working on a one-man show for this year's Edinburgh Fringe festival in Scotland. Last year he won the festival's prestigious Perrier Comedy Writing Award.