In the Company of Matt

Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me opened on Broadway last night and the critics were not quite as enthused as one might hope (if one were Martin Short). Basically, I think it boiled down to Martin's spotlight being stolen by his castmates, the show being a tad too snarky for some tastes and the lampooning nature of the show arriving on the heels of The Drowsy Chaperone, The Producers and Forbidden Broadway. I saw the show on Wednesday, however, and I think it's wonderful that Mr. Short is secure enough in his own talent that he can allow his "Comedy All Stars," as they're billed, to share his spotlight as well. Brooks Ashmanskas, Mary Birdsong and Nicole Parker do some really great work in this auto-lie-ographical show wherein Martin pretends to tell his life story from a vaudevillian point of view. He warns us up front that some (most?) of what we're about to see will be made up. But he pokes fun at one-person shows (notably Elaine Stritch's), unfeeling testimonials and unfunny awards show banter (Jodie Foster to Renee Zellweger: "I won an Academy Award for The Accused and I accuse you of looking beautiful!") along the way.

So the critics I read think this path has been trod before? I would hasten to remind them, if I were to meet them in a dark bar brooding over a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, that ALL shows have been done before. There is not one original idea out there, not one! After Silence of the Lambs was made into a musical for last year's Fringe Festival, I was absolutely positive there was nothing new to be seen - ever. Maybe that's what keeps me from finishing my musical version of Mommie Dearest (with selections like When I Asked You to Call Me That, I Wanted You to Mean it; Do You Think It's Clean and the show-stopping Wire Hanger Ballet)? So what on earth is their problem? This has been done before in Drowsy Chaperone? Um, no. That show was poking fun at 1920s musicals, this one is poking fun at 21st century entertainers. See the difference? Well, you might if you get yourself over to the Bernard B. Jacobs theatre and catch Martin Short and his insanely talented sidekicks in Fame Becomes Me.

Who listens to critics anyway? It's like the time when The Talented Mr. Ripley opened and Jude Law got all the attention Matt was supposed to get. Everyone blathered on and on about how fabulous Jude was and how he stole the movie out from under Matt's gorgeous feet, but I knew that Matt was secure enough in his own abilities that he could allow Jude to shine on his own. Matt's character, Tom Ripley, is fascinated by/obsessed with Dickie (the name Dickie always makes me giggle) Greenleaf, so of course it makes sense for the audience to see Dickie (hee hee) as a wonderfully captivating personality as well. As the lead in the film, Matt also knows when to support his supporting players. Other reviews categorized Matt's Ripley as "ingratiating and needy," "an ex-fratboy who wandered into a party with all the cool kids and desperately wanted to belong" and "Affleck's other half." Well, I never! Actually, I did, but that's another story and I just don't have time for it today. On the other hand, Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Matt had a "fine, tricky mix of obsequiousness and ruthlessness." Since she uses bigger words and doesn't refer to Mr. Affleck (who isn't in this movie, duh!), it's obvious this is the better review. There were those who felt this movie was similar to others that came before, and there were those, as well, who lamented the tone of the piece. All charges leveled at Mr. Short and his new Broadway show.

So you see, Martin, you're in good company. You're in the company of Matt. And whenever we're in the company of Matt, nothing can be as mediocre as it might seem. So crumple up those mediocre reviews and toss them in the garbage. And just go out there on that Bernard B. Jacobs stage and knock 'em dead!