Steve Martin isn’t just a comedian; he’s an actor, writer, musician, and all-around creative force. Over the decades, his unique blend of absurdity, intelligence, and heart has shaped modern comedy and inspired countless performers. These 20 quotes from Steve Martin capture his humor, wit, and wisdom, and they’re really just perfect for remembering why we love him.
1. On art
“I’m enamored with the art world. Anytime you look at anything that´s considered artistic, there’s a commercial world around it: the ballet, opera, any kind of music. It can´t exist without it.”
2. On self-care
“I was not self-destructive, though I almost destroyed myself. In the end, I turned away from stand-up with a tired swivel of my head.”
3. On films
“I really like the animated film process. It´s kind of like doing a play, because you can experiment with it, rewrite it, screen it, go back, and then work on it a little bit more. If the joke doesn´t work, you can fix it. It´s different from a live-action movie.”
4. On directors
“People come up to me and say, “Steve, what is film editing?” And I say “How should I know? You´re the director.”
5. On hurt
“So, I can hurt now, or hurt later.”
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6. On rewards
“Tweeting is really only good for one thing – it´s just good for tweeting…It is rewarding, because it´s just its own reward. It´s sort of like heaven.”
7. On family
“I happened to take a photo, and there was my wife, my dog, and my banjo, all in the same shot – and I thought, “Oh, that´s like a family portrait right there.”
8. On journeys
“We´ve taken what was just once a racetrack and made it a multifaceted gaming destination for the entire region.”
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9. On loneliness
“The self-prepared dinner is a great time killer for lonely people, and as much time as possible should be spent on it.”
10. On thoughts
“I´ve run into people in my life who were so dramatic; people who are so extreme and so frustrating to be around that you end up thinking about them and talking about them for literally years after your experience with them is over.”
11. On war
“I ignored my stand-up career for twenty-five years, but now, having finished this memoir, I view this time with surprising warmth. One can have, it turns out, an affection for the war years.”
12. On iconoclasm
“Rebelliousness really is the province of young people-that kind of iconoclasm.”
13. On writing
“I think films are about having a good time, so I don´t know that there´s a message. The message of a film is always what a critic writes, and the fun of a film or the emotion of a film is what the audience feels.”
14. On first times
“It is the perfect wrong time for Jeremy to do to Mirabelle what she had done to him – call him up for a quick fix – because, in a sense, she is now betrothed. Her first date with someone who treated her obligates her to faithfulness, at least until the relationship is explored.”
15. On fame
“I was seeking comic originality, and fame fell on me as a byproduct.”
16. On inspiration
“I´ve always believed that there are funny people everywhere, but they´re just not comedians. In fact, some of my best comedic inspirations were not professional entertainers.”
17. On ideas
“It´s funny that some ideas start with a little “What if” and then suddenly you´re spending a million dollars to shoot the scene and hoping that it works.”
18. On acting
“I just wanted to be in show business. I didn´t care if I was going to be an actor or a magician or what. Comedy was a point of the least resistance, really. And on the simplest level, I loved comedy.”
19. On knowledge
“Knowledge means that without knowledge of ends, it is animal training.”
20. On hurt
“If he thinks he would harm Mirabelle, he would back away. But he does not yet understand when and how people are hurt. He doesn’t understand the subtleties of slights and pains, that it is not the big events that hurt the most, but rather the smallest questionable shift in tone at the end of a spoken word that can plow most deeply into the heart.”
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Steve Martin´s quotes blend playful nonsense with genuine insight. They show us that wit doesn´t have to be cruel, and silliness can reveal deeper truths. Remembering him through these lines isn´t just about nostalgia; it´s about appreciating how humor can uplift, challenge, and inspire. If you loved this content, check out 28 Clever Comebacks We Wish We Had Thought Of, or 20 Clever Comebacks That Left a Dent in History Books.
