From the archives: Steve Martin's love of art

Steve Martin is not just a talented comedian and Hollywood movie star; the actor also collects art, which he writes about in his novel, "An Object of Beauty," a story of ambition and deceit in the New York art scene. Rita Braver reports. (This story was originally broadcast December 5, 2010.)
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[@maureen669]

Martin Short says when he first met Steve and was surprised by his home filled with art he said "I didn't think you were doing that well." 😃

[@jazziered142]

He is a national treasure, and I've loved him all my life.

[@charlenemack7040]

I’ve loved him even before I was born.

[@robertcuratolo5339]

☺ I thought he looked younger. {2010}

[@corruptduboiscountyindiana5058]

at least thats what steve says

[@christophermorgan3261]

When I was a student Steve came to my campus, he was doing a lot of barn storming at that time. He took about thirty students across the street to a Macdonalds and ordered one french fry, it was hilarious!

[@Yotrek]

Martin short: “I couldn't believe how great and beautiful his house was, a Picasso here and a Bacon there. And I said to Steve: "How did you get this rich, because I have seen your work?"

[@MarCapa-ed5uv]

😂

[@geraldfrank1630]

Very intelligent man. 👌🙏👏👏

[@kerryrobinson9947]

He is one hell of a banjo player. 🪕😊

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Both Scruggs (Johnny Whiznant the true originator of the style, not Scruggs) and clawhammer.

[@catherinebrown9119]

I have had a crush on Steve Martin forever! So talented and adorable.

[@elenbrandt290]

"An Object of Beauty" is a marvelous book - beautifully written.

[@petemavus2948]

I just may order it, I bet it is very good.

[@steveconn]

Steve is a renaissance man. One of his great plays is Picasso at The L'apin Agile.

[@cindyoverall8139]

Renaissance and Picasso should not be in the same sentence.

[@Brian-uy2tj]

I really enjoyed his movie "Shop Girl" I'm almost jealous of his Edward Hopper painting. Hopper is one of the great American painters.

[@gardensofthegods]

There are some wonderful documentaries here about Edward Hopper .

[@charlie-obrien]

There is no "almost jealous" for me. Steve has a great appreciation for the finest works. And that Art curator was correct. Most of Hopper's work is an enigma, painted to evoke an uneasiness and empty feeling.

[@Brian-uy2tj]

@@charlie-obrien

[@charlie-obrien]

@@Brian-uy2tj Well glad to hear your interpretation. That's what good art is all about. Are you familiar with the concept of "MA"? I think Hopper used a fair amount of that as inspiration.

[@Brian-uy2tj]

@@charlie-obrien

[@Cothteh]

When I was in college in Oregon one of my friends was an amazing artist from Hawaii. Once she went back to Hawaii for a few months and left her paintings with me. I hung them up all over my apartment and felt like I was living in an art gallery. Was wonderful.

[@user-yt3so4pk7u]

I love Steve Martin. I ordered the book today.

[@user-fl2nc8ho4j]

He is an inspiration..

[@karenkaplan8391]

Saw Steve in a very very small venue in Atlanta 50+ yrs ago when my x-husband was in pre-doctoral program @ Georgia Tech. He was an amazing young talent then and mesmerizing. I am now an artist and can appreciate his talents and outlook even more. Bravo Steve 👏🙌👏 Love You Big 😍

[@jeffhildreth9244]

"He was an amazing young talent then and mesmerizing." Who Steve Martin or your ex?

[@rosecostanzo341]

Steve you are a diamond with multi facets.you have entertained us for years. You love art and I think u appreciate really good art .An author You wrote a book about art. But Your banjo playing is phenomenal. Congrats on the grammy.

[@TheKing75691]

He looks real good for 80

[@DDumbrille]

That's because this interview was taped when he was 64 in 2010.

[@sunshine3914]

Was gonna say, he looks good for 60.

[@donaldwebb]

He's now 90

[@MelissaHash]

❤Steve Martin & his banjo buddies❤

[@stephanierobertson8846]

“Not a great time to be feeling groovy “ 😂😂

[@Cothteh]

Loved him since SNL, college days!

[@debbie2721]

Love you Steve!!!😊

[@karenkaplan8391]

Will definitely get this book, asap

[@pcdm43145]

On a semi-related-note: I miss the Whitney being at the Breuer Building. A lot of fond memories, seeing different exhibits there.

[@studio107bgallery4]

I love Steve Martin, and that he has such exquisite taste in art, and that he is a patron and supports art in America, and probably abroad.❤❤❤❤

[@patstats1]

"I’m doing it for myself," Steve paraphrases. "No, you are not. You are doing it for an audience." For me, as a painter, I state this. I paint for myself. But I must remember this quote. Art needs an audience as well.

[@ddburdette]

This would have been funny if Steve said he liked the painting of dogs playing poker! 😀

[@loristitt65]

Hard to believe this is the same person who is in planes, trains and automobiles!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@jeshkam]

Along with the shower curtain fella. 😂

[@bifeldman]

What a sublime man. Always.

[@UBETUBEME]

The love of war The love of art One kills One heals Your choice

[@MarCapa-ed5uv]

Horrid when artists have to go to war; Glenn Miller 😞, and many other.

[@grumpyartist9416]

I love his honesty.

[@maryannkochanski5777]

Well he always made me laugh😜

[@melaniamonicacraciun9900]

Yep, I still believe, the Pink Panther, the gifted Inspecteur Cluzot is the best guy to fix any war dispute and eliminate any of our troubles, the best solution above all, get in action everybody plizzzzzz, get involved and ..fix things...in a Fine Arts exhibition might work just perfectly, the fantasy is awesome 🎉❤🎉

[@maryblaufuss7533]

Clouseau

[@innerlocus]

Steve should have worn the arrow headpiece joke.

[@loristitt65]

I would love to meet him!!!

[@jeshkam]

He looks and talks exactly the same as he did in the 1980s. Like he's nearly 80 and could do a "Planes, Trains..." sequel, if only Candy and Hughes were still with us...😢😢

[@DDumbrille]

This was taped in 2010.

[@jeshkam]

@@DDumbrille Well, the following footage was taped in 2024 and he doesn't look much older really: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2PHipqQqq2kY8ksi=IbvAGvaP1SBQX03k

[@DDumbrille]

@@jeshkam Very true. Maybe 5-7 years older, but not 14.

[@ivansilver2252]

Agree with "The Hunt"

[@Cothteh]

❤

[@ChristensenDawnFarrow-777]

Unrealized dreams stirring within begging to get out are the most prominent reasonings behind art.~🎉

[@bobparr4723]

I love art, but no one's heard of me.

[@Matlacha_Painter]

Put this tape back in the archives . I abhor the way fish flop around when they are out of water.

[@SweetGinRickey]

The original DILF 😍

[@corruptduboiscountyindiana5058]

did they lower the quality and blur this video because of the art being shown

[@D.S.handle]

Yeah, Edward Howard looks great.

[@cindyoverall8139]

That period of art.. Hopper, Kent, Bellows represented the clinical depression of the 1940’s. It was the American offshoot from the insipid Impressionists. Then thankfully, came Andrew Wyeth who became the classical master that was the paradigm of Germanic culture in his small environment.

[@farber2]

I knew girn blanston Girn Blanston was a friend of mine Steve Martin, your no Girn Blanston Steve wrote the book on crule shoes literally. That was no mean feat. The cruel shoes, they know mean feet, they've been there, they've done that, that's the whole point of them.

[@gailcarey3597]

I’d love to ask Steve Martin how he feels about activists, destroying or attempting to destroy works of art and sculpture.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Why ?

[@Mr.Monster1313]

Does he paint ?

[@MarCapa-ed5uv]

I don’t know, but Jim Carrey is a fabulous illustrator.

[@disastermaster1413]

Steve Martins love of farts

[@charlie-obrien]

Steve Martin is a true Renaissance man...what?, You don't think a funny guy can be a Renaissance man?!? Well, look at Da Vinci for instance, He was hilarious! People in Florence and Milan loved his "Possessed and Addle Minded Peasant" routine! 😂

[@gjmay78]

Steve should sway you with how he swindled Teri Garr of a packet of money. He "helped her out" & took a very expensive painting off her hands. She was young & niave about the value of what she owned. She was s struggling actress, needed rent $, and her "buddy" helped her out. He still owns her, (very valuable), painting. Mr. Nice Guy should make good & write a check to Garr, eho is very ill witb MS. Friendsship ?

[@jeffhildreth9244]

He got his reward, his art collection has been discovered to be riddled with fakes. Fact.

[@gjmay78]

@@jeffhildreth9244 I guess if he's empassioned to have" & "to own more, more, more", then the fakes must make his blood boil. His version of a slice of hell? Miss Garr writes about his swindle in an "oh well", light tone. She's been seriously ill for 20 yrs now, (has had MS for 40).& had to sell her home to survive. I just don't comprehend how Steve Martin couldn't make good on his GRIFT, (no less, grifting a friend), as he's amassed a fortune. How much money does a person need? And how little can his heart be? Sorry to rant. Here's foul.

[@thewalruswasjason101]

How tf does he look the same as he did 30 years ago?!😂

[@jmc2284]

He doesn't seem to have wrinkles🤔

[@valboolin3538]

Для чего нужны очки, чтобы от картины не падали мохги

[@actionimagesphotography]

Fangirl interviewer....

[@charlie-obrien]

Why not? Steve isn't a public servant. Let's all have fun.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

How many fakes does he admit to owning?

[@DDumbrille]

So much jealousy in show business.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@DDumbrille Martin is known for having one of the greatest collections of fraudulent art. Do the research.

[@MrMatteNWk]

@@jeffhildreth9244 Why don't you share yours since apparently you already did it?

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@MrMatteNWk A response that met my expectations Steve Martin did if fact get stung. The actual number is not known.

[@TT-fq7pl]

If you're rich and buying famous artists, you're likely to be buying a fake. The art world is unbelievably corrupt.

[@charlenemack7040]

Mr. Martin, if you don’t have a Charlene Mack painting in your collection then I hate to tell you… you’re NOT really a connoisseur of art!!! 😮

[@RonGerstein]

Steven Martin is NOT reading these comments.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@RonGerstein He's too busy chasing down the frauds that sold him fake art.

[@charlie-obrien]

@@jeffhildreth9244 Hey Jeff, here you are again with the same false information about Steve's art collection. You must be a lonely guy. (did you see what I did there?)

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@charlie-obrien "How Steve Martin was duped in a $48 million art-forgery scandal The celebrated funnyman was among dozens of collectors believed to have purchased fakes that fooled even renowned experts" Steve Martin admits to having been defrauded several times. A current fake was painted by Beltracci (a false name.. but a famous forger) Martin lost considerable money on this one. I have been following forgers for many years. Fascinating. Try it and climb out of your ignorance.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@charlie-obrien "How Steve Martin was duped in a $48 Million dollar scandal" It's fact. And Martin admits to having purchased fakes several times before a current one that lost him considerable money where he was subjected to considerable embarrassment as he is regarded as a knowledgeable collector. No slam on Martin, the famous Beltracci got to him.. and many others. Beltracci (sp) s the king of fakes. Fascinating man and a brilliant painter.

[@waterwise77]

Pretentiousness

[@Mediaright]

Culture.

[@jazziered142]

Bite your forked tongue!

[@maureen669]

Yet, here you are.

[@waterwise77]

@@maureen669 I wouldn’t have known it was pretentious without actually watching it. I placed the comment as warning to others

[@sunshine3914]

lol

[@patriciafeehan7732]

❤