Demetri Martin

Here’s a detailed profile of Demetri Martin (born May 25, 1973), with his life, style, career, and some memorable quotes:

Introduction

Demetri Martin is an American comedian, actor, writer, cartoonist, and musician, known for his quirky one-liners, visual humor, and deadpan delivery.

He was born Demetri Evan Martin in New York City on May 25, 1973.
His family is Greek-American; his father, Dean C. Martin, was a Greek Orthodox priest, and his mother’s name was Lillian.
He grew up in Toms River, New Jersey.
For college, he attended Yale University, graduating in 1995 with a B.A. in History.
He then enrolled at NYU School of Law (having been admitted also to Harvard Law), but withdrew before his final year to pursue comedy full time.

He began performing stand-up around 1997.
Martin’s comedy is notable for its mix of one-liners, visual aids/drawings on a large pad, and musical accompaniment (guitar, harmonica, etc.).
His style is often described as surreal, observational, and playing with language and absurdity.
On The Daily Show, he contributed a segment called “Trendspotting.”
He released a comedy album titled These Are Jokes in 2006.
In 2012, he had a special Demetri Martin: Standup Comedian aired on Comedy Central.

He created and starred in the Comedy Central show Important Things with Demetri Martin.
He acted in films like Taking Woodstock (2009) and directed, wrote, and starred in Dean (2016).
He also voiced Ice Bear in the Cartoon Network series We Bare Bears.

Here are several witty and thought-provoking lines attributed to him:

“100% of the people who give 110% do not understand math.”
“The key to life is balance, especially if you are on a ledge.”
“The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades.”
“The earth without art is just eh.”
“I was walking in the park and this guy waved at me. Then he said, ‘I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.’ I said, ‘I am.’”
“I like video games, but they’re really violent. I’d like to play a video game where you help the people who were shot in all the other games.”
“I think the best way to show somebody you’re a good person is to be a good person, to treat people with respect.”

Inventive & multi-disciplinary: He blends verbal humor, visuals, music, cartoons; he’s not confined to a single comedic mode.
Thoughtful & introspective: While his jokes are light and absurd at times, he has expressed desire to dive deeper—“below the neck” topics—into personal feelings and connection.
Wordplay & wit: His comedy often exploits language, puns, reversals, logical twists, and playful definitions.
Control over performance: He sometimes uses musical or visual elements to make his routines harder to edit or manipulate.

Follow your instinct even against expectations
He left a stable path (law school) to pursue comedy—letting passion guide his move.
Create a unique voice
Instead of copying mainstream stand-up, he carved a niche combining visuals, music, and one-liners.
Mix humor with thought
His jokes often carry a spark of insight or absurd philosophy.
Balance breadth and depth
He works across mediums (writing, music, drawing) but also seeks to connect more deeply with audiences.
Control your craft
By using visual and musical elements, he maintains creative control and resists editing or dilution of his style.