Barking Up the Right Tree

This is an old comedy appearance by Steve Martin from very early in his career on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  And by "very early," I mean he hasn't made a movie yet, and I don't get the sense that he's really broken through with his stadium crowds.  In fact -- and this is bizarre to type this, let alone realize it -- it's from almost half a century ago!  February 15, 1973, which is 46 years ago, nearly to the day.

But what stands out to me isn't that it's from so long ago, or how awkward Martin seems, or how uncertain Johnny Carson appears to be in what to talk about, though the conversation warms up.  No, what leaps out is the bold risk Martin takes in his monologue on probably the biggest platform a comic could have in those days -- he presents a comedy monologue for dogs.  In fact, he even tells the audience that you won't find this funny because it's not for you, it's written for dogs, and they'll find it hilarious.  And then there's the added risk of bringing out actual dogs and having absolutely no control of what they'll do.  All on the biggest platform that a comic -- and especially a comic starting out -- can have.