If college won’t work out, there’s always comedy

These Are Jokes Demetri Martin Comedy Central Records

out of

… These Are Jokes Demetri Martin Comedy Central Recordsout of

Those of you who think your major doesn’t give much hope for the future should look to Demetri Martin for inspiration. A graduate of Yale, Martin dropped out of law school at NYU to pursue a career in comedy. When asked, “If comedy doesn’t work out, do you have a plan B?” he replied, “Hell no. My plans are numbered.”

The world might have lost a potentially great lawyer, but Martin’s decision earned him a prestigious Perrier Comedy Award in 2003 for his one man show, “If I.” Since then, he’s gone from being a writer for Conan O’Brien to “Trendspotting” as a correspondent on “The Daily Show.”

In These Are Jokes, Martin more often than not includes a guitar to accompany his comedy that largely consists of one-liner non sequiturs – a style that earns him frequent comparisons to Mitch Hedberg and Steven Wright. The simple guitar tunes serve as a nice replacement for the silence during laughter breaks.

In “The Jokes with Guitar,” he shares some of his observational insights, which are often hypothetical situations.

“I think it would be cool if you were writing a ransom note on your computer, but the paper clip popped up and said, ‘It looks like you’re writing a ransom note. Need some help? You should use stronger language – you could get more money!’ Thanks paper clip with a tattoo! Nice bandanna.”

He also addresses one of the major dangers of creating art. “The thing about glitter is, if you get it on you, be prepared to have it on you forever. ‘Cause glitter doesn’t go away. Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies.”

These Are Jokes also includes a DVD with a variety of extras. Martin created all of the artwork, which recalls the style of Eric Chase Anderson’s work for his “Rushmore” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

The DVD includes Martin’s “Comedy Central Presents” as well as commentary with his mother and grandmother, both of whom appear in the half-hour special. There are two animated videos to accompany some of his jokes, two early performances and a music video that shows off Martin’s impressive, ambidextrous drawing skills.

Martin doesn’t rely on foul language for laughs, though a few curses warranted a parental advisory sticker – accompanied by another sticker on the packing that simply says, “This sticker is unnecessary.” Both the album and DVD provide countless examples of Martin’s talent for wordplay and clever interpretations of the world around him, making These Are Jokes a great representation of Martin’s work and a worthwhile listen for any comedy fan.

“I think it’s weird when you give someone flowers, you’re really saying, ‘Here you go. Now watch these die. ‘Cause I like you.’ I feel like you should give someone flowers when you want to threaten them. ‘Here. You’re next.'”

Martin will be performing at the Byham Theater this Saturday at 8 p.m. More information can be found at www.demetrimartin.com.