Steve Martin 'Bewildered' By Y Incident (VIDEO)

In the fallout surrounding Steve Martin's controversial interview at Manhattan's 92nd St. Y last week, the comedian spoke to Rita Braver on CBS's "Sunday Morning" yesterday.

About the Y incident, Martin told Braver:

The more I think about this, I become more bewildered about actually what happened. When I first heard that the audience's money was refunded, you know my job is to be very critical of myself -- and even while I was on stage I was being critical of myself -- even when things are going well, I'm critical of myself as a comedian or performer...So when I heard that they had refunded the money, when I had landed from an airplane I thought, "Oh, I must've really been bad.

The author added:

Then I thought, "Gee, we were there for free, and the 92nd Street Y is a non-profit organization, so we raised money for them." And I thought "how bad were we that they took charity money -- to give back charity money" ... I pictured a kid going to camp and they go "No. You know the Pink Panther guy you loved so much? He is keeping you from going to camp. We're taking you to the trash dump instead ... So Steve Martin is the one taking you to the trash dump.

WATCH:

Comments

[BayArea24]

10:25 PM on 12/08/2010

I like Steve Martin. He is a tall, deep philosopher who needs an actual, reading, thinking audience.

[justmakingcomments]

12:04 AM on 12/08/2010

So sad. Steve deserves better from those with their hands out.

[TheWM]

03:49 PM on 12/07/2010

Steve Martin has been doing non-comedic things for decades in addition to the wild and crazy routine, so the audience response surprises me on that count.

Also, I had thought only non-knuckle-draggers knew that cultural events -- a bit uv the ole brainy talk, wot? -- happened at the 92nd St Y. Maybe I'm the one who's behind the times on that count.

http://thewrongmonkey.blogspot.com/

[Karl Richard]

12:49 PM on 12/07/2010

I want a refund for having to sit through this entirely CBS interview. It was boring! Way to go HuffingtonPost.com

No, just kidding. It was quite good, actually. I may have learned a thing or two, as well.

[TheWM]

03:51 PM on 12/07/2010

I want a refund for reading Karl Richard's reply -- oh, we could do this all day.

http://thewrongmonkey.blogspot.com/

[Karl Richard]

03:56 PM on 12/07/2010

I want a refund from your failed attempt at a point.

[RasputinsLiver]

10:47 AM on 12/07/2010

Don't worry, Steve.

You're just too good for the dumbed-down masses who only want distraction, not genuine insight.

[97229]

10:13 AM on 12/07/2010

The audience was not intellectually capable of understanding the venue. Welcome to stupid America.

[TheGreyDuck]

10:12 AM on 12/07/2010

Wow. You would think that anyone who knows anything about Steve Martin would know that he's both goofy and cultured. To refund money isn't a major league move if the guest is sober and well prepared, but to refund charity money because a comic great didn't cover low-brow and irrelevant enough of a topic is truly despicable. Shame on the Y.

[yellowdoggie]

10:17 PM on 12/06/2010

How lucky those people were to be in the company of an icon like Mr. Martin. How crass and tacky they were to complain that he didn't sing "King Tut" or whatever loony act they were expecting. I hope they are ashamed of themselves, but I doubt they are. We are living in a shameless society. And I don't mean that in a good way.

[holyghostie]

08:39 PM on 12/06/2010

Shame on the people in the audience who don't have class enough to let their ticket(donation) go to the Y for summer camp.

[ThBigD]

07:28 PM on 12/06/2010

Steve Martin is a genius, and he has the brains to discuss all sorts of varied topics.

Why should he have to be "wacky" all the time?

I watched the original talk and thought it was interesting. But then, I read.

[Mike169]

02:07 PM on 12/06/2010

I don't get this.