Comedy Is Not Pretty!
1979 live album by Steve Martin

Comedy Is Not Pretty! (1979) is an album by the American comedian Steve Martin. It was recorded at The Boarding House in San Francisco, California, where his previous two albums were also recorded.
When released, the album was not as well-received as his previous two albums (Let's Get Small, A Wild and Crazy Guy). However, at this point in his career, Martin was in the midst of writing the screenplay for his first starring role in the motion picture, The Jerk. As a result, he spent less of his time working on material for his stand-up career and the album was his first to not make the Top 10 on Billboard's Pop Albums Chart, peaking only at #25. The album was also his first to not go Platinum; it was, however, certified Gold.
One track was simply a humorous reading of a short story from his book Cruel Shoes accompanied by a banjo solo in the background. The track "Drop Thumb Medley" is an instrumental banjo performance.
This album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
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