Comedian Martin's Shopgirl a riot

by Sue Malesevic
For The Post

Famous for such characters as "King Tut," wild and zany guy Steve Martin brings his brand of humor to his new novella, Shopgirl.

Released late last year, Shopgirl is the humorous and sarcastic account of the life of Mirabelle, an artist/ glove department sales associate at Neiman's.

Talented, beautiful, and clinically depressed, Mirabelle is lonely in Los Angeles after moving from a stifling home life in Vermont. Her social life is as nonexistent as her friends are: inconsiderate Loki and Del Rey exclude, ignore and stand Mirabelle up. She spends much time watching PBS mysteries and reading.

Her saving grace is her art...and Serzone, an anti-depressant Mirabelle takes.

The monotony of the glove department, "the Siberia of Nieman's," is broken one day when a sharply dressed man actually purchases a pair of gloves. Enter Ray Porter into Mirabelle's dismal life. Fifty-something Ray is a wealthy womanizer and once divorced.

Ray and Mirabelle begin a "relationship," in which Ray can sleep with other women. Ray has no concept of love and Mirabelle has no concept of herself. Of course, the "relationship," is doomed from the start.

Martin's portrayal of their relationship and how he describes characters is done with wit and, often, a sense of pity.

He defines the catty L.A. lifestyle by choosing settings such as the snotty Reynaldo Gallery. He also uses his characters to critique the superficiality of it all. This especially is shown through his scathing characterization of Lisa.

Lisa is a cosmetics sales associate, which means she works in the hip department at Neiman's. She is beautiful and likes sex, not for pleasure but for presents. Lisa's attempt to steal Ray from Mirabelle and her overall attitude towards men is hilarious.

Martin's presentation of Jeremy, the amplifier engraver turned Buddhist business success, also is funny.

The novella reads quickly because of Martin's conversational style that draws the reader into Mirabelle's sporadic life. His writing style is honest and it is this frankness that will make the reader laugh out loud.

Shopgirl is not Martin's first foray into writing. The comedian/actor recently wrote the Bowfinger screenplay and a play entitled "Picasso at the Lapin Agile."

The farcical and satiric nature of Shopgirl makes it a pleasurable read.

Shopgirl is a love story gone wrong, however, highly amusing.

"King Tut" can write. Who knew?