Steve Martin Benefits Central Dallas Ministries

Last night I was at the benefit concert for Central Dallas Ministries at the Meyerson Symphony Center, featuring Steve Martin and bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers. It was fantastic. I bought the tickets without realizing it was a fundraiser–I’m just a big fan of Steve Martin, even when he’s playing banjo–but I left impressed by the story that Central Dallas Ministries told about the surge in demand for their help this year. They said they’ve already had to distribute twice as much food so far in 2009 than they did in the entirety of 2008.

The fundraising goal for the night was $50,000. Steve Martin joked that Central Dallas Ministries could claim to have raised more money this year than in any year in its history, had it not been for paying his appearance fee. Anyway, the show was peppered with nice bits of comedy between the songs, which were themselves great fun. Martin is a master entertainer, and he makes it look effortless. But anyone who’s read his memoir of his early days can attest to the fact that he’s a perfect example of Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule.

One bone to pick with WFAA’s Gary Cogill, who introduced Martin at the start of the show. In running down a portion of his filmography, you mention the execrable Three Amigos, but not what’s probably his best movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?