Greek mythology

In 1998, Demetri Martin decided he wasn't going to please his parents and become a lawyer.

Instead the G(r)eek philosopher would strum his guitar to parables about everyday life in the hope that people would laugh. He had no security, no cash, no influential buddies, just the Mensa Book Of Mighty Benders and anecdotes involving Twinkies and palindromes.

'The first night, I had 12 jokes ready,' he remembers. 'I thought if I could get a laugh for just one, I'd be doing all right. When they laughed at six and actually clapped at one, I thought "Oh my God, I can be a comedian."

'The next night, I did the jokes people had laughed at before and - COMPLETE SILENCE,' he wheezes, still traumatised.

'It was like a puzzle that I wanted to figure out,' he says to explain why he persevered. 'But there isn't an equation. I'm learning that sometimes the less rational things are more important.'

This doesn't sound like the Martin of last year. Based on the supposition that 'the unexamined life is not worth living', in If I... he deconstructed his life into three areas - emotional, physical and intellectual - and assessed himself accordingly for six months.

With his boyish earnestness, razorsharp observations and lo-fi guitar musings, he came across as what he was - an endearingly eccentric Yale grad who had just stumbled upon the fact he was funny.

He also became the first Fringe debutant to win the Perrier, although the gong doesn't have much leverage in the US. Recently 2002's winner Daniel Kitson joined Martin for a show in NY. Their wages for the night? $10.

'The new show [Spiral Bound] is about how I feel, whereas the old one was about how I think', he explains. But it's always got to pass the 'who gives a sh*t test'. There's got to be a point. There are not going to be visuals or anything, I'm going [with mock gravitas] to keep it pure.' And, who knows, he might just make more than $10.

Demetri Martin: Spiral Bound is at the Assembly Rooms until August 29. www.edfringe.com