The Day I Met Martin Mull
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Hearing of the passing of Martin Mull reminded me of the time that I sort of met him quite by accident.
My daughter was a pretty good softball player in her early teens and would make the All-Star team in the town we lived in each season. I can’t remember what year or tournament it was, but we were at one of those all-weekend travel ball tournaments in Ventura, CA. It was still early in the morning and I went to the snack bar for a cup of coffee to shake the spiderwebs from my brain.
As I remember it, a humorous thing happened between me and the snack bar person. Out of nowhere, there was Martin Mull with a witty remark about the situation right next to me in line. I immediately recognized who he was, but was too starstruck to engage with him. I mumbled some incoherent thing back to him and walked off with my coffee. He must’ve thought I was a clod. I wish I’d handled that differently.
In hindsight, it struck me that he was exactly the same person I’d seen on TV so many times. His comedic timing was perfect for the moment. I think what threw me was that he was the one who engaged with me first. His level of fame allowed for him to just keep to himself, but he chose not to. That day, he was just another dad at the tournament with his daughter’s softball team.
I always remember the day I sort of met him when I see an episode of some sitcom he was in. I especially enjoyed his work in Roseanne.
In honor of his passing, I think I might watch a little Fernwood 2Night, tonight…