A handsomer-than-average nerd, Demetri Martin emits brainy, humorous observations with effortless poise. In one set, he said, “I feel like there’s a parallel world right in front of us that’s revealed with a small shift in perspective.” Those words could stand as Martin’s mission statement. He scrutinizes the mundane activities and thought processes humans engage in every damn day and forces us to reassess them in ways that make you think, “Wow, I’ve never looked at it that way—but he’s totally right! Now I need to adopt this worldview in order to live a much more entertaining life.” Martin excels at slyly making the ordinary seem surreal. by Stranger Writer Dave Segal