An iconic comic has a problem with who packed his lunch.
On October 9, Steve Martin posted on Instagram and Facebook about a recent meal he had that sparked a commotion in his comments section.
“So this is what passes for tomato soup and grilled cheese??” the 80-year-old actor captioned his photo of some seriously fancy grilled cheese and tomato soup. “I feel sorry for the kids today.”
The 16-time “Saturday Night Live” host’s meal included a bowl of tomato soup with a swirl of olive oil and a grilled cheese sandwich seared to perfection with gooey cheese spilling over the sides.
Many of her fans seemed to take her all-caps complaint seriously.
“Campbell’s is the only tomato soup!” » replied a Facebook user.
“Where are the triangles? Where is the pickle spear? And why did someone draw a Cobra eating its own tail in your soup?” asked another.
“What did you expect from a restaurant with linen tablecloths?” » » someone else asked. “Maybe try the restaurant around the corner? Better results.”
Another replied: “Come on Steve. We know you’re 80 but don’t be eccentric. This looks fabulous.”
Although the “Only Murders in the Building” star didn’t reveal where her comfort food came from, chef Alex Guarnaschelli shared the post on Threads and claimed it as his own.
“It’s my fault Mr. Martin. Clara’s. Please enjoy,” she wrote, meaning the dish came from her and chef Michael Jenkins’ restaurant in New York. Clara’s Instagram account followed suit, reposting a screenshot of Martin’s post.
“@stevemartinreally we are honored to be featured in your dynamic culinary series. Thank you. Please enjoy,” the restaurant wrote.
In this so-called “culinary series”, Martin similarly makes fun of many of the dishes presented in front of him. So no, he’s probably not complaining about Guarnaschelli’s version of classic comfort food.
“So this is what they call raspberry soufflé these days? I’M SORRY TO TODAY’S KIDS,” Martin wrote in a post showing off a deliciously airy dessert.
“Kids today only know one swirl of lemon aioli mustard dressing,” Martin wrote in another post with a salad. “They will never know the double whirlwind of my youth.”
He’s done similar stunts with fresh tomatoes, baked Alaska, a Carol Burnett Cosmopolitan and even his own birthday cake.
“Sorry, but today’s Ahi Tuna Tower can’t compare to the Ahi Tuna Towers I had growing up in Texas,” he wrote in another post, lamenting a food he claimed growing up in the late ’40s and ’50s.
Considering that ahi tuna was considered so poor quality that it was ground into pet food until the 1970s, it’s fair to say that Martin is using what comedy professionals call a running gag.
So the next time you find yourself on Martin’s social media feed, remember: he’s just a wild and crazy guy.
