Upon entering Boston University’s School of Management auditorium Friday night, Jerry Lewis received a standing ovation from the audience before his live interview with WBUR-FM’s Robin Young.

Lewis appeared at BU to promote his new book Dean and Me, which is a biographical account of his partnership with singer Dean Martin.

Over the course of his career, Lewis wore the title of a comic, an actor, a writer and a director, Young said. He starred in more than 50 films and directed about a dozen more.

He partnered with Martin for a decade, during which the duo preformed live for audiences all over the world and appeared in 16 movies together, Lewis said.

“We did two hours and 20 minutes the first night … to a crowd of 11 people,” Lewis said of his first performance with Martin.

Young questioned Lewis’s style of interacting with the audience.

“You would go into the crowd and spray people with water or cut people’s ties off,” Young said. “Did the crowd ever become angry with the abuse you gave them?”

Lewis replied with his trademark response: “Are you kidding?” “We’d have people paying extra for ringside seats to get their ties cut off,” he said.

At one point in the interview, Lewis took a sip of water and let it all dribble down to the stage, claiming that in Bangkok he had been shot in the lip with a poisoned dart.

Despite the comedic nature of the interview, Lewis became more serious when talking about his separation with Martin after 10 years as partners. According to the book, after Lewis split with Martin in 1956, both went on to lead successful solo careers and did not speak again for 20 years.

“He was sad and lonely and that’s how he died,” Lewis said.

Lewis said he did not think his partner was given the credit he deserved. “I know how goddamn good I am, and I know how goddamn funny I can be,” he said. “But with him it was a little bit better.”