In the very early 80's, I spent hours combing the Chicago and Milwaukee television market looking for comical material. There was plenty, especially at night with sitcom reruns, talks shows, and SCTV and SNL. Martin Short bridged across both the latter two, and I came to see that he was, especially in that era, the funniest human being on earth. A lot of your more effective stand up comics material was deeply rooted in anger. From Lenny Bruce to George Carlin to Bill Hicks and Greg Giraldo. Marty didn't lean that way.
Martin Short's autobiography I Must Say!, despite being one of the best biographies I've read, also shows how Marty was initially a happy Canadian youngster who could actually rightfully lay claim to that anger due to early losses of family and loves that would turn many comedians to wielding mics with vengeance. He chose not to. There's love and smiles in Marty's comedy. Capable of blasting show tunes, costume humor, yet still some sharp-edge barbs, though tossed with a wink and a grin. Low brow or high brow, he's the most versatile and underrated comic I think we've been blessed to see.
As a kid I watched him play the completely moronic game-show obsessed Ed Grimley (originator of the phrase, "I must say!" which would follow his bizarre utterances), game show HOST and obnoxious singer Jackie Rogers Jr., and seedy and neurotic corporate lawyer Nathan Thurm who I think was last seen working for the Trump Administration. His work on SCTV particularly was what set him apart from other comedians I also loved when I was in the 4th grade. Looking to use comedy as balm for the pain of a lost parent, Martin Short, along with Burt Reynolds, Angus Young, and Batman, was an early hero. I had no idea at that time, his childhood was spent fighting off some of the same demons as mine.
His film career was nothing to be ashamed of either; Three Fugitives, Three Amigos, Innerspace, and Clifford were all variably successful and worth evaluating. Marty himself says in his book, that Nicolas Cage was obsessed with his Clifford character, who was actually a mischievous child, and studied his mannerisms. Quite the compliment. Let's not forget his tubby talk show interviewer of the rudest kind, Jiminy Glick, who spent a couple seasons interviewing A-listers and ripping up Comedy Central.
His power has not weakened. A few weeks back, my wife and editor, and myself were watching his terrific Hulu series that he shares with Steve Martin and Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building, and there was a Marty moment so wonderfully hilariously powerful that I started to lose consciousness from my guffawing.
Yes, I began to faint.
As I sat there, coughing and laughing with my wife looking at me like I had an antenna growing out of my skull, the corners and sides of my vision began to blacken and be accented with golden sparkles. I was almost knocked out cold. Yet, I never stopped smiling. I loved the moment, needed the moment. This was testament to the comedy strength of Martin Short.
I loved him as a kid, and I adore him now.
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