Martin Short doesn’t know much about TikTok, but he has his Only murders in the building co-star to thank for keeping him in the loop.
“The only time I ever saw TikTok was Selena [Gomez] show me something that makes her laugh,” he told Yahoo Entertainment in a new interview.
The actor grew up in Canada and dreamed of having a career like American comedians Jack Lemmon or Jackie Gleason. Back then, he explains, finding your niche was a whole different ball game.
“A lot has changed. It’s so hard to get noticed now,” Short said. “Some people will think, ‘Oh, if I eat twelve spiders, they might look at me!'”
Getting noticed was never Short’s problem. Throughout his forty-year career, he has brought characters to life, such as Ed Grimley in Canada’s Second city television and Japie Click further Primetime Glick. He has also had long-term collaborations with friend and partner in comedy Steven Martin Three Amigos! (1986) and Father of the bride (1991) to his latest, the Hulu hit Only murders in the building, which returns for season 4 on August 27.
Despite his successes, Short is a realist when it comes to his career.
“Some people like me, some people hate me,” he said. “You can be seduced by it [online] comments. Sometimes it’s, ‘Oh, he’s great. Oh, I like him,” and some say, “The most boring man I ever saw.” I just hate him!’ But look, all I know is that if I had to eat with that person, I’d be bored.”
He attributed that mentality to his parents, who used humor to explore sensitive topics in life and politics.
“I was always fascinated by politics, just like my parents,” he says. “At thirteen I did things that were quite bizarre. I wrote things in my diary like, “Dear Diary, Former President Herbert Hoover seems very ill – and he may die tonight.”
Still, it would be hard to see Short broaching the subject on stage. He and Martin have strict rules about not making fun of politicians when they act together.
“It’s such a polarized country,” he explained. “When people come to the theater, they don’t want to be preached to and their heroes ridiculed, so we avoid [Donald] Trump jokes and [Joe] Biden jokes. When you see a political comedian, you expect that and that’s why you’re there. If you don’t want the person you’re paying money to to think you’re an idiot for supporting an ’empty’ candidate, then you don’t go.”
Short was recently sworn in as mayor of Funner, California, by Harrah’s Resort Southern California, succeeding former mayors David Hasselhoff, Rob Riggle and his Only murders in the building co-star Jane Lynch. It is a title he will carry for two years.
“As a kid in Canada, I had a vision that one day I would be mayor of Funner, California, and here I am,” he joked.
Short’s new mayoral duties complement his already busy schedule.
“Steve texted me yesterday,” he said. “We’re on a break [from Only Murders in the Building], but I was everywhere and he said, ‘Isn’t it great to just relax in your living room? Oh that’s right. Sorry.'”
