SNL 50: Steve Martin & Martin Short

Summary

Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist: SNL 50 Featuring Steve Martin & Martin Short

Episode Release Date: February 13, 2025
Podcast: Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist
Episode Title: SNL 50: Steve Martin & Martin Short

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Introduction

In this special episode of the "Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist," host Willie Geist welcomes two comedy legends, Steve Martin and Martin Short, celebrating the 50th season of "Saturday Night Live" (SNL). The conversation delves into their acclaimed collaboration on Hulu's hit series "Only Murders in the Building," their enduring friendship spanning over three decades, and their experiences navigating the evolving landscape of show business.

---

Reuniting for "Only Murders in the Building"

Steve Martin and Martin Short discuss the genesis and development of their collaboration on "Only Murders in the Building," a series that has garnered multiple Golden Globe nominations, including Best Drama Series and acting nods for both Steve and Marty.

• Genesis of the Show
  Steve Martin recounts the initial idea of creating a show about three older men obsessed with true crime podcasts who decide to solve murders within their own building.

  “It was at least 10 years ago… I was at a party with Sandy Gallen, and he suggested I write something for [the three older Broadway actors present]. That’s where the idea came from.”
  [02:18]

• Martin's Immediate Enthusiasm
  Martin Short expresses his immediate excitement upon hearing Steve’s idea, highlighting their instant connection and shared enthusiasm.

  “I had the feeling it was not a bad idea. It’s a fabulous idea, really. In a building. And make it about New York.”
  [07:20]

• Casting Selena Gomez
  The duo discusses the unexpected yet perfect addition of Selena Gomez to the series, enhancing the dynamic trio.

  “She’s fantastic. She’s got this slight New York accent… It’s beautiful for the triangle of performances.”
  [05:27]

---

Navigating the Streaming Era

Steve and Marty reflect on the shift from traditional media to streaming platforms, emphasizing how this transition has benefited their current projects.

• Advantages of Streaming
  Steve Martin appreciates the accessibility of streaming platforms, allowing their show to reach audiences without being overshadowed by competitors.

  “Here you can do a good show and somebody will find it. You’re not going to be wiped out by competition.”
  [17:54]

• Audience Engagement
  Martin Short discusses the unique way streaming allows content to find its audience over time, potentially becoming a cult classic.

  “Things always find itself. It’s fascinating because some people hesitate to watch it all at once.”
  [18:23]

---

Enduring Friendship and Professional Partnership

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the enduring friendship between Steve Martin and Martin Short, which has been a cornerstone of their successful professional collaborations.

• Building a Friendship
  Martin Short shares anecdotes from their early days working together on "Three Amigos," highlighting the initial intimidation and how laughter cemented their bond.

  “We immediately bonded through laughter and Scrabble… It was a great thing to be doing.”
  [22:52]

• Mutual Respect and Support
  The friends discuss their mutual support during challenging times, including Martin’s loss of his wife, Nancy, and Steve’s role in providing comfort.

  “It was magnificent to have those kind of friends in those tough situations.”
  [34:46]

• Complementary Personalities
  They explore how their differing personalities complement each other, creating a balanced and dynamic partnership both on and off the screen.

  Steve Martin: “We have other lives. This is a fun thing. We get along on a humor level.”
  Martin Short: “We like a loosed, happy set. Joking… it makes us better.”
  [30:02]

---

Creative Processes and Collaborative Dynamics

The duo delves into their creative processes, detailing how they develop material, collaborate with writers, and incorporate improvisation into their performances.

• Writing and Structuring the Show
  Steve Martin explains their incremental approach to writing, integrating new bits into the structured format of their live shows to ensure seamless performances.

  “We write. We have a structured show… We can put in a new bit that might be one minute out of a show that works.”
  [40:27]

• Live Performances and Tour Dynamics
  They discuss the logistics of touring together, maintaining tight performances without the typical stand-up club environment.

  Martin Short: “We talk and have little sessions. We work with writers.”
  [40:09]

• Incorporating Music and Variety Elements
  The inclusion of music and variety elements adds depth to their performances, making each show a unique experience.

  Unknown Speaker: “What’s great about the show is you have music, you have the ability to insert music into it so it becomes a full almost variety.”
  [40:21]

---

Reflection on Career Highlights and Legacy

Steve and Marty reflect on their illustrious careers, touching upon memorable roles, iconic performances, and their contributions to comedy and entertainment.

• Iconic Roles and Performances
  Martin Short shares his admiration for Steve’s early performances, citing the SNL moment where Steve humorously dealt with wardrobe malfunctions.

  “That is the most brilliant joke. I would pay a gillion dollars if I could have done that joke.”
  [31:10]

• Favorite Characters and Projects
  They discuss their favorite characters and projects, with Martin Short highlighting "Roxanne" as a high-water mark for Steve’s comedic prowess.

  “Roxanne seemed to combine it all. And great, great acting.”
  [33:46]

• Future Projects and Creative Endeavors
  Steve Martin teases upcoming projects, including a cartoon book collaboration and further developments in "Only Murders in the Building."

  “We’re working on a book called A Memoir of the Movies, which we’re gonna do cartoon strips of stories and anecdotes.”
  [36:22]

---

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the conversation wraps up, Willie Geist thanks Steve Martin and Martin Short for their candid and insightful discussion. The trio shares final thoughts on the importance of humor, friendship, and the joy of creating together.

• The Importance of Fun in Show Business
  Martin Short emphasizes that having fun is paramount in their work, stating,

  “We do a conscientious effort to have fun while doing it.”
  [19:36]

• Legacy and Impact
  Both comedians reflect on the impact of their work and the legacy they hope to leave behind, underscoring the timeless nature of their friendship and collaborative spirit.

---

Notable Quotes

1. Steve Martin on Crafting a Hit:

   “As long as you have a hit, that's fantastic… a real hit is a very, very rare thing.”
   [16:35]

2. Martin Short on Friendship Dynamics:

   “The only thing you can really control in a work situation is the hang.”
   [19:36]

3. Steve Martin on Creativity:

   “I just wake up and there's nothing to do. So I come up with stuff.”
   [36:22]

---

Final Thoughts

This episode of "Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist" offers an intimate glimpse into the creative minds and enduring friendship of Steve Martin and Martin Short. Their stories of collaboration, resilience in the entertainment industry, and the joy of making each other laugh provide valuable insights for fans and aspiring creatives alike. Whether you're a longtime admirer or new to their work, this conversation underscores the timeless appeal of genuine humor and the strength of lasting friendships.

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Listen to "Only Murders in the Building" streaming every Tuesday on Hulu.
Subscribe to "Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist" to stay updated with more engaging conversations.

Transcript

[Willie Geist]

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[Unknown]

It was late past midnight when they.

[Steve Martin]

Broke into the farmhouse. Never in a million years would you.

[Martin Short]

Think that you'd see your parents house.

[Steve Martin]

Taped off by that yellow tape. And they said, you remember I'm dead. At being killed, they left behind a.

[Unknown]

Wall of blood and a clue that took case of double murder on a long strange trip.

She looked at me and she said, I'm screwed.

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Hey guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit down podcast. My thanks as always for clicking and listening along. This week marks the Golden Globe Awards and we thought it'd be a great time to bring back one of our all time favorite conversations with two men who are nominated for Globes. They are Steve Martin and Martin Short, their hit series on Hulu. Only Murders in the Building nominated as a show for a Globe and both Steve and Marty are nominated for best actor. We'll see which one of them wins. It's gotta be one of the two of them. It was one of our best conversations, our favorite conversations of the year. So we thought with the Globes this week, what better, better time than to spend some time with Steve and Marty right now on the Sunday Sit down podcast.

Guys, thanks for doing this.

[Martin Short]

Great to see you. We're happy to see you.

[Unknown]

Told you. I just got caught up last night. I'm through episode four.

[Martin Short]

Yes.

[Unknown]

So much fun. I'm watching it not only with my wife, but 14 and 12 year old.

[Martin Short]

Wow.

[Unknown]

And how are they into it? Totally into it.

[Steve Martin]

And let me ask you a question.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

Is it bothersome because of the F word?

[Unknown]

We've crossed that bridge in our house. We don't use it in the house, but in movies and media we're good. We've missed that totally now. So Steve, take me back to the sort of genesis of this show, the idea for it, where it came from and at what point Marty enters the picture.

[Steve Martin]

Well, it's very hard for me to remember when I had this idea, but it was at least 10 years ago and it actually started because it's lengthy. I'm going to tell the whole Story. I was at a party with a very good friend of ours, Sandy Gallen. And Sandy Gallen was a great guy. We both knew him and he was a manager. He represented Dolly Parton and Frank Sinatra.

[Martin Short]

No, he represented Dolly, Whoopi, Cher and Neil Harmstein. You know, this is what I contend.

[Steve Martin]

With, is this kind of memory. It's unbelievable. What day did we meet?

[Martin Short]

We met June. July 14, 1985.

[Unknown]

Is that true?

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's uncanny.

[Martin Short]

I do have. I, I, I, you know, I thought I might.

[Steve Martin]

So anyway.

[Martin Short]

Oh, no, no. I'll do one joke and then we'll. Then we go back to your part and we can snip.

[Steve Martin]

Okay.

[Martin Short]

I thought I had H Sam. Do you know what that is?

[Unknown]

Oh, right.

[Martin Short]

Where you, where you can remember every detail. Yeah, Right. And I said to someone, I think I have H Sam. Like Mary Lou. I couldn't remember Hannah, so I knew I didn't have it. Go ahead.

[Steve Martin]

So I'm at a party at his house. We love this guy. He was great. In fact, he suggested I was writing songs at the time, and I played one of the songs. He said, Dolly Parton should record that. And he called her and she said, yes, and Dolly Parton recorded one of my songs. That's incredible. Yeah. And so anyway, so I'm at a party at his house, and we really like the guy. And there's three older Broadway actors there. And Sandy came up to me and he said, you know what? You ought to write something for them. I thought, you know, that's actually a good idea. And so I started thinking about it and came up with this idea of three old guys who, this is 10 years ago, remember, who live in a building and they like true crime and they decide that they would like to solve some crimes, but because they're older and tired, they would only solve murders in the building. They're not going to go downtown. So that's where it came from. And then, you know, one day I'm telling Marty the idea, and, you know, he liked it. And he said, you know what? I said? What? We're old. So that's how we thought, okay, well, maybe we can do this thing.

[Unknown]

Is that how you remember it?

[Steve Martin]

Were you.

[Unknown]

So was Marty. Did you have him in mind when you were thinking through.

[Steve Martin]

No, I had nobody. No, no, I had these three actors in mind.

[Unknown]

Okay.

[Steve Martin]

And then it just sort of drift, you know, you don't get. You just think about how much work it is and everything. And so I, they asked me, when I pitched it to Dan Fogelman and at. What's the name of the company? Try more. I'm making that up. I have no idea. We'll insert the right. Yeah, yeah, And Try more. T R I M O R is the way I'm seeing it. Trymore presents. And he said, would you do it? Be in it? And I wasn't thinking of being in it at all. And I thought, well, I'll do it if Marty does it. And then he signed up immediately and there we were. And then somebody had the brilliant idea to bring in Selena Gomez.

[Unknown]

Well, that's. I mean, that is really. I talked about my 14 year old daughter. That's where the interest is piqued. No, we love you guys. And my daughter says, Selena Gomez is in it and boom, now she's in.

[Steve Martin]

And by the way, it's such a perfect, unexpected match. You know, it's like there's us doing our thing and then when the camera comes to her, it's like it rests on her face and her thinking and her internal acting. It's beautiful for the triangle of performances.

[Unknown]

So do you jump? Always, Marty. At the chance to work with Steve, this idea comes up. It's gonna be the two of us. We'll shoot in New York. We'll have a good time for a couple of months.

[Martin Short]

Absolutely. And then. And don't leave out John. Good. Hoffman. No, I was going to say Dan Fogelman. I got mixed up. John Hoffman and Dan Fogelman are brilliant, brilliant people. So every element of it seemed like ideal. You know, it always goes through that thing where you have managers and they're going to raise all the flags and there were no flags.

[Steve Martin]

But also, we really did it on our own. We didn't run it by anybody. Actually. The idea of having. I know this is so boring and you can cut this out, but the.

[Martin Short]

Idea of having this.

[Steve Martin]

I know. I saw the cameraman walk away while I started this story.

[Martin Short]

They're drinking your tea.

[Steve Martin]

And so my agent called and said, I think you should have lunch with Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal. And I said, look, I know what these lunches are. They always call up and they say, you should meet Wes Anderson. You should meet so and so. And I, well, I love Wes Anderson, of course I'll meet with him. But it's supposed to generate a project and by the time you've had lunch with the two people who want to have lunch, they're so over you that, well, I've done that, so I don't need to do anything with that guy. But this actually worked I just had a lunch. I said, I'm not even going to pitch an idea. You get a turn to talk in a minute.

[Martin Short]

No, listen.

[Steve Martin]

And I talked. I said the idea. And we kind of had the feeling like, it's not a bad idea. It's the first time I heard it out loud.

[Martin Short]

I think it's a fabulous idea, really. In a building. And make it about New York.

[Unknown]

And the characters are just so good. Did you shape that character? The backstory of Oliver and.

[Martin Short]

No, Steve actually wrote the backstage of a backstory of all that. I mean, we knew that he was an ex.

[Steve Martin]

I, I just.

[Martin Short]

The details of Splash and things like that. No, but.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, well, I didn't write Selena Gomez's character. That was written by John Hoffman and the writers, because that wasn't a part of the element. And I could feel the cameraman coming back. And I'm talking about Selena.

[Unknown]

We have keywords. Yeah.

[Martin Short]

And no, but you are amazing. And I was thinking, you know, just before I was, when I was back in my room googling my symptoms, I was thinking about Steve, and he. He isn't unending creative source. He never gets writer's block, no matter. No matter how much you pray for it. He doesn't. He doesn't. It's amazing. And. And it was just a great idea from the beginning.

[Steve Martin]

Wait, I was going to say something.

[Martin Short]

But I had a joke so I could.

[Steve Martin]

No, no, it was. No, the original idea was that I was an actor from the 90s who had a big hit crime show.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Steve Martin]

And because I'm always fascinated by people in show business who have these huge careers, and then they. The. The show incident, it just kind of stops, you know, So I wanted to play that, and I thought Marty would be. Oh, I didn't write it for Marty. I just wrote it for a guy who was a off Broadway director who never quite, you know, made it. And. And because even an Off Broadway director can have a huge, huge eco. We've never had a hit.

[Martin Short]

Exactly.

[Unknown]

There is some. To anybody who lives in New York, there's a real familiarity to the building is sort of the Apthorpe and the Ansonia and all those kind of mashed together. And something that happens in New York where people live in a building together, but they don't really know each other. And the person right on the other side of your wall, maybe you've never met. And here comes this event in the case of your show that brings them all together, and it's because they're all these true crime podcast friends.

[Martin Short]

And it's such a great vehicle for. Because the greatest actors in the world live in either Los Angeles or New York. They're great actors throughout. But the amount of. Every time you cast any smaller role or big role in this series, every actor is like, why isn't he a massive star in the city?

[Steve Martin]

It's filled with actors.

[Martin Short]

It's amazing.

[Steve Martin]

Good actors. We've got great. We've got Jane Lynch, Tina Fey.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah.

[Steve Martin]

Sting.

[Unknown]

Sting. I didn't know if we went Nathan Lane.

[Steve Martin]

How about Nathan Lane?

[Unknown]

Incredible.

[Martin Short]

Amy Rollins.

[Steve Martin]

We were in awe of Nathan Lane. We. We would have scenes with them and we weren't acting. We'd just stare at him. It's like, Nathan Lane is so unbelievable. Then your line would come up and you go, oh, Nathan. I mean.

[Unknown]

So when the idea for Selena Gomez comes through, you two guys, I suspect, are not terribly familiar with her music. Unless you want to surprise me.

[Martin Short]

I would. Yes.

[Unknown]

So what did you think when you heard that name?

[Martin Short]

Well, I thought it was kind of a brilliant idea because right away it seemed all generations brought it in.

[Steve Martin]

Instantly, I thought it was a good idea. And I never heard any other name besides Selena's.

[Martin Short]

That's true.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah.

[Martin Short]

There was no other name.

[Steve Martin]

I know they probably have lists. You know, I was always with a.

[Martin Short]

List, but when it got to us, it was only Selena.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. And we thought, would she do it? And then we had one of those zoom readings. That was an audition. She was hired. And we hung up. And Marty and I called each other and we said, she's fantastic. She's got this slight. People are picking up a slight. Kind of a New York accent. I don't know if she's doing it or that's her or what. She's from Texas, so probably not.

[Martin Short]

Yeah, but she's got that. In a later episode, at one point, Steve says to her, I want you to be less mean. And she just looks at him and says, I know you do.

[Steve Martin]

By the way, that was already been off.

[Martin Short]

Has that been off?

[Steve Martin]

You should watch the show or read the scripts.

[Martin Short]

I don't want to. I got other fish to fry.

[Unknown]

She also has, I think, on the show, but also when I watch you guys do press together, she has sort of a charming eye roll at the two of her.

[Martin Short]

Absolutely.

[Unknown]

Generally speaking, like, here they go again kind of thing.

[Steve Martin]

It's surprising. First of all, people say, is there a generation gap? And I say, well, of course, yeah. You know, it's what you want. I don't want to be up and talk the lingo of a 29 year old, you know, so there is that. But I'm always surprised.

[Martin Short]

Using the word lingo kind of covers that idea.

[Steve Martin]

You know, I'm always surprised at what she shocked at us by, because it's always something like, really, you're shocked at that? And it's kind of a fun shock. She goes, you know, like we just said something shocking and, you know, she outshocked us by, you know, 10 million.

[Unknown]

Yeah. And she's got like 300 million Instagram followers. It's not that.

[Steve Martin]

Well, every week I hear that it goes up.

[Unknown]

It's crazy.

[Steve Martin]

It started she has 190 million, then you start hearing she's got 220.

[Martin Short]

No, I think it's now 260 million.

[Unknown]

She's way up there.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

She's among the highest. So something that couldn't have been part of the pitch 10 years ago was this idea of the podcast at the center.

[Steve Martin]

No, that came up. That came new.

[Unknown]

Which is so brilliant because, boy, it's so intense right now.

[Steve Martin]

It was almost ahead of the curve because this would have come up like two years ago. And I kind of think it was in the last two years that it started, you know, these big numbers. I mean, there's a scene that was already been on, so. I mean, Tina Fey is hosting a podcast, and in the middle of our meeting with her, she sells it for $30 million.

[Martin Short]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Unknown]

She just turns in her chair, closes the deal. Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

My favorite thing is she. She turns and she's actually killing time. So we have a scene together.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

But she's also twirling the phone line, you know, with her finger. It was almost like a 50s secretary movie.

[Unknown]

Right?

[Steve Martin]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

She's closing a $30 million deal. Yeah. So it raises the obvious question, do either or both of you listen in real life to these crime podcasts because you play it well.

[Martin Short]

I do not.

[Steve Martin]

I do. No, I do. And I've listened to a lot of crime podcasts and watched a lot of true crime shows, and I think, you know, I know what you're saying. That guy's sick. Well, that means the rest of the nation is sick, too.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Steve Martin]

But I. I like. I like the solving part. I find that I like the scientific solving and clues and tracking down and cctv. In fact, even now, because of this show and watching these shows, I'm always thinking, just walking into my life thinking, what's my alibi? If something were to happen right now, could I prove I was in my car? Yes. I've got the gps and there's a CCT camera and I wave at it. And then I also.

[Martin Short]

What is your crime that you're afraid of?

[Steve Martin]

I don't know. It could be anything.

[Unknown]

Are you planning anything?

[Steve Martin]

No, I'm not planning anything. No. It's some other crime, like, God forbid. But I could always prove I'd be the first suspect. I would be, you know, Absolutely. I'd be the first suspect. And then replay my eye rolls at you on television when you do some joke that doesn't work, which is often.

[Unknown]

So, Steve, do you watch Dateline and those kind of shows? Are you that deep into it? So you're really in it?

[Martin Short]

Why don't you read the news or something?

[Steve Martin]

I do read the news.

[Unknown]

So are you principally objected to the crime podcast or just not interested?

[Martin Short]

You know, I just feel that there's so much despair around that I just don't want to hear about another person's murder.

[Steve Martin]

And first of all, why should you research a movie you're working on?

[Martin Short]

Oh, that would only get in the way.

[Steve Martin]

You like going in blind.

[Martin Short]

I am playing a director. I know the theater.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, okay.

[Martin Short]

I've been on Broadway.

[Unknown]

Yes, you have.

[Martin Short]

Yes.

[Unknown]

1. A Tony, as a matter of fact.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. Isn't that unbelievable?

[Unknown]

It's incredible.

[Steve Martin]

Tony.

[Unknown]

You want a Tony Award?

[Steve Martin]

You know.

[Martin Short]

Well, you wanted to. All right.

[Steve Martin]

No, no, I've won an Emmy, an Oscar and a Grammy, and this guy has won a Tony.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

That's the one you want?

[Steve Martin]

No, it's the one I want.

[Martin Short]

Well, it's perfect for him because it's the ego.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. You know what I'd like to do, I, you know, would really be great. But if you'd lend me your Tony for just, you know, like a parties.

[Martin Short]

And stuff and then you give me the Oscar.

[Steve Martin]

No, no, I need the whole set. I need the whole change the plate.

[Unknown]

Maybe to put your name on. I mean, you've been nominated a bunch deserve Tony.

[Steve Martin]

I've been not, you know. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Sore spot, you know, I got put up.

[Martin Short]

You should have had it.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, right. By the way, is that horrible what I just said? What you said about my awards? It is kind of, but it's.

[Unknown]

What do you mean?

[Martin Short]

It's horrible.

[Steve Martin]

It's jealous. What do you mean? Well, you know, somebody else should have said it.

[Martin Short]

Well, no one is that obsessed with you. Like, no one cares at all. You'd have to have a quite an ego to bring that up.

[Unknown]

Normally, the. The reception to the show has been overwhelmingly great. I mean, if you read the Reviews and just 100% on Rotten To.

[Steve Martin]

Oh, now you've ruined it.

[Martin Short]

Oh really?

[Steve Martin]

Oh, because now someone's going to go, oh, really? I'll show them.

[Martin Short]

Well, so what?

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, you're right.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Takes you down into double digits.

[Steve Martin]

No, we are honestly, you know, we've had a long career in show business, but a hit is fantastic because, you know, they're rare. You know, a real hit is a very, very rare thing. As long as you've been in show business. They don't. It's not like everything you put out is a hit. And so it's especially at this point in my life. Point in my life.

[Martin Short]

I remember seeing the Tonight show once with Johnny and Tony Randall was on and Johnny said it was like the 70s and he was doing the Odd Couple and it was now a hit. And he said, how long do you think you'll stay with the show? And Tony said, that's the dumbest question I've ever heard. I'll stay with it as long as it is a hit. Because hits are rare.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah.

[Martin Short]

And it's true.

[Unknown]

And he's right. Yeah. And also, I mean, it's the two of you. So the expectations are high, but there's never any guarantee that it's going to go well.

[Steve Martin]

You will find it. Sorry, I didn't think it was high expectations. It's just like, oh, well, let's see, I'll check it out.

[Martin Short]

I think sometimes that can be a detriment. The expectations become too high.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Steve Martin]

Well, you don't have that problem.

[Martin Short]

No, no, no.

[Unknown]

What's it like for you guys who've seen a lot of different forms of show business, to put something into the atmosphere now in this streaming universe where part of the job is to help people find it by sitting with me and doing things like this.

[Steve Martin]

I love it because, you know, when I first started I was in television as a writer, you know, and then you. And then I sort of became a stand up. And then I had specials. Television. This is what you did then. The early 80s. If I had to do all over, I wouldn't do it. But then they. You put a special on and then some monstrous show is up against you and you're wiped out.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Steve Martin]

But here you can do a good show and somebody will find it. You're not going to be wiped out by competition, you know.

[Unknown]

You like it too, Marty? You like streaming?

[Martin Short]

I do. I mean it's kind of. But it is like all things. You can make a movie that no one cares about and five years later it's a Cult classic. And so things always find itself. But this is. This is fascinating because it's. Some people, for example, I was told, are going to hesitate to watch it because they want to watch them all at once. This is a whole new way of.

[Unknown]

Right, that's true.

[Martin Short]

Of being entertained.

[Steve Martin]

No, I love that. And I. Well, I'm not gonna say that because I. I got. You know, I got tired of going to movies because the volume was so intense. I'm really serious. Way too loud.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

For me to listen to, you know, I think it's an age thing.

[Martin Short]

But you think. No, no. Bieber's going through the same thing. Bieber.

[Unknown]

Bieber.

[Steve Martin]

I thought you meant, like, leave it to be. I didn't know what you meant.

[Martin Short]

Well, that's the age thing.

[Unknown]

Do you guys. I mean, this part of working together. Okay, we've talked about the show, but how much fun is it for two buddies who've known each other for 35 years to kind of hit the road together and promote and.

[Martin Short]

Totally.

[Steve Martin]

I wouldn't do it any other way, honestly. I mean, I tour with the band, but we have good camaraderie, too. Sometimes we do that, but basically, I wouldn't do it.

[Martin Short]

No. I think the only thing you can really control in a work situation is the hang. In show business. You can have the greatest experience making a movie, and then it bombs and the critics hate it. So the only thing that you can control is do you have fun while doing it? And Steve and I, you know, we do shows, live shows together, but we also have a great dinner the night before and we have great glasses of wine afterwards and discuss it with the band. That's the fun of it.

[Unknown]

And you've been doing it, as I said, For 35 years, since you met doing the Three Amigos.

[Steve Martin]

Well, people ask me, they say, what's your favorite movie that you ever made? And I say, well, I don't know, because here's why. There are three things to a movie. How much fun you had doing it, was it a hit, and is it any good?

[Martin Short]

Right?

[Steve Martin]

And when those things land together, it's fantastic. But sometimes you can love a movie just because you had such a great time making it.

[Unknown]

Right? And was that the case with Three Amigos? Was it instant for you two guys?

[Steve Martin]

It was not an instant hit.

[Unknown]

No. I know this relationship because it feels like.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, no, we got along instantly.

[Martin Short]

Instantly. All three of us did. And again, you make a movie or you're on location for months and sometimes you never see those people again. So you make A conscientious effort. I think I'll keep up with that guy. And it was mutual.

[Steve Martin]

And also, we got lucky because we did other movies together. Father of the Bride. One or two.

[Martin Short]

That's true. Prince of Egypt.

[Steve Martin]

Prince of Egypt. But we were already friends by then. But. But. But I'd say Father of the Brides really put us in a, you know, a comedy frame of mind, you know, to be friends. Would you say that?

[Martin Short]

No.

[Unknown]

Okay.

[Martin Short]

Well, I think so.

[Steve Martin]

It's over.

[Martin Short]

No, we were friends before that.

[Steve Martin]

Well, I know, but in fact, we've been to Europe.

[Martin Short]

We. But there's so much. I could show you a photo album and you'd be sick at how.

[Steve Martin]

No, we went to Europe to promote Father of the Bride.

[Martin Short]

Yeah. Yeah. That was in 96. In 89. Remember? We went to Ireland and England.

[Steve Martin]

Oh, that. Yeah. No, I thought you meant on a movie.

[Martin Short]

That was before Father of the Bride.

[Steve Martin]

You know, that's not Europe. Is the UK Europe?

[Unknown]

Oh, sure.

[Martin Short]

Wow. You know what? If you would give up the who shot who stop tape. Honest to God. Do you know that we fought Germany twice? You know that? Wow.

[Steve Martin]

I think of Europe as the continent.

[Martin Short]

Well, that's your problem.

[Steve Martin]

I mean, I don't. When I land, I think of British.

[Martin Short]

Part of the United States. I'm insane.

[Steve Martin]

When I land in Ireland, I don't say to the locals, it's so great being here in Europe.

[Unknown]

You're thinking of Brexit. How they've sort of broken away.

[Steve Martin]

That's it.

[Unknown]

I'm trying to help you out.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Martin Short]

Wow. Who's the prime minister of Australia? Okay. Never. Next question.

[Steve Martin]

I was ready to say Boris Johnson. You switched it up at the last minute. I have. I have a lot of connections in Australia.

[Martin Short]

You do?

[Steve Martin]

I do.

[Martin Short]

Name one.

[Steve Martin]

Nick Grinville, the ambassador. A consul general of Australia in New York City.

[Martin Short]

Let me do Willie's work for him.

[Unknown]

The cameramen have walked out again.

[Martin Short]

They'll be back soon. No one's here again. Mention Selena. We'll get them back.

[Unknown]

I didn't realize. I guess I should have known this, Marty, that Three Amigos was your first movie because we'd known you on SNL and you were first movie in the bloodstream. So that was your first movie. So what was it like to walk in with Steve Martin, who's already Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase, who's already Chevy Chase?

[Martin Short]

Well, it was a little bit intimidating, but they were very nice to me. They're very. You know, we had to play three close friends, so I had to the first couple of weeks, do an impersonation of someone really relaxed and. But they made it very easy. We immediately bonded through laughter and Scrabble and before you knew it, you felt at ease and like, this is a great thing to be doing.

[Unknown]

And the legend has it your first conversation, or maybe one of the first when you came to the house to get the script was a dig at some Steve. And so the relationship was set forever.

[Martin Short]

Yes.

[Steve Martin]

Do you want to tell him the dig?

[Martin Short]

Yes. I, I went to Steve's house to pick up a script for Three Amigos. You know, he wrote it with Lauren Michaels and, and Randy Newman. And I walked into Steve's house and his old house in Beverly Hills and I looked around and there was a Picasso and there was a Hopper and I said, how did you get this rich? Because I've seen your work.

[Steve Martin]

And you said toward the end of the meeting, I said, it was great, great meeting you. I expected more charisma, but anyway.

[Martin Short]

But it was kind of the natural instinct and it was overwhelming.

[Steve Martin]

And by the way, he really did say that.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

And I kind of remember my reaction, which was like a kind of a curious side eye, like, so is this, you know, that's a daring thing to say to someone you've never met. You know, and then, and then you sort of like, am I going with this or am I? And you know, it was just comedy. Comedy. We just, we love hanging out with comedians because I think there's a.

[Martin Short]

Thank God I wasn't from Ireland or you would have said, have you ever thought of going to Europe?

[Steve Martin]

So you're, you're from, so your family goes back to Ireland. Uh huh. You know, I'd love to take on a trip to Europe.

[Unknown]

But that seems to me that first moment formed the basis for your, the foundation, at least for your friendship. If you watch your tour, if you watch the Netflix special, even the two of you acting in Only Murders in the Building.

[Martin Short]

I mean, I'm sure you have lifelong friends.

[Unknown]

Oh yeah.

[Martin Short]

And a big connection has been humor.

[Unknown]

That's it.

[Martin Short]

I think it's.

[Steve Martin]

Is that true?

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Martin Short]

Oh, sure, absolutely.

[Steve Martin]

But I would say like you're, I'm guessing you probably have friends in the business who do the same thing as you or do you have rapport with them? Yeah, because you know what it is. Absolutely. And that's, you know, we have that with comedians of all stripes.

[Unknown]

Yeah. You know, but there's also something about a person you're comfortable with enough that you can insult them constantly.

[Martin Short]

Oh yeah.

[Unknown]

That means you're really close.

[Martin Short]

I mean, we're often asked, did we ever go too far? Do we ever have to apologize? And it's never.

[Steve Martin]

And by the way, that's not the only thing we do. We actually have conversations.

[Unknown]

Sure.

[Steve Martin]

You know, or we talk about how the show went or, you know, things to improve. Like we. If we do a live show, we walk off and go. We don't be right after the bow. We say, I think we should cut that one thing or move it up to the front. Or this.

[Martin Short]

Yeah, we. Or I'll say to them, you know, we'll just be having conversation. I'll say, what do you think of Angela Merkel? And you'll say, who?

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. You know what would be great is if she lived in Europe.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

That's where she should be.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

You're gonna regret that comment for a long time.

[Steve Martin]

I think. I don't think of the UK as Europe. I'm sorry.

[Unknown]

So it's an opinion.

[Steve Martin]

Angry. No, it's a fact. It's a fact that I don't think that I want it to be separate.

[Unknown]

You mentioned father of the bride when you guys did that in 91, 30 year anniversary coming up, by the way.

[Martin Short]

That's crazy.

[Unknown]

Obviously, a great movie, great script, great characters, but you never could have imagined how well it would do commercially and through time. Yeah. And it's helpful.

[Steve Martin]

You know, I always thought. I don't know what your questions would be. I'll wait.

[Unknown]

No, go ahead.

[Steve Martin]

Okay. I've always thought this. You know, we did a remake and now they're doing another remake. And I, at the time, I thought, this movie, this subject will be remade through time as the times change, because it's a universal subject, a father and his daughter and getting married. I mean, what could be more fundamental? So I already knew they were headed for another remake and probably another remake after that, because times change, but the core heart of it will always remain.

[Martin Short]

But it's also a perfect title. Yeah, it's like First Wives Club. You knew that had to be perfect title.

[Unknown]

And how did you shape and create Franck, one of the great characters in movie history? Wow.

[Steve Martin]

Really?

[Unknown]

Sure, yeah.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, I heard it. I didn't want to hear it.

[Martin Short]

Yeah, well, you know, it was written that way, that, that when they meet Frank, that Diane Keaton and Kimberly Williams, mother and daughter, would understand it, but Steve couldn't understand him. So it symbolized his isolation from the process. And so we just did a million takes, variations, and. And the director and producer were a little apprehensive about this idea, too, because it was a sincere film and this is this heightened character. But I kept thinking, as long as I didn't wink into the camera and say, aren't I funny? We'd be fine, because. And then I went to a wedding after we shut. Stop shooting. I won't tell you who, but I'll tell you later. And it was a big fancy wedding with a wedding planner, and he had his initials embroidered on his shoes.

[Steve Martin]

We missed that.

[Martin Short]

So, you know, you can't. Life is broader than any character.

[Unknown]

Was it based on anything you'd seen? No, Just a kind of person.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah, right. And, Steve, what did you think when that movie exploded the way it did? I mean, here's what I actually.

[Steve Martin]

What I thought, I thought because I've watched movies come out, movies that I've done, and then there'll be, like, massive hits at Christmas or something like that, other. Other people's films. And then when that came out and it opened just before Christmas and it was so well and building, I thought, oh, it's my turn.

[Martin Short]

There you go.

[Unknown]

You felt it was just justice, really.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, I really did.

[Martin Short]

I was like, yeah, European Justice.

[Steve Martin]

What is it called? Irish Justice.

[Unknown]

It's your next film, Irish Justice.

[Martin Short]

Oh, that's a good.

[Steve Martin]

That is a good title.

[Unknown]

Liam Neeson, this might be an uncomfortable question for either of you, but why do you both think this relationship works so well? Steve, what is it about? Marty? Marty, what is it about? Steve? There's definitely a yin and a yang thing that goes on here. But why do you think this has endured this friendship and this professional partnership?

[Steve Martin]

You know, one thing I say is, you know, first of all, we don't talk every day. It's not like 8am going to call Martin, you know, even when we talk.

[Martin Short]

I don't necessarily listen.

[Steve Martin]

No, he puts the phone down.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

And so there's that. That we have other lives. This is like a fun thing. We get along on a humor level, I don't know. And humor is very superficial. I mean, you can joke and we can joke and we could joke without ever getting to the core of anything. So it's just up here in fun. Like I said, I never say to Marty, are you okay? Which a real friend would do.

[Martin Short]

Well, no, you would if you really thought I was. But I don't think. I think that we both. First of all, we work very similar. Lee. It's Lee in a very. We like a loosed, happy set. Joking, all that. And it makes us better. So there's that and then why else are we friends?

[Steve Martin]

I think it's a very hard thing to explain. It's like, ask any friends and that have a hard time.

[Martin Short]

He has more money and that's a seductive thing. He's like, to me, like an older brother's older brother.

[Unknown]

What do you think is so funny about Steve? Why is he so great as a comedian?

[Martin Short]

Oh, my God. I mean, nothing. No, I mean, it's. You always feel self conscious of the story, but when. 1980, I didn't know Steve. And I'm watching the Grammys and Steve comes out to present the best album of the year. And he's in tails and a shirt and studs and no pants, boxer underwear, garters up to here. And he makes no acknowledgement of it. The audience is hysterical and he starts reading the nominations. And by the third nominations, a little bald man comes out running with a pair of pants on a hanger. And Steve looks at him and says, well, it's about time. And then he puts the pants on and continues to read. And I thought, that is the most brilliant joke. I would pay a gillion dollars if I could have done that joke. So. And I didn't even know him then, so I think his mind is hilarious and he's deeply kind. You know, I think if you were that talented, but a bit of a. Bit of a jerk, there would be no relationship, you know, There wouldn't be.

[Steve Martin]

I find, you know, first of all, we just have a. You know, we're gonna talk ourselves out of a friendship. That's what's gonna happen. I can't believe you said that. No, no, we just have a kind of an ease. But in terms of his comedy, whenever I look at his old specials and things, I. I go, that's outrageous.

[Martin Short]

That's.

[Steve Martin]

I can't believe you're doing that. And the ears and the big head and all.

[Martin Short]

By the way, it's my head, but thank you.

[Steve Martin]

No, you wear pieces. And I find the characters are completely so big. Jackie Rogers Jr. An albino pop star. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Unknown]

How about Jiminy? Jiminy? I mean, you've been Jimmy.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, I'm shocked that he gets away with it. I mean, it's so devastating to the person you're interviewing.

[Martin Short]

Yeah, but they were all.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah, but you're playing an idiot, so.

[Martin Short]

No, I know, but when I. My favorite lines was to Mel Brooks when I said, what's your big beef of the Nazis? And he said, what's my big beef? What's my big beef? I don't know, I think they're rude. So it worked out.

[Unknown]

That's brilliant. Oh, it's so good. And do you have a favorite character of Steve's through the years.

[Steve Martin]

Or a.

[Unknown]

Favorite special or moment that stuck?

[Martin Short]

I think Roxanne is my ultimate favorite. I mean, I love, you know, the first four comedies and I love it, but Roxanne seemed to combine it all. And great, great acting. So I would say that's your high water mark.

[Steve Martin]

That was a long time ago.

[Martin Short]

Yeah. I killed for you to hit that mark again.

[Steve Martin]

Yeah. That's why I like only Murders in the Building. Yeah.

[Martin Short]

I once said to him, it was like the 90s, and I was at my cottage and I said, you know, all my. My two sons and all their friends are obsessed with the Best of Steve Martin, SNL on dvd. And Steve went. It's a resurgence. I'm back, I'm back. But it was with the weak, exhausted arm, too.

[Unknown]

You've said Marty, too. Beyond the funny and all this connection is that Steve was a great friend to you when Nancy passed away.

[Martin Short]

Right.

[Unknown]

And that meant the world to you to have somebody who you had so many laughs with be there.

[Martin Short]

He wrote a song in honor of her brilliant song. The Great Remember.

[Unknown]

What did that mean to you to have him at your side?

[Martin Short]

Well, I, you know, listen, by the.

[Steve Martin]

Way, everybody was, you know, Marty has.

[Martin Short]

A lot of friends, but of course, it was magnificent to have those kind of friends in those tough situations.

[Steve Martin]

I'm telling you, Marty has a lot of friends and there's a lot of demand on his time because he gets, you know, invited to parties and things because he's really fun at a party. And I've told this before, but I say if I'm hosting a dinner party and I'm going to invite, you know, three or four couples, whatever, and I invite Marty, you know, and somebody else and somebody else. And if Marty says, I'm sorry, I can't come, I cancel the party.

[Unknown]

Is that true? Well, it's not really, because what's the point?

[Steve Martin]

Well, yeah, but it's not going to be much fun.

[Unknown]

I think you called him the perfect person.

[Steve Martin]

I did? Well, actually, it was when Carl Reiner died and I wrote a piece for the New York Times, kind of a memoir of his life. And the opening paragraph was, I said, I've known two perfect people in my life. One is Carl Reiner and the other is that son of a bitch Martin.

[Unknown]

Take it as a compliment.

[Martin Short]

Take anyone I can get.

[Unknown]

Yeah, I know you've got to go catch a Plane. So I'll let you go. But, Steve, I'm interested in what else. Your sort of portfolio of creativity is sort of astounding. Whether it's, you know, playing music or Broadway or film or anything you've done. What else do you see out there?

[Steve Martin]

Well, there is something. And, you know, first of all, this is what I'm dedicated to, this show. I love this show. Only Murders in the Building. It's perfect for us. It's fun. It's in New York, where I live. It's all kinds of things. But people ask me, how do you do all this stuff? And I say, well, you know, I don't have a job. I just wake up and there's nothing to do. So I come up with stuff. But I am working on. I've done some cartoon book with Harry Bliss, who's a great, great cartoonist, and we wrote a ton of cartoons. And now we're working on a book called A Memoir of the Movies, which we're gonna do cartoon strips of stories and anecdotes that I remember from the movies.

[Unknown]

Oh, from your movies. Oh, wow.

[Steve Martin]

They didn't want to write a big book because it's just like, just anecdotes. But this is perfect for the cartoon format.

[Martin Short]

But Steve's creative output, he thinks, is normal because he doesn't have a job. It's not normal. It's massive. And it continues. And that's what's so amazing about it. So there's books and there's movies and there's plays and there's. What's that line we do in our show? What an honor it is for me to be standing next to a man who's a playwright, musician, musician, a composer, and a world class comedian.

[Steve Martin]

No. Yeah. You say it's an honor for me. Did you say that? Yep. Yep. And then I say, and let me say what an honor it is for me to be standing next to the man who is standing next to that man.

[Martin Short]

One of our favorites. Yeah.

[Unknown]

What about for you, Marty? What else do you see out there? You've proven you can do it all, too. You were just nominated for awards for the morning show.

[Martin Short]

Yeah. You know, I kind of, you know, through the years I've been asked, like, to direct things.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Martin Short]

And I've always thought, you know, people like Steven Spielberg had a camera when they were nine and they were filming everything.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Martin Short]

I was up in my attic going, weather wise, it's such a cuckoo day, you know, with a fake mic. And I. So I think that, you know, you go by what you've been told by life, and that is, I like being in front of the camera. I love to perform. I love, I'd love to do another Broadway show someday. I'd love to do all those things, but I have no real interest in behind the scenes or anything provocative like that. That would be cool to talk about.

[Unknown]

Just keep doing what you're doing.

[Martin Short]

Just keep doing what you're doing.

[Unknown]

Hey, guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit down podcast. Stick around to hear more from Steve Martin and Martin Short right after the break.

[Willie Geist]

The last thing you want to hear when you need your auto insurance most is a robot with countless irrelevant menu options. Which is why with USAA auto insurance, you'll get great service that is easy and reliable, all at the touch of a button. Get a quote. Today restrictions apply.

[Unknown]

Every morning we choose how to begin our day. I think about the people at home. They tune in because they are curious, they care about their world and they care about each other.

[Willie Geist]

There's always something new to learn, whether.

[Martin Short]

A news event or a new recipe.

[Unknown]

And when we step through the morning.

[Willie Geist]

Together, it makes the rest of the day better.

[Unknown]

We come here to make the most of today. We are family. We are today.

Watch the Today show with Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin, weekdays at 7am on NBC. This week on Meet the Press, as President Trump focuses on his global agenda and questions grow about Elon Musk's role in reshaping the federal government. Kristen Welker sits down with National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Senator Andy Kim only on Meet the Press. Listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back to the Sunday Sit down podcast. Now more of my conversation with Steve Martin and Martin Short.

You've been out on tour together, obviously, the big Netflix special. How do you put those together? You're not standups out in the club trying material. How do those come together and make that tight?

[Martin Short]

We'll use a little echo show thing and we'll talk and we'll have little sessions.

[Steve Martin]

We work with writers.

[Martin Short]

Yeah.

[Steve Martin]

And we write. But also we because we have a structured show that say it works, we can put in a new bit that might be one minute out of a show that works. And if it works, that's good. If it doesn't, it hasn't harmed the show. So we do it. I do it. I've always done it incrementally.

[Martin Short]

Right.

[Unknown]

What's great about the show is you have music, you have the ability to insert music into it so it becomes a full almost variety. Oh, it's a classic and begins naturally with 10 minutes of insulting each other.

[Martin Short]

Exactly.

[Unknown]

It's very important. Guys, thanks so much. Congratulations on the show. It's a blast.

[Martin Short]

Thanks.

[Unknown]

Man, oh man, that was fun.

My big thanks again to Steve and Marty for a great conversation. You can catch new episodes of their series only Murders in the Building, streaming every Tuesday, Hulu. And my thanks, of course, to all of you for tuning in again this week.

If you want to hear more of.

The conversations with my guests every week, be sure to click subscribe so you never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday Today every weekend on NBC. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sit down podcast.

[Willie Geist]

Auto insurance can all seem the same until it comes time to use it. So don't get stuck paying more for less coverage. Switch to USA Auto Insurance and you could start saving money in no time. Get a quote today. Restrictions apply.