Martin Short: Turning a Lifetime of Grief Into Relentless Joy

A reluctant song-and-dance man with a social work degree and a paralyzing fear of improv ends up surrounded by future legends in a Toronto production of Godspell. Decades later, terrified of the freefall, he became one of the most unpredictable scene-stealing comedic forces of the last 50 years.This episode unpacks the life of Martin Short, a story bookended by staggering personal loss yet defined by unadulterated joy. From his first paid gig playing a credit card to his late-career renaissance, it's an origin story about choosing to make the world laugh in the face of grief.How he lost his brother, mother, and father all before age 20, and channeled that grief into creating joyThe peer pressure from Eugene Levy and Dave Thomas that finally pushed him into Second City and unlocked Ed GrimleyWhy hiding behind the Jiminy Glick fat suit let him ask celebrities more dangerous questionsHis grace under pressure during the Kathie Lee Gifford interview after wife Nancy Dolman's deathHis unprecedented 70s renaissance: The Morning Show Emmy nod, touring with Steve Martin, and Only Murders in the Building