People Are Gushing Over Martin Short After A Hit Piece Against Him Backfired Spectacularly

Who doesn’t love Martin Short Some people, evidently. On Friday, Slate published a hit piece on the beloved performer, who’s currently enjoying a career renaissance thanks to the delightful Hulu comedy Only Murders in the Building. Entitled “Why We Keep Putting Up With Martin Short,” it argues that Short’s “over-the-top characters” — from Ed Grimley to Jiminy Glick to Building’s Oliver Putnam — are “unbelievably annoying.” Alas, it seems few agreed. Instead, many rushed to Short’s defense.

In an instantly ratio-ed piece, writer Dan Kois confidently asserts that he’s “not the only one” who’s allergic to the Canadian entertainer’s shtick:

I find Martin Short’s whole schtick exhausting, sweaty, and desperately unfunny. Throughout his evolution from sketch-comedy standout to uneasy movie star to twice-failed talk-show host to enthusiastic song-and-dance man, I’ve wrinkled my nose. Every time he dresses up in a silly outfit or says something outrageous or mugs for the audience, I want to shout at the screen: Why are you being like this Only Murders in the Building has fun with this reputation, making Oliver Putnam a try-hard only in comparison to his staid friends Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Charles (Short’s longtime comedy partner Steve Martin)—a gentler version of Short, one who in Season 3 must tamp down his personality further to avoid a second heart attack. But even in this quasi-naturalist mode—directing actors, interviewing witnesses, or wooing Meryl Streep—you can always see the mischievous glint in his eye.

Kois’ piece probably got clicks. But instead of people agreeing with him, they did something better: It encouraged an outpouring of love. Confronted with the idea that someone who’s been a fixture of the entertainment industry for over four decades could inspire vitriol from anyone, people stopped taking Short for granted and offered proof of his genius.

People shared Jiminy Click clips.

— M.A. Bergman (@John_LeTour) June 18, 2022

My personal favorite Glick moment. All hail Martin Short. pic.twitter.com/ig4rH8PRrF

— Jake Tropila (@JakeTropila) September 9, 2023

Not sure why Martin Short is all up on my feed but I’m loving all the clips and let me add another one pic.twitter.com/UVzhFshuYv

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) September 9, 2023

I mean, this clip is as funny as anything I've ever seen, so I don't know how anyone could ever deny the greatness of Martin Short

(shout out to @GriffLightning for mentioning this bit on a @blankcheckpod last year; it brings me delight to watch every few weeks) pic.twitter.com/VQfiOzqhZl

— Jake Christie (@TheJakeChristie) September 9, 2023

SNL clips (like this one).