Martin Short Already Has A Replacement Lined Up If He Ever Needs A New Steve Martin

Sadly, and much like the rest of us non-comedy-legends, Steve Martin probably will not live forever. But his best buddy Martin Short isn’t going to let a little grief ruin his racket.

When Martin and Short signed on to star in the 1986 John Landis film Three Amigos (the Western comedy about a few silent film actors who accidentally become the saviors of a Mexican village in trouble) alongside Chevy Chase, the two started a partnership and friendship that has endured for decades. Thankfully, the supergroup of Martin and Short didn’t invite Chase to make the touring team a trio, and the two amigos have remained the closest of friends and collaborators through the Father of the Bride films, the critically beloved murder mystery comedy series Only Murders in the Building and their stage show that they turned into the 2018 Netflix special Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life.

Well, should the rest of Martin’s life not last as long as his partner’s, Short has a backup plan in case he needs a new top billing. The Hollywood Reporter recently asked Short what he would do if Martin passed away while Short was still alive and working, and his quick answer betrayed preparation. Said Short, “Oh, I’d phone Billy Crystal.”

Short’s interviewer asked the question about a possible postmortem replacement for Martin after pointing out that, in the recently released Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces, the not-dead-yet comedy great admitted he would retire the Martin and Short stage show and “probably would not perform again” if Short passed away first. However, Short has a much more “the show must go on” approach to their collaboration — so much so that he has an emergency partner already prepared behind breakable glass.

“In the show, we do each other’s eulogies,” Short said of Martin and their shared stage show. “And there was one joke I did about Steve: ‘I miss you so much, although Billy’s been looking so great in rehearsal.’” 

Short’s choice of a post-Martin pairing may not be the most practical — at 76 years old, Crystal is just three years younger than Short’s current and possibly not final collaborator — but it’s easy to imagine a “Crystal and Short” tour selling out all the same theaters as the current duo, especially if Short adds the phrase “Steve Martin Memorial Show” to the marquee.

Ultimately, when either one of the Martin and Short power couple becomes the first of the two to pass on, it will be a tragic day for comedy — but the other partner’s eulogy will absolutely kill.