Martin Short has officially entered the prestigious (and delightfully ridiculous) Saturday Night Live Five-Timers Club! This elite crew of serial hosts gets together to swap war stories about cue card mishaps and enjoy the finest imaginary cocktails in late-night TV history. The big moment went down during the December 21 Christmas episode, and let’s just say, it was a holly jolly riot.
Star-Studded, Steve-Martin-Less Spectacle
Martin Short, at a spry 74 years young and still delivering the comedy goods, made his triumphant return to Studio 8H. But wait—where was his BFF and Only Murders in the Building partner-in-crime, Steve Martin? We’ll get to that juicy tidbit in a second, but first, let’s talk about the who’s who of comedy royalty that showed up for Short’s induction.
Tom Hanks (aka America’s Dad and unofficial club president), Paul Rudd (everyone’s favorite ageless wonder), Tina Fey (queen of wit), Alec Baldwin (17-time host because apparently, he’s got a subscription), Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, and John Mulaney all popped in to celebrate. Even Jimmy Fallon made an appearance, although he’s technically not a Five-Timer—just a guy who knows a good party when he sees one. Fallon got to hand Short his official Five-Timers jacket, probably because Alec Baldwin already has a closet full of them.
Steve Martin’s “Conflict”
Now, back to the elephant in the green room: Steve Martin’s no-show. Short addressed the absence with all the finesse of a comedy ninja during his opening monologue. “My dear friend Steve Martin is also part of the club,” he quipped. “He would have been here tonight, but he had a conflict with me not wanting him to be here.” Shots fired—but make it classy!
Short’s Big Night
The evening wasn’t just about jacket ceremonies and light-hearted Steve Martin burns. Martin Short treated the audience to a musical number (because why not?) and even locked lips with Jimmy Fallon, proving that comedy legends really do give it their all. Talk about starting the night with a bang!
Of course, the fun didn’t stop there. Musical guest Hozier took the stage later, presumably to bring the house down in his own soulful way. And knowing SNL, there’s bound to be a few more surprises tucked away before the credits roll.
Martin Short is officially a card-carrying member of the Five-Timers Club, and Steve Martin is officially the target of a hilarious faux feud. Merry Christmas!
Martin Short joins the Five-Timers Club! pic.twitter.com/ZoNq9tSCwd
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) December 22, 2024