Martin Short reveals first thought after seeing Steve Martin: ‘How did you get this rich?’

Martin Short recalled flying to Los Angeles to collect a script from Steve Martin’s house and being amazed by the comedian’s expensive art collection
Martin Short recently reflected on his longtime friendship with fellow comedian Steve Martin during a panel at the Netflix event in Los Angeles (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Martin Short recently reflected on his longtime friendship with fellow comedian Steve Martin during a panel at the Netflix event in Los Angeles (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Martin Short and Steve Martin share a friendship that goes far beyond their on-screen bond in ‘Only Murders in the Building’. The two comedians have known each other for a long time and have consistently maintained a strong relationship both on and off screen.

During an event, Short reminisced about the first time he met his longtime friend Martin and revealed what he thought, "How did you get this rich?"

Short also spoke about what it feels like to tour with Martin and work alongside him as a co-star. He shared that over more than a decade of touring together and working on ‘Only Murders in the Building’, they made a mutual decision to never stop meeting and staying in each other’s lives, no matter how busy things get.

Apart from their work in the series, both actors have also shared screen space in the films 'Three Amigos' and 'Father of the Bride'.

Martin Short arrives at the premiere of
Martin Short arrives at the premiere of 'Marty, Life is Short' on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at The Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Martin Short reveals what he thought about Steve Martin

Martin Short looked back on his long-standing friendship with Steve Martin, 80, during a panel with fellow comedians David Letterman and Paul Shaffer at the 'Netflix Is a Joke Presents: This Better Be Funny with David Letterman' event in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 7.

The 76-year-old shared that he first met Martin in the 1980s after appearing on Letterman’s show. He recalled flying to Los Angeles to pick up the script for Three Amigos from Martin’s home. “Then I flew to Los Angeles to pick up the script for Three Amigos from his house," Short said.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 29:  Steve Martin attends the
Steve Martin attends the 'Meteor Shower' Broadway Opening Night at the Booth Theatre on November 29, 2017, in New York City ( Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

"I walked in and saw all this incredible art and said, 'How did you get this rich? Because I've seen your act.'" Short also reflected on their lasting bond beyond film sets. “One thing about movies is you spend months together and then never see each other again. Steve and I made a conscious decision not to let that happen," he said.

Martin Short once called Steve Martin 'perfect person' 

Short told David Letterman that they have “probably done 35 shows a year together for over a decade.”  

“The titles keep changing. The Dukes of Funnytown. Two Wild and Crazy Guys. Things like that,” he joked.

This is not the first time Short has discussed his longtime friend. Back in 2022, while speaking with People, Martin noted, “There's just an ease between us. Sometimes, I'll hang out with Marty, and I'll realize I haven't laughed that hard in two months. And that just feels great.”

Selena Gomez with Steve Martin and Martin Short in 'Only Murders in the Building' (Hulu)
Selena Gomez with Steve Martin and Martin Short in 'Only Murders in the Building' (Hulu)

Meanwhile, Short previously told People in 2019 that “Steve's best quality is who he is as a man.”

“He's very moral, he's very loyal, very, very ethical. And this is beyond all that talent,” he shared.

Short has also called Martin “the perfect person.” “He's smart, he's funny,” the 'Cheaper by the Dozen' star continued. “He has many friends. He's the most popular guy at your dinner party. If he's coming to a dinner party, it's a better dinner party. If Marty can't come, you cancel the party.”

Notably, the two actor-comedians have also been working together on the series ‘Only Murders in the Building’ since 2021. For those unaware, the show was co-created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, with Martin Short also serving as an executive producer.

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