I Must Say

My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend

By: Martin Short

Narrated by: Martin Short

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In this engagingly witty, wise, and heartfelt memoir, Martin Short tells the tale of how a showbiz-obsessed kid from Canada transformed himself into one of Hollywood’s favorite funnymen, known to his famous peers as the "comedian’s comedian".

Martin Short takes you on a rich, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking ride through his life and times, from his early years in Toronto as a member of the fabled improvisational troupe Second City to the all-American comic big time of Saturday Night Live and memorable roles in movies such as ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride. He reveals how he created his most indelible comedic characters, among them the manic man-child Ed Grimley, the slimy corporate lawyer Nathan Thurm, and the bizarrely insensitive interviewer Jiminy Glick. Throughout, Short freely shares the spotlight with friends, colleagues, and collaborators, including Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Gilda Radner, Mel Brooks, Nora Ephron, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Shaffer, and David Letterman.

But there is another side to Short's life that he has long kept private. He lost his eldest brother and both of his parents by the time he turned 20, and, more recently, he lost his wife of 30 years to cancer. In I Must Say, Short talks for the first time about the pain that these losses inflicted and the upbeat life philosophy that has kept him resilient and carried him through. In the grand tradition of comedy legends, Martin Short offers a show business memoir densely populated with boldface names and rife with re-tellable tales: a hugely entertaining yet surprisingly moving self-portrait that will keep you laughing - and crying - from the first page to the last.

Special Lyrics for "It's The Most Wonderful Show of the Year" and "Picture-Perfect Christmas In The Palisades" by Martin Short, Marc Shaiman, and Scott Wittman; Special Lyrics for “Marty Throws a Party Just to Sing" by Marc Shaiman.

©2014 Martin Short (P)2014 Harper Collins Publishers

Funny memoir

Martin Short's memoir is very entertaining. His ability to imitate voices makes this audible version a must-have! I love his Katherine Hepburn story and his stories of his family (particularly his Dad.) So Good!

You respect the man

What made the experience of listening to I Must Say the most enjoyable?

Short's performance of his book is excellent. He tells his story without being pompous.

What does Martin Short bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Martin sings, does his impersonations and brings a warmth to his own story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The description of his relationship with his wife is impossible to not appreciate.

Any additional comments?

I'm not a Martin Short fan. His comedy eludes me and his characters are more irritants than inspired. When Martin Short is on the screen, I don't laugh. But this book made me respect him. I'd like to have lunch with this guy and talk over family. He sounds like a truly wonderful friend. I ended still not a fan of his comedy, but definitely an admirer of his journey.

Awesome

After reading this book - I feel like i understand so much more - about Marty, SNL, SCTV, its a wonder book and funny - very funny

Heartwarming and funny

Love him, and now I got a glimpse into his real life, glamour, warts, hurts and love. Refreshingly honest and very funny, of course.

great read by Martin Short, alot of good insight.

great read by Martin Short, alot of good insight. we are ready for the next book.

Loved this story!

Enjoyed the Steve Martin and Martin Short special on Netflix even more after listening to this.

Even better than expected from a childhood idol

I grew up watching Martin Short and the rest of the amazing comedians on SCTV, wanting so badly to be like them, and from the description of this book expected some walks down memory lane but didn’t imagine the depth of the story he would tell. I loved hearing all of the stories from his time at SCTV as well as the years following, behind the scenes stories that included some of my favorite actors and comedians, but learning about his relationship with his family and wife as well as his take on life and how to deal with tragedy was more enlightening than I could’ve expected.

It was inspiring to hear, and from a comedic perspective, an audiobook is the ideal format for this book, hearing the stories told in his voice(s) added so much to the experience! There were a few moments when it was a bit difficult to tell if his ego was showing, or if it was Canadian embarrassment, but neither would make the book less appealing, (it would be difficult to avoid a little bit of ego coming through given the people who are in some of the stories).

A truly excellent memoir, I want to start it over again already. The closing passage was especially moving. In the vein of the great John Candy, Martin Short has managed to blend comedy with deep emotion and at times sadness, to me the hallmark of the best, most meaningful, and satisfying comedy. I appreciate Martin Short even more after reading this.

terrific audiobook

Love Martin Short? Then this is up your alley. It was a pleasure to here him tell his life experience.

I feel like a friend

I waited too long. and, I am so very glad I heard the audio vs reading. I was sorry it ended.

Martin Short-what a wonderful story

This book brought tears, sighs, & plenty of chuckles. I loved hearing how Marty came up with all his notable characters. And the relationship with him & his beloved Nan..what a treasure.