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Despite more than 50 years in show business – running the gamut of Broadway, TV and film − Martin Short refreshingly still feels nervous ahead of hosting his first game show. He’ll be ringmaster for ABC’s latest version of its fill-in-the-blank “Match Game” revival, returning July 23 (Wednesdays, 9 ET/PT).
“What draws me at this stage of my life to it is the idea that I’ve never done it before,” says Short, 75. “The idea of doing something that you’ve never done and could fail at is exhilarating.”
Game shows captivated Short as a child growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, about an hour northwest of Niagara Falls. “When I was a kid, I was obsessed with these game shows because that’s where I saw celebrities, and I thought it was cool to see celebrities,” Short says. “With movie stars in the ’60s, you only saw them at the Oscars. So you didn’t see any kind of people in show business as you do now so informally.”
Paul Lynde and Cliff Arquette (better known as his alter ego Charley Weaver) charmed Short on NBC’s “Hollywood Squares.” The honor of the satirist’s favorite game show goes to “What’s My Line?,” the CBS 1950-67 game show in which a panel of four celebrities tried to guess the challengers’ jobs.
“They’d have Lucille Ball come on as a surprise guest,” Short remembers, “and it’s live television. Everyone was in tuxedos and gowns, and it was just my introduction into what show business could be like.”
On Short’s “Match Game,” dueling contestants compete for a $25,000 grand prize. The goal is to have the same answer as many celebrity panelists when filling in the blank. For example, when asked to finish the prompt “Martin Short is really hoping to do more blank in life,” Short responds, “Oscar winning performances.”
That’s a joke, he clarifies of the dry delivery, before delivering another. “I’ll be lucky to make the ‘In memoriam’ package at the Oscars.”
Short follows in the footsteps of former “Match Game” hosts like original emcee Gene Rayburn and most recently Alec Baldwin, who hosted the current revival from 2016 to 2021. ABC shelved “Match Game” in 2022, months after the death of “Rust” cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, who was killed after Baldwin’s prop gun fired.
“Match Game” returns with eight hourlong episodes, and Short is determined to put his own spin on the gig. He says the show sings when “it’s just happening in the moment. … It should feel like a party at someone’s house.”
Short kicks off the premiere with a celebrity panel comprising his “Only Murders in the Building” Season 2 costars Selena Gomez and Cara Delevingne, comedians Anthony Anderson, Kevin Nealon and Ziwe, and Short’s “Father of the Bride” castmate BD Wong.
When does ‘Only Murders’ new season come out?
Martin praises his “Only Murders” cohorts’ performances as “perfect.” Neither Steve Martin nor Meryl Streep will appear this season, Short says. But they’ll be on hand for the Hulu comedy’s fifth season bowing Sept. 9. Beanie Feldstein, Jermaine Fowler, Keegan-Michael Key, newlywed Téa Leoni, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz and Renée Zellweger will appear in the upcoming season.
“Anything I say reveals a plot point, but it’s very strong,” teases Short, recently nominated for a lead actor Emmy for his portrayal. “It’s delightful that it kept up its quality.”
