Comedy stars rush to defend Martin Short after a journalist calls him "desperately unfunny."
Nobody messes with Short.

Kois described Short as “unbelievably annoying”
You know what they say…everyone’s a critic. Meaning that, as inevitable as the sun rising each morning, there’s always going to be someone who simply is not buying what you’re selling. The cut of your jib just isn’t up to their snuff. That thing you do…the one that everybody else likes…well, this person hates it.
This was certainly the case for comedy legend Martin Short, who was the subject of an op-ed for Slate titled "Why We Keep Putting Up With Martin Short," written by Dan Kois. In the piece, Kois described Short as “unbelievably annoying” “try-hard” and wrote that his “whole schtick” was “exhausting, sweaty, and desperately unfunny.”
Ouch.
Short, a Tony and two-time Emmy winner, is known for eccentric, over-the top roles. He first came to fame during his stint on “Saturday Night Live” playing characters like the greasy, unkempt Ed Grimley. And since then has brought the world a womanizing White House Press Secretary on “Mars Attacks,” a flamboyant German wedding planner in “Father of The Bride,” and most recently, a grandiose theatre director in “Only Murders in The Building”…to name a few.
It’s probably understandable that certain bold styles aren’t for everyone. It’s also pretty natural to have a few celebrities that truly grate you for whatever reason. But this article pulled no punches while decimating Short’s entire life’s work.
"Throughout his evolution from sketch-comedy standout to uneasy movie star to twice-failed talk-show host to enthusiastic song-and-dance man, I've wrinkled my nose," Kois wrote. "Every time he dresses up in a silly outfit or says something outrageous or mugs for the audience, I want to shout at the screen: Why are you being like this?"Luckily, Short has racked up a loyal following of regular fans and other comedy legends alike, and they all wholeheartedly disagree.
Following the scathing op-ed, fellow “SNL” alumni Ben Stiller took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to declare "Martin Short is a comedic genius. End o story.”
Martin Short is a comedic genius. End o story.
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) September 9, 2023
Referring one of Short's characters from "Second City Television," actor John Cusack also tweeted: "I don't know what people are on about re Martin short – But his Mr. Rodgers boxing Match is my fav."
I don’t know what people are on about re Martin short -
— John Cusack (@johncusack) September 9, 2023
But his mr rodgers boxing Match is my fav
Even Luke Skywalker came to Short’s defense. Mark Hamill wrote, "Hard to believe people are actually debating whether or not Martin Short is funny. Newsflash: He is HILARIOUS” alongside some photos of Short’s most well known characters.
Hard to believe people are actually debating whether or not Martin Short is funny.
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) September 9, 2023
Newsflash: He is HILARIOUS. #ComicGenius pic.twitter.com/RGlajNHOzN
As television writer Todd Spence pointed out, he is also funny while not playing characters, sharing a compilation of Short roasting his longtime collaborator Steve Martin.
Martin Short ripping Steve Martin for 2 minutes. If you don't think this man is hilarious, you have no soul. pic.twitter.com/lQ2mNbsUHK
— Todd Spence (@Todd_Spence) September 11, 2023
"If you don't think this man is hilarious, you have no soul." Spence wrote.
All in all, The Martin Short fan club rallied in glorious fashion.
I think he will be remembered as one of the all time greats. I’m glad he’s getting this fanfare after that hatchet job of an article. He deserves every bit of it and more.
— Maureen Y. E. S. (Mo) (@HeroCallMovie) September 9, 2023
He’s a comedy god. Let’s ignore failed hacks. I absolutely love his turn in Arrested Development, so many, hilarious moments in his career, but for me that’s got to be my favourite.
— wayne ruddell (@ruddell_wayne) September 11, 2023
A Canadian treasure
— Danielle Savage (@ddlarue68) September 10, 2023
Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But it does raise the interesting question of: does it really do the world a favor to completely tear down someone simply because it doesn’t suit our tastes?
Either way, it doesn’t seem like Short is going to be too fazed. Certainly not after so many came together to praise him.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."