Martin Short joins ‘SNL’ five-timers club with star-studded induction

Martin Short is the latest celeb to make Saturday Night Live history, joining an elite group of performers who have hosted SNL at least five times — so it’s only right that the other stars come out to celebrate his big moment. 

To mark the occasion, Short donned the infamous robe, sipped a martini named in his honor, and traded truth bombs with some Hollywood A-listers. The Dec. 21 cold open began with a brief monologue from Tom Hanks, who explained that he started the club in 1990 as an “ingeniously lazy way to avoid writing a monologue.”

Hanks was interrupted by Paul Rudd, who looked around and asked the Here star who he was talking to. “I’ve done so many documentaries, whenever I sit in a leather chair, I just naturally assume I’m in one,” Hanks replied.

They then welcomed Short into the room and celebrated his induction with a cocktail called a “Marty-tini.”

As Rudd put it, “It’s just like you: super sweet and after a few sips you’re like, ‘I get it.'”

More members showed up to welcome Short to their exclusive club, including Alec Baldwin, wearing a special robe to commemorate his 17 times as an SNL host; Scarlett Johansson, who took special care to slam the door on her husband, SNL cast member Colin Jost; and Kristen Wiig, casually brushing her teeth while proclaiming that she definitely doesn’t live in the clubhouse.

At one point, while referencing his own show Only Murders in the Building, Short got a tad meta, commenting, “Isn’t it embarrassing when shows throw in big-name cameos just for cheap ratings boosts?”

“It’s the worst. It’s the worst possible thing,” replied two voices from the doorway, revealed to be two more big-name stars: Melissa McCarthy and Emma Stone.

Another interaction saw Short informed that this was the time and space for total candor.

“I hope you’re not expecting a repeat of what happened last year when we saw each other,”  Wiig told Short. “I’m not that girl anymore.”

“And I’m not that flexible anymore,” he replied. When Wiig informed the group that she and Short once shared an intimate hot yoga class, Short snipped, “Don’t tell them that.”

“It’s okay,” Wiig assured him. “In this club, you can be completely honest.”

Thus began a chain of increasingly ridiculous faux-confessions from the club members.

“Ant-Man’s powers aren’t good,” Rudd admitted.

Fey joined in, confessing, “It’s me that’s flying those drones. All of them!”

Hanks then revealed, “I never had COVID,” – to which Johansson replied, “I have COVID, right now!”

Smoking a cigarette in the corner, Baldwin lamented, “I have too many children.”

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Later, after McCarthy crashed through a wall, John Mulaney arrived to reunite with Short, who starred in his short-lived Fox sitcom Mulaney back in 2014.

“You could never do that show now,” Mulaney observed.

“Why, because everyone’s so woke?” Short asked.

“No,” Mulaney said. “Because it wasn’t good and no one liked it.”

Finally, Jimmy Fallon joined the club to give Short his robe. “Exactly your size,” he announced. “A women’s small.”

Watch Short get inducted into the exclusive club above.