Martin Short interrupts his cherished cottage time for Just for Laughs
TORONTO - When Martin Short and his family vacation in Ontario's Muskoka Lakes Township every summer, the animated Canadian funnyman enjoys exercising, socializing with fellow celebrity cottagers and stripping down his schedule - among other things.
"We'll go for a nude swim," Short, in a recent phone interview from his Lake Rosseau retreat, jested of his upcoming plans with cottage neighbour and fellow "SCTV" alumnus Catherine O'Hara.
"It's our tradition - our 1 a.m. nude-off."
The skinny dip between the comedy giants and longtime friends, said a facetious Short, will go down this Thursday after he makes a mad dash back to his luxury getaway following his evening gala at Toronto's Just for Laughs festival.
Short's pudgy fictional celebrity journalist character Jiminy Glick will "also be swimming with Catherine" - in a thong, he declared.
"That'll be somethin'," said Short, slipping into the flamboyant voice of Glick, a recurring character from several of his TV shows and specials.
Glick - whom Short calls his "most fun" character to do - may also appear at his Thursday night Just for Laughs showcase at Massey Hall, which includes a lineup of Newfoundland and Labrador star Shaun Majumder, Toronto duo the Doo-Wops, Australian talent Adam Hills and American comedians Elon Gold and Joey Kola.
This is the first time that Short, who was born in Hamilton, Ont., is attending or participating in the Just for Laughs festival, which has been running in Montreal for 26 years and just expanded to Toronto last year.
That's not to say that the Tony winner hasn't wanted to partake in the annual summer comedy celebration - it's just that he could never bear to tear himself away from his beloved Muskoka dwelling to make the trip to Montreal, he said.
"Too far from the lake," quipped Short, adding with a cheeky tone: "It all comes back to nude swimming with Catherine."
As you've probably guessed, the former "Saturday Night Live" star, who has two homes in California, is very attached to his Muskoka cottage. "I think the whole year for me is geared around this time," he said.
While at the property with his wife, Canadian actress Nancy Dolman, and their three children (aged 18 to 24), Short said he enjoys biking, Pilates, doing his Ab Roller and "a kind of a mindless stream-of-conscious putter."
"I think that it's the lack of the schedule that I love and it's a very healthy existence up here," he said.
Of course, as Short puts it, "You've got to pay the bills," hence the Just for Laughs showcase and a top-secret project he's working on for HBO.
Then there's the hobnobbing with the other high-profile cottagers, including O'Hara, who was "just over the other night for a lovely cocktail," said Short.
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are also longtime Muskoka cottagers and Short offered in a playful tone that he sometimes gets together with them for "a lovely glass of lemonade."
Just for Laughs Toronto runs from July 23 to July 27 and will also include a concert, ethnic-themed shows, free outdoor events and two other galas - one hosted by fellow "SNL" alumnus Jimmy Fallon and one by Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" fame.
Alexander and Short co-starred in a Los Angeles stage production of "The Producers" in 2003 and Short said he'd love to reconnect with him at Just for Laughs - provided it doesn't conflict with his cottage schedule.
"If he's going to be there that night, absolutely," said Short, a member of the Order of Canada.
"If not, I'll be at the lake. I wish him my best."
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