Book ~ "I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend" (2014) Martin Short

From Goodreads ~ Martin Short is one of few celebrities in show business who has continually worked hard, found success and kept his personal life intact. His memoir is a reflection on his diverse collection of experiences, both hilarious and heartbreaking. 

Short takes us through his career, from his early years with Second City Toronto and Saturday Night Live to his movie stardom. He recalls how he developed some of his enduring characters - manic man-child Ed Grimley, slimy lawyer Nathan Thurm, and the large and bizarrely insensitive Jiminy Glick. Here, too, are his television appearances, from "How I Met Your Mother" to his Emmy-nominated role in "Damages", as well as his stage productions, including his Tony Award-winning performance in "Little Me". Throughout, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Nora Ephron, Frank Sinatra and others friends and colleagues share the spotlight. 

This deeply private man brings us into the circle of his family life, from raising his children to the legendary parties he and his wife have hosted. He recounts the pain of losing a brother and both parents by the time he was 20, and of the devastating death of Nancy, his wife of thirty years, in 2010. Despite the hardships, Short’s life has been full of laughter, and he remains perennially upbeat. In this wise and entertaining memoir, he shares his irrepressible joy. 

Martin Short seems like a nice guy and I like some of the stuff he's done so that's why I was interested in reading his memoir.

Short is the youngest of five kids and was born in Hamilton, ON.  As a kid, he would pretend to host shows and record himself.  Though he went to university, he gave himself a year afterwards to become a performer before he had to get a "real" job.  He been in lots of TV shows (including SCTV and Saturday Night Live), movies and plays and has created many characters over the years including Ed Grimley.

He tells meeting his late wife, Nancy, and raising their three children in their beloved house in Pacific Palisades, CA, and a cottage in Snug Harbour, ON.  He tells stories of the close friends he's made over the years including Steve Martin and Tom Hanks in addition to his SCTV buddies like Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin and Catherine O'Hara. It sounds like they have a lot of fun together.  Though he's a celebrity himself, he still got star struck when he met idols from his childhood like Frank Sinatra and Katharine Hepburn.

I liked the writing style and this book re-enforced my opinion of him that he is a nice guy.