Martin Short's interview with Jimmy Fallon descends into a brutal fight

"Let's have a quick talk behind the curtain."
By Sam Haysom  on 
Two men on a talk show look dishevelled.
Watch Next

Martin Short's appearance on The Tonight Show starts off with some of Short's usual roasting of the host ("You must be very excited, because in one month you're going to be pardoned for your role in January 6th," he tells Fallon) and his Only Murders in the Building co-star Steve Martin ("He's way into Christmas — he's already hung his compression stockings with care"). But then, suddenly, Short requests that Fallon talk to him privately behind the blue curtain.

What follows is an entertainingly silly hot mic-style skit in which Short and Fallon have an escalating argument that involves multiple curtain trips and a smashed urn.

Mashable Image
Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.


Latest Videos
The serendipitous events that led Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington to make 'The Six Triple Eight'
By Warren Shaw and Elijah Gil
The Six Triple Eight

'A Complete Unknown' cast talks Dylan, Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger
Cast of 'A Complete Unknown' Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Ed Norton


YouTuber MrBeast shares first 10 minutes of controversial new game show
A man in a dark suit stands in front of rows of contestants wearing blue.

Martin Short brings holiday joy (and roasts) to his musical 'SNL' monologue
Martin Short hosting "Saturday Night Live."


Willem Dafoe and Robert Eggers reveal their inspirations for 'Nosferatu'. It goes deeper than you may think.
Nosferatu Interview

Sabrina Carpenter's Tiny Desk Concert is short n' sweet
Sabrina Carpenter at NPR's Tiny Desk Concert.

'Grafted' trailer uncovers your next horror must-see
Joyena Sun stars as Wei in "Grafted."

'Mufasa: The Lion King' stars on the importance of Scar's origin story
Left to right:  Kelvin Harrison Jnr, Aaron Pierre, , Tiffany Boone, Billy Eichner, and Mads Mikkelsen sit against an orange "Mufasa" backdrop

Martin Short storms off set in 'SNL' promo
Three men stand on a stage facing the camera. The man in the middle looks angry.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16 and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!