Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas

This special, which I luckily taped off of Showtime on a crappy old belt-driven VCR back in the '80s, is a scream. It's a shame that no Hollywood picture has used Short to this extent. Short as Doug Henning, Pierre Trudeau, Nathan Thurm, Ed Grimley, Jerry Lewis (in "Tender Fella"), Montgomery Clift ("I Married Monty," a fictional sitcom) and especially as Jackie Rogers, Jr. are all classic, hysterical stuff. My VHS tape is on its last legs. If only this title was available on DVD, I'd buy copies for everyone on my holiday gift list.

Words can not express how funny this is! I have this on VHS (taped from cable) and I wish it would be released on DVD! If you only know Martin Short for his horrible movies and funny Jiminy Glick show, you HAVE to see this! Since it is rather difficult to come by, you may have to find someone who is as crazy as I am and has it on tape.

With characters like Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers Jr, Irving Cohen, and Nathan Thurm, who needs Saturday Night Live?? Martin Short had enough funny characters for his own show! I wish he would revive some of these classic characters.

All in all, good clean humor which also includes memorable impersonations of Jerry Lewis, Montgomery Clift, and Martina Navatralova. John Candy and Eugene Levy also make hilarious appearances.

I had lost my only copy of this gem several years ago and checked IMDb often for news of the DVD but no luck. Fortunately a friend located a VHS copy which is now treasured like a family heirloom. Not a stretch here, Short's hysterical characters and the supporting cast - absolute gold. The interleaving story lines and short cameos - mixed with familiar classic characters - Grimley, Rogers, - the Candy and Levy scene and my favorite, Irving Cohen. I had rarely seen Montgomery Clift but after this, - the real Clift conjures up images of Short's version. The Cohen sketch at the awards ceremony pulled together by Flaherty's classic Heston squint and dead-on mannerisms - still one of the funniest sketches I have ever seen. If you can somehow locate a copy and if you enjoyed SCTV - you will love it.

Give me a C, a bouncy C! This Martin Short special is an absolute hoot. I was fortunate that my brother made a VCR copy back in the 80's and it is still in my parents collection Watching the SCTV gang over the holidays was an unexpected treat an brought back memories of the great stuff these guys did Jerry Lewis and Jacky Rogers Jr. my personal favorites. Candy and Levy cameos as Marcel and Stupic Eddy are priceless. Can do without Andrea Martin bit, but other stuff has inspired family quotes used quite often; "do I look like I am to be barked at?"... Don't pass up an opportunity if you get a chance to see this classic.

For anyone who has seen Martin Short in so many sub-par films ("Clifford", "Three Fugitives") and TV shows (the FIRST "Martin Short Show" in 1994) and wonder why he is considered such a great comedian, here's your proof.

In "Martin Short Concert for the North Americas", originally a cable special, Martin is very nearly the entire show as he partakes in a theater show that is supposed to benefit Canada and all the lesser Northern tier countries in the same hemisphere.

And in doing so, he not only slips into his Ed Grimley, Jerry Lewis, Doug Henning and Nathan Thurm shtick from "SNL" and "SCTV", but also shows his stuff as Pierre Trudeau, Martina Navratilova and the always entertaining Jackie Rodgers Jr.

There are other of his pals here from SCTV (Candy, Flaherty, Levy, Guest, Duke and Martin) lending a hand and making merry; and to be sure, you'll find a lot of good, solid laughs all the way through and, even if you've never found Short funny before, will find yourself laughing like never before.

And if you've ever wondered what a situation comedy starring Montgomery Clift would look like, here's the place to find out.

Ten solid stars for "Martin Short Concert for the North Americas", the definitive showcase for a great comedian.