Ian Talks Comedy
Michael Short (SCTV, Schitt's Creek)

Michael Short talks to me about how the "attic" comedy tapes he made with his brother Marty led to him being hired on SCTV; joining the show in series 3; writing the Earl and Floyd segments; Stretch Your Arm; getting hired by John Candy to write on Big City Comedy the Monday after SCTV wrapped; Margaret Trudeau; returning to SCTV for the second US cycle; pitching Great White North Palace and winning the Emmy; playing Mike the Bartender on the Cinemax season; the anonymity of working for SCTV; Jim Carrey almost joins the Cinemax cast; working with Jonathan Winters; Speed Zones; Dave Thomas Show; how working for the former Christian Broadcast Company (then Family Channel) let some things by on Maniac Mansion; NBC executives ruin the Martin Short Show; the evolution of Jiminy Glick; working with Jan Hooks; having to make sure he was fired from the Bonnie Hunt Show; casting Bonnie for an unaired Dave Thomas pilot; working on Mad TV with Artie Lange; being too edgy for Wayne Brady; pitching "Pimp My Outhouse" for Blue Collar TV; reality TV; being the first writer hired for Schitt's Creek and being (with Dan Levy) the only one who was there for the whole series; winning the Emmy for best comedy, but COVID keeping him away
- Broadcast on:
- 11 Feb 2022
Michael Short talks to me about how the "attic" comedy tapes he made with his brother Marty led to him being hired on SCTV; joining the show in series 3; writing the Earl and Floyd segments; Stretch Your Arm; getting hired by John Candy to write on Big City Comedy the Monday after SCTV wrapped; Margaret Trudeau; returning to SCTV for the second US cycle; pitching Great White North Palace and winning the Emmy; playing Mike the Bartender on the Cinemax season; the anonymity of working for SCTV; Jim Carrey almost joins the Cinemax cast; working with Jonathan Winters; Speed Zones; Dave Thomas Show; how working for the former Christian Broadcast Company (then Family Channel) let some things by on Maniac Mansion; NBC executives ruin the Martin Short Show; the evolution of Jiminy Glick; working with Jan Hooks; having to make sure he was fired from the Bonnie Hunt Show; casting Bonnie for an unaired Dave Thomas pilot; working on Mad TV with Artie Lange; being too edgy for Wayne Brady; pitching "Pimp My Outhouse" for Blue Collar TV; reality TV; being the first writer hired for Schitt's Creek and being (with Dan Levy) the only one who was there for the whole series; winning the Emmy for best comedy, but COVID keeping him away