A reluctant song-and-dance man with a social work degree and a paralyzing fear of improv ends up surrounded by future legends in a Toronto production of Godspell. Decades later, terrified of the freefall, he became one of the most unpredictable scene-stealing comedic forces of the last 50 years.

This episode unpacks the life of Martin Short, a story bookended by staggering personal loss yet defined by unadulterated joy. From his first paid gig playing a credit card to his late-career renaissance, it’s an origin story about choosing to make the world laugh in the face of grief.

• How he lost his brother, mother, and father all before age 20, and channeled that grief into creating joy
• The peer pressure from Eugene Levy and Dave Thomas that finally pushed him into Second City and unlocked Ed Grimley
• Why hiding behind the Jiminy Glick fat suit let him ask celebrities more dangerous questions
• His grace under pressure during the Kathie Lee Gifford interview after wife Nancy Dolman’s death
• His unprecedented 70s renaissance: The Morning Show Emmy nod, touring with Steve Martin, and Only Murders in the Building