‘Only Murders in the Building’ Made a 5-Word Nod to Steve Martin and Martin Short’s Friendship With 1 Hilarious Line
Steve Martin and Martin Short’s friendship got a shoutout on Only Murders in the Building. Sure, their characters, Oliver Putnam (Short) and Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), are friends. But the writers behind the Hulu original series included a line in the Oct. 22, 2024, episode about something the comedians do together: get colonoscopies.
Oliver told Charles they could get colonoscopies together on ‘Only Murders in the Building’
In the Oct. 22, 2024, episode of Only Murders in the Building, “Escape from Planet Klongo,” Oliver and Charles argue on a Ron Howard movie set. Oliver has a specific vision for his bachelor party: whiskey, A-listers, and naughty secrets.
Charles can’t take it and calls Oliver “insufferable” before apologizing soon after. They go for lunch at a Chinese restaurant where Oliver once ate a memorable meal with Howard.
In an unusually heartwarming moment for the two, Oliver tells Charles: “You know we’re going to be friends to the end,” before adding, “We can get colonoscopies together.”
Charles very sweetly tries to make Oliver’s bachelor party dreams come true with whiskey and a naughty secret. He gives Oliver’s framed headshot pride of place next to Howard’s on the restaurant’s wall of celebrities. Then in walks “Ron Ron” who proceeds to have lunch with the two.
Short and Martin do get colonoscopies together
The equal parts funny and sweet line is made so much better by the fact that the actors do get colonoscopies together. Martin and Short have done it for years alongside Oscar winner Tom Hanks and producer Walter Parks to make getting ready for procedure more fun.
Short talked about it in his 2014 autobiography, I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, before the two Only Murders stars discussed it during a 2018 Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance.
Every two years, they spend the night at Martin’s house playing poker, watching movies, and eating broth and Jell-O while they cleanse their systems the night before their colonoscopies. The next day, they carpool to their exams and have lunch afterward.
“We thought, everybody at our age…at a certain age, you want to get a colonoscopy,” Martin said on the talk show. “We all came over, we played poker, and we watched some funny movie and you drink all this stuff.”
“We call it ‘Colonoscopy Eve’ in Canada,” Short added. “There’s Jell-O, you know, there’s not much you can [eat],” Martin added. “You have to purge all day and then we toast.”
The only thing that puts a damper on their so-called Colonoscopy Eve fun? Martin only having one bathroom.
The ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 4 finale is next
Sorry, Only Murders in the Building fans. Season 4 is almost over. After nine episodes, lots of laughter, many guest stars—and the killer’s reveal—all that’s left is the season finale. The tenth and final episode begins streaming Oct. 29, 2024, on Hulu.
It’s titled “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” Charles, Maybel, and Oliver will likely learn what exactly happened to Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) in between Oliver and Loretta (Mery Streep) saying “I do.”
Here’s hoping the people behind the award-winning series really embraced the nod to the 1997 romantic comedy of the same name and maybe even got stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, or Cameron Diaz to make a cameo.
Fans will have to wait until Oct. 29 to find out!
