Martin Short Got COVID After “SNL” 50th Special, Steve Martin Says: ‘The “SNL” 50th COVID Curse is Real’
Martin and Short postponed upcoming concerts until October
Martin and Short postponed upcoming concerts until October Theo Wargo/NBC via Getty Martin Short and Steve Martin during 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special':max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/martin-short-steve-martin-snl50-the-anniversary-special-022025-29d337b259d746f9891ab1c57ae8d66d.jpg "Martin Short and Steve Martin during the monologue on February 16, 2025 at SNL50: The Anniversary Special.")
Colin Jost’s joke about COVID spreading at the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary special on Feb. 16 might have had a kernel of truth to it, after Steve Martin’s latest Instagram post.
On Thursday, Feb. 20, the comedy legend, 79, said he and Martin Short will have to postpone upcoming shows in Knoxville, Tenn., and Durham, N.C., after Short got COVID. He included a picture of his Only Murders in the Building costar, 74, kissing Maya Rudolph backstage at Studio 8H during SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
“Maya had Covid. Marty has Covid. I wonder why? The SNL 50th Covid curse is real,” Martin wrote on Instagram. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Martin Short and Maya Rudolph at 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special'
Martin and Short were scheduled to perform at Durham Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Feb. 22, and Knoxville Civic Auditorium on Sunday, Feb. 23. The Knoxville show was rescheduled to Oct. 17, with the Durham show rescheduled for the following day.
“So sorry for the inconvenience,” Martin added. “I think we’ll be funnier then, anyway.”
PEOPLE has reached out to reps for Short and Rudolph, 52.
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During the special “Weekend Update” segment on Sunday, Jost, 42, joked that packing so many comedy legends into a single studio might not have been the best idea.
“Health experts are facing increased pressure this winter in the face of outbreaks of COVID, the flu, RSV and nanovirus, which they’re calling a quad-demic,” Jost joked. “So we did the smart thing and packed every beloved entertainer over 60 into one tiny space.”
Martin delivered the opening monologue to kick off the 50th anniversary special. Although he was never a cast member, he has hosted SNL 16 times and made dozens of cameos during the show’s 50 years on air. Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Martin Short and Maya Rudolph on the red carpet
Related: All the SNL Cast Members Who Weren’t at the 50th Special and Why
In December 2022, he co-hosted with Short, whom Martin introduced as the “only Canadian who wasn’t in Schitt’s Creek” on Sunday. Martin asked the Canadian comedian if he had his passport, which he didn’t, before fake ICE agents dragged Short off the stage.
“Marty and I have been working together so long that we can actually finish each other’s careers,” Martin joked.
SNL50: The Anniversary Special is now streaming on Peacock.
