Actor and comedian Martin Short got a lot of laughs last night at the “Umforgettable Evening” EIF dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel–as he accepted the Courage award for his late wife Nancy. She died in August at age 58 after a three year battle with breast cancer. The couple had been together 36 years, Short said; Nancy was incredibly vibrant and popular. “I wish Nan were here to accept this herself,” Marty told me before the program began. After a heartfelt introduction from Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, and Rita Wilson, Short gave a lovely speech about his wife. He explained that he hadn’t spoken in public before about such a personal episode. “Maybe it’s because I’m Canadian,” he said, and then added: “We’re the aliens you don’t deport.”
Short spoke eloquently about the need for universal health care. He blamed “purchased politicians” for attempting to undo Obama care. He said, “The courage of uninsured Americans is the most astounding thing of all.”
Short also cracked a funny, old joke about good marriages in Hollywood: “Always be sensitive to your wife’s needs, and make sure your personal assistant fulfills them.”
