Martin Short Brings Back Jiminy Glick to Interview Bill Maher

Bill Maher did a one-on-one interview with Martin Short on Friday’s episode of “Real Time.” But it wasn’t Maher interviewing Short. Instead, Short resurrected Jiminy Glick, his beloved parody of talk show hosts, to interview Maher about his best-selling book, “What This Comedian Said Will Shock You.”

In setting the interview up, Maher explained, “For years I’ve interviewed authors out here in our opening one-on-one interview spot, but now I find myself in the position of being the author of a book on the bestseller list, so I can’t interview myself — I needed someone to interview me. And we are so lucky tonight — we have a master, perhaps the master of the artform. Ladies and gentlemen, Jiminy Glick.”

At that, Short came out as the padded-costumed Glick. The legendary comic actor first created the talk show character for his 1999-2000 syndicated “The Martin Short Show,” then spun him off into hit Comedy Central series “Primetime Glick,” which ran through 2003. It’s a character Short has been known to reprise from time to time, including for interviews with Jimmy Fallon and Larry David.

“You’re really, you’re timeless. Your skin is so youthful. It is not saying it’s firm. I’m saying it’s useful,” Short as Glick said. “The Kylie Jenner lip plumper and you’re in wonderful shape for someone who’s let himself go — you’re like a male Marjorie Taylor Greene. In other words, Marjorie Taylor Greene.”

The interview went from there essentially as people familiar with Glick would expect, filled with non-sequiturs, blithe asides and deliberately obtuse questions. It’s really fun, and you can watch it all at the top of the page.