Comedy fans in Virginia were left disappointed this weekend as legendary actor and comedian Steve Martin had to cancel two scheduled shows with longtime collaborator Martin Short.
The 80-year-old entertainer shared the news on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19.
Tour Stops in Virginia Scrapped
Martin revealed that their “The Dukes Of Funnytown!” tour stop at The Dome in Virginia Beach was cancelled, along with the following night’s show at Richmond’s Allianz Amphitheater at the Riverfront.
Sharing a photo of his positive test, Martin wrote:
“Dear Virginia Beach and Richmond. Sadly, I have some down with Covid.
I can’t possibly do the show that you deserve. So Marty and I must cancel tonight & tomorrow.
But we will return under better circumstances [sad face emoji].”
Later, he updated the caption with a lighter tone: “Hey! No flu!”
Fans and Friends Send Well Wishes
Fans quickly flooded Martin’s post with messages of support.
Actress Rita Wilson encouraged him to, “Feel better!” while another fan remarked, “Hope you have a light case and thanks for posting this to remind everyone Covid is still active as well as the flu.”
Other followers chimed in:
“Sending prayers for a speedy recovery.”
“So sorry – get well soon.”
Not the First COVID Hurdle for the Duo
This isn’t the first time COVID disrupted the duo’s tour.
Back in February, shows were cancelled after Martin contracted the virus following the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary special.
Martin joked at the time that the infection might have come from a cheeky encounter with Maya Rudolph:
“Maya had Covid. Marty has Covid. I wonder why? The SNL 50th Covid curse is real.”
During the SNL special, Martin and Short delivered a memorable monologue.
Martin has hosted SNL 16 times, while Short starred during the 1984-1985 season.
The primetime special drew an impressive 14.8 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, marking NBC’s highest telecast audience in five years.
Social media buzz was strong too, with 8.7 million interactions, the network’s biggest in two years.
Only Murders In The Building Season Five on the Horizon
Outside the stage, Martin and Short continue to entertain audiences on the hit mystery-comedy series Only Murders In The Building, alongside Selena Gomez.
The show has been renewed for a fifth season on Hulu, consisting of 10 episodes.
This season takes the trio from New York City to Hollywood, where they work on a movie inspired by their fictional podcast.
Returning cast members Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Zach Galifianakis will join the leads, along with special appearances by Meryl Streep reprising an old role, and newcomers Melissa McCarthy and Molly Shannon.
Richard Kind and Kumail Nanjiani are also onboard.
As always, a murder mystery is at the center of the plot, keeping fans guessing as the beloved trio investigates another puzzling case.