Martin Short Hopes to ‘Keep Laughing’ with Steve Martin After 40 Years of Friendship (Exclusive)

After four decades of friendship, Steve Martin and Martin Short have accomplished so much together. From appearing in 1986’s Three Amigos! — an experience that really kicked off their bond— to touring together with their comedy show and now starring on Only Murders in the Building together, the pair has done it all. 

Short, 74, tells PEOPLE that their long-standing relationship is thanks in part to the fact that they both made a “conscientious effort” to keep in touch following Three Amigos! 

Looking ahead, Short says that he doesn’t have “a bucket list” as he has “done everything I needed to bucket.” But as far as his friendship with Martin, he’d “like to just keep laughing. 

“Steve and my friendship is tied around a concept of ongoing laughter — and respect for each other and love for each other — but laughter,” he says. 

Another hallmark of their friendship? Gossip. 

When they’re not working together, the two explain that while they certainly don’t talk every day they are sure to keep up to date — “especially with gossip,” Martin, 78, says. 

“Always with gossip,” Short agrees. 

These days, as the two continue to film season 4 of Only Murders in the Building, they took some time away from playing Charles and Oliver to star in Wells Fargo’s latest campaign for their Active Cash Credit Card, which specifically highlights the card’s unlimited 2% cash back feature.

In the funny series of spots, which feels ripped right out of a real conversation between the old friends, Short pulls out his card to cover the tab on the pair’s various outings in order to take advantage of the cash back offer. 

In real life, though, Martin assures that it’s “very, very even” between the two. 

“But I’m able to trick him,” Martin continues.  “For example, the bill will come, and I say, ‘Let’s put both our credit cards — our Wells Fargo credit cards — so we could both get 2% cash back on the thing, so that we’ll split’ and then I remove mine.”

He adds: “And then he pays for it and doesn’t realize it, but the problem is he gets the 2% and I don’t.”

Short, without missing a beat, adds his two cents: “The reality is that if we do split it, we agree on the tip, and I deliberately do $10 more.”

In addition to their work on Only Murders in the Building, Martin and Short will also hit the road for their The Dukes Of Funnytown! show, which kicks off on May 3 in Syracuse, New York. 

“The format is basically the same, but the interior bits change and grow, and we drop a line and add a line,” Martin says of how the new show compares to previous ones.  “If you saw a show one week and went to see it the next week, it’d be pretty close to the same. But if you saw it five years ago, it would be pretty close to the same too.”

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After so many years working together, the two sure do seem like they’ve found a groove.

“There’s just an ease between us,” Martin told PEOPLE for a 2022 cover story.

“You have a perspective at this age that it’s not forever,” Short added. “So to feel great and healthy and have loved ones around you, you appreciate it.”