AMERICANWAY

ITINERARY TOP: WILSON WEBB 2 0 D EC E M B E R 2 01 4 A A .CO M/A M E R I C A NWAY in a career spanning some 40 years, Martin Short has specialized in cre- ating and portraying characters in which the needy a nd aberra nt col- l ide t o gener at e i n aud ienc es a n unex pected empathy a nd, usua lly, riotous laughter too. But Short is also one of the nicest people in show business. "The most interesting characters in the world are lunatics," says 64-year-old Short, who is enjoying a busy winter, as he just re- leased his autobiography, I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend (Harper, $27); is starring on the Fox sitcom Mulaney; and will play Dr. Blatnoyd, a vital character in Paul Thomas Anderson's big-screen adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's 2009 novel, Inherent Vice, out next month. "The mark of the man is how he responds to situations. In comedy, it's usually funniest when a character finds himself over a barrel, as we all do sometimes, and he responds very, very badly. But I don't think that makes for a very happy life." I n t he h ig h ly a nt ic i- pated Vice, Shor t ra ises the stakes on embodying m a l e v o l e n c e , g e n e r a t - ing early Oscar buzz for a character he describes as "creepy and horrible." The dentist Short portrays, pos- sessed of more than a few degenerate habits, claims to be in t he business of "smile maintenance," a job description that snugly suits the artist be- hind countless laughs in a career boasting legendary stints on Second City Television and Saturday Night Live and in films like ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride. In some alternate universe, Short — who, as recounted in I Must Say, has endured an inordinate amount of tragedy (the sudden death of his older brother and his parents when he was young and the 2010 death of his wife and frequent collaborator, Nancy Dolman) that might have hardened his heart — is working today in Ontario, Canada, as a social worker, his original career track. When it's suggested to Short that the two paths may not be so far apart, he smiles. "I knew that whatever I ended up doing in this life, I wanted to help people somehow, and I have found that comedy helps people," he says. "It brings them joy and comfort in even the most dire situations." A n d i f y o u 'r e M a r t i n S h or t , s m i l e - maintenance maestro, you mine that mid- night for a sliver of radiance and, probably, a belly laugh or two. "What I've found, really, is that attitude is everything," he says. "Wheth- er it's healthy DNA or good parenting, I wake up every morning on the sunny side of the street. It's a good place to be." —J. Rentilly { G A M E S } 'Tis the Season to Game We've rounded up 2014'S BEST VIDEO GAMES for every kid — and every kid at heart. SUPER SMASH BROS. (Wii U, 3DS) For 15 years, the Smash Bros. series has hosted punch-and-kick brawls between Nintendo's most famous characters, and the latest edition has expanded with a large cast of special guests. Famed '80s heroes like Mega Man and Pac-Man join this year's long-awaited installment, which arrives in both portable and living-room editions. ALIEN ISOLATION (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC) The thrilling Alien movie franchise that Sigourney Weaver made famous finally gets a video game experience to match. Instead of constant, bullet-loaded battles, players in this game will feel true isolation as they sneak through a space station's shadows and hide from the series' terrifying "xenomorph" foes. FORZA HORIZON 2 (Xbox One, Xbox 360) DRIVECLUB (PlayStation 4) Both "next-generation" systems will enjoy their own fast and furious racing games this season, and each has a different, exhilarating take on high speed. DriveClub harks back to '90s arcade racing, but with incredibly realistic cars and online "club" options for a modern era, while Forza Horizon 2 sends players into a massive, foliage- lined car festival that encourages drivers to steer off the road. DISNEY FANTASIA: MUSIC EVOLVED (Xbox One, Xbox 360) Thanks to the Kinect motion sensor, parents and kids alike can wave their hands to conduct animated symphonies, as in the namesake film. A mix of classical numbers and modern pop songs means this isn't a total clone of the Disney classic, but, between its interactive worlds and some surprises, longtime Fantasia fans should feel right at home. —SA M M AC H KOV EC H "The most interesting characters in the world are LUNATICS." Martin Short (seated) and Joaquin Phoenix in Inherent Vice

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