The Note Only Murders’ Steve Martin Gave Tina Fey About Comedy That’s Stuck With Her Through Her Career

steve martin and tina fey in only murders in the building.
(Image credit: Hulu)

Only Murders in the Building only seems to be gaining popularity as it continues through its second season. Hulu seems incredibly pleased with it, which is probably why a third season of Only Murders is on the way. One of the factors that's arguably made the show such a hit with fans is its revolving door of guest stars, which includes Tina Fey. The beloved comedienne recently up about working with longtime friend and OMITB star Steve Martin and revealed the note he gave her about comedy, which has stuck with her for years.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tina Fey got candid about the beloved actor and comedian. She recalled her Saturday Night Live days and spoke about a time when Steve Martin visited Studio 8H after doing an interview the previous night.  And it was during the encounter that Martin made a comment that Fey found "chilling":

One time Steve was visiting at Saturday Night Live, and I had seen him do Letterman the night before, I said, ‘You were so funny on Letterman last night.’ And he very matter-of-factly said, ‘Well, you have to kill every time.’ It was chilling to me, but it’s true. Comedy people can’t go on talk shows and blather like actors. We’re supposed to deliver. Steve always delivers.

That very short and direct piece of advice seemingly changed Tina Fey’s way of looking at her career. The veteran comic's words are really enough for anyone to chew on, considering that comedians do have to "be on" most of the time. Most would probably agree that both he and Fey typically don't miss when it's showtime.

Steve Martin has appeared on Saturday Night Live numerous times over the years, so he's probably dished out plenty of advice to more than a few stars. I'd imagine that he's a warm presence whenever he's at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, dropping jokes in with some of his wisdom. I personally wouldn't mind seeing him pop up on SNL again sometime soon.

Speaking of Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey returned to Weekend Update last season for a special segment and she truly delivered. Her work was enough to make one nostalgic for her tenure on the series. It goes without saying that the actress has more than made a name for herself, as Fey has plenty of notable TV shows and movies under her belt at this point.

While Tina Fey and Steve Martin are friends, their characters are currently enemies on Only Murders in the Building. Martin stars as actor Charles-Haden Savage, who teams up with neighbors Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) to solve some murders in their building (as the title suggests) and launch a podcast about their experiences. Fey, meanwhile, recurs as Cinda Canning, a true crime podcast host who's trying to take down the trio.

As the show keeps going, the two stars are sure to bring their A-game and keep viewers laughing in the process. All the while, I'm sure some of their younger colleagues are certainly soaking up knowledge from them.

New episodes of Only Murders in the Building drop on Tuesdays and can be streamed with a Hulu subscription! You can also check out Tina Fey's work on SNL by streaming past seasons with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Megan Behnke
Freelance TV News Writer

Passionate writer. Obsessed with anything and everything entertainment, specifically movies and television. Can get easily attached to fictional characters.