Steve Martin and Martin Short discuss their colonoscopy parties with Tom Hanks on Jimmy Kimmel Live

The longtime actors and friends detail their eccentric tradition

Actors Steve Martin and Martin Short revealed that every other year they have a colonoscopy party with Tom Hanks.

During an appearance Tuesday night on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote their comedy tour, Martin and Short divulged details about the special event where they play cards, watch films and get colonoscopies together alongside Hanks and their other friend Walter Parks.

"We thought, everybody at our age ... at a certain age, you want to get a colonoscopy," said Martin, 72. "We all came over, we played poker and we watched some funny movie and you drink all this stuff."

Martin is referring to the liquid-only diet that individuals must abide by the night before this medical procedure.

Short, 68, quipped: "We go to Steve's house around 5pm the night before; we call it 'Colonoscopy Eve' in Canada, and it's catered; there's JELL-O, you know, there's not much you can [eat], you have to purge all that and then we toast."

But the colonoscopy parties aren't entirely fun for the longtime friends.

"What's shocking is with Steve, you know, he's a wealthy man, who would think he would have one bathroom?" Short said. "I mean, by 10pm, the bathroom looks like day 14 of a Carnival Cruise."

Martin joked, "I thought the bathroom ended up looking like a Jackson Pollock."

This isn't the first time Martin and Short have discussed their colonoscopy parties on late-night television.

In 2013, the actors revealed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno that they sleep over at Martin's house and go to a private clinic the following morning.

Last night they told Jimmy Kimmel that the four friends travel in one car and take turns getting a colonoscopy.

"We actually play cards and whoever loses goes last, of the four," Short said.

Martin concluded that a colonoscopy party holds them accountable as a "great way to do something that you should do."