Oh, wow. I didn’t know any of that. His opening monologue in his return to host SNL was also legendary.
Norm MacDonald Dies: Influential Comedian & Former ‘SNL’ Weekend Update Anchor Was 61
Norm MacDonald used bluntness as a comedy weapon more effectively than anyone, with the exception of Don Rickles (who had a more layered approach and used it differently).Macdonald’s death was announced to Deadline by his management firm Brillstein Entertainment. The comedian’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, who was with him when died, said Macdonald had been battling cancer for nearly a decade but was determined to keep his health struggles private, away from family, friends and fans.
“He was most proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra said. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”
There are longer versions of this legendary late night interview, but this one had the clearest picture.
Oh, wow. I didn’t know any of that. His opening monologue in his return to host SNL was also legendary.
He uttered my most favorite single line joke on SNL's Weekend Update.
"Kenny G released his Christmas album. Happy birthday, Jesus. I hope you like crap."
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
"One POSSIBLE future. From your point of view... I don't know tech stuff.".... Kyle Reese
Norm was simply fearless. Never backed down, always smiling. A master.
Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'
Who gave Norm MacDonald the best tribute? You guessed it... Frank Stallone.
frankstallone.jpg
Some people think Norm wasn't very funny, and there is a group of people who think he was comedy genius. I happen to think he was hilarious. Very quirky comedian. Really sorry to see him go.
This opening of the 1998 ESPYs is worth a watch.
"Something in my vicinity is Carolina blue and this offends me." - HPR
I’m always been a Norm McDonald fan but damn. That really, really didn’t age well. Starting from the opening line (I only took the job for the interns) misogyny and racism were flying high. If you think it was all just innocent fun watch the stunned reactions of the women sitting next to their laughing men and the stunned reactions of the black men surrounded by laughing whites.
And I’m far from being a political correctness policeman. Not at all. For example I thought the joke about ‘black men also can’t jump’ was funny. But the joke about the black athlete turning into OJ - that was pretty humiliating for him and it was clear he was hurt by it.
I know that the late 90’s was a different time. And I just wanted to celebrate Norm. But it is hard to ignore what’s going on in that clip. Or am I off here?
Another affable Canuck comedian who made it big in the U.S...no doubt the devious work of the inimitable Lorne Michaels.
Comedy evolves and is based on a moment in time. Can't really judge it based on today's standards, but yes, things in the past that were maybe funny then are cringe worthy today. I had the same recoil on the first joke about interns, yikes!
There was a good discussion of this on the Rewatchables about Mrs. Doubtfire and how that movie could not be made today and is actually inappropriate in today's context. (Although supposedly they were going to make a musical but COVID has delayed that, they assumed the musical was going to make some substantial editorial updates to modernize it).
Norm definitely had a unique and recognizable style/voice about him and a quick wit. Passed too soon...he did a standup in March 2020 talking about COVID. In it, he claimed he was 68 years old. (He died at age 61).
Apologies to all the teachers out there, who I think are heroes, but I love this one with Norm destroying a teacher who has the temerity to call herself a hero.
https://youtu.be/dAg9M-O9wGo
Hard at work making beautiful things.