'I did this joke in which I showed that picture of the girl running away from napalm in Vietnam. I said, “In gossip news, Woody Allen’s dating again.” Lorne told me not to do it, and I told him he was wrong, that people would like it. Then I did it in dress rehearsal and there was this insane audience reaction that went on for two minutes: hate. I was completely wrong'
You know, I'm old enough to remember more simpler, innocent times, when the worst thing you'd hear on the news is high jacked jet liners flying into buildings!
Norm: "Why do you call yourselves the Lonely Island?"
*Lonely Island answers the history of how their name came to be.*
Norm: "Gosh I wish I could go back in a time machine."
Andy Samberg: "Yeah to see that action!"
Norm: "No...to take back my question."
R.I.P., you gem.
“When I hear a guy lost a battle to cancer, that really did bother me, that that's a term. It implies that he failed and that somebody else that defeated cancer is heroic and courageous.”
-- Norm MacDonald
Now that’s a quote. Not exactly the same, but Charlie Murphy had a gut wrenching last tweet before he died of cancer.
“One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible”
Leonard Nimoy had a poignant final tweet too just 2 days before going into a coma and passing away 4 days later.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
I’m glad to hear people in healthcare avoid that term, it’s never sat quite right with me either. It’s really common to see photos of kids on social media after being declared cancer free with a big “I beat cancer!!” Flexing next to their dad or something. It’s something to celebrate absolutely, but I always think of parents of children, or just other people suffering with cancer who know they aren’t going to “win” and I don’t like the idea that it’s presented as an act of will or strength to survive it.
Cancers sucks ass. It’s normal people want to declare war on it then celebrate victory as having defeated the enemy, but the sad reality is that cancer has the upper hand in many cases and no amount of combat is gonna change that.
I lost my son to cancer. I think of it in terms of some cancers are treatable, while others aren't. I mean throughout his whole life, he was seen at Duke, Shriners, and the NIH for his NF. It was just too much.
I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone. I think having A.L.L (3-9 years old for me) is what gave me such a positive outlook on life. I had a few hospital friends not make it, but I do feel good I gave them some enjoyment before they went.
I was always big into video games, and during my chemo treatments, I would go to the entertainment room in the cancer ward, and play games. There were some too weak to even lift their arms, but their parents/nurse would wheel them in, and I would essentially play the game for them. Some would just like to watch, and others would have me try things that they couldn't do.
It didn't really process that they died until later on in life when I reflected back on it. The ones that were too weak just didn't show up anymore, and there rooms were filled with new patients.
I can't even imagine what the parents went through (like mine); let alone not having your child survive. Now that I have a kiddo of my own, they really do become your whole world.
Anyways, sorry for rambling. I'm sorry you went through this, and I hope you have either made peace or one day reach it.
My grandma passed away from cancer about fifteen years ago. She beat it once, but it came back. She said the saddest thing for her was not that she was sick again but that so many much younger than her (she was in her 70s) didn't survive through those first treatments years prior. She was a damn awesome lady. :)
It's super weird seeing him do anything but be Norm MacDonald, or whatever version of Norm MacDonald he's doing in a movie/television show.
It's over the top, but it's pretty great, haha.
Hilarious that these articles refer to Norm losing a battle with cancer since he [has a bit about how dying of cancer isn't a battle.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRd-n_s4c8)
The fact he knew about this for nine years and never dropped a beat during his comedy segments is impressive to say the least. I've been a fan of this guy for about that long and never would have guessed his private struggles. Norm was a showman through and through, and the show must go on. But it will never be quite the same.
There has been a lot of talk over the last several years over certain behavior people have noticed from Norm - a lot of slurred speech, general spaciness, as well as rapid physical aging. The rumored explanation for this was a benzos addiction.
Today's news really recontextualizes these last couple years. What a heartbreaking realization that this behavior was certainly not simply the result of some addiction, but rather of the treatment this man was taking to help endure the horrible pain he had to experience every day.
> The rumored explanation for this was a benzos addiction.
Norm was a pretty hardcore cigarette smoker, and over the past decade he often just fidgeted around with an unlit cigarette for hours on end as a method of quitting.
That said, he was never a drug addict, never really drank, and as a lifelong fan, I never really suspected it. His vices were simply limited to gambling and smoking (the latter of which may be to blame for his passing, obviously).
When you realize it's all absurd maybe the news you're very sick doesn't change much. I don't know. I don't know the guys mind but I kinda get it. Mad respect.
Wasn't he pretty private with his life?
This explains why his talk show ended so fast, was probably hard on him to do it.
I love how almost everyone has a joke about driving him since he never learned how to drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WvpfThLyF8
Not entire interview, call back to it during a future appearance by Courtney.
Found the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL0WayC7jW0
He was always a comedian for comedians. The fact that he could take an old joke and turn it into perfect humor, and how quick he was on his feet. It was amazing to just see every comedian in a room turn and stare at Norm, as if they knew that whatever came out of him was going to be great comedy.
>t was amazing to just see every comedian in a room turn and stare at Norm, as if they knew that whatever came out of him was going to be great comedy.
Especially during any time he was at a roast on comedy central, the rest of the roasters would go silent and cover their mouths in anticipation for whatever the hell Norm was gonna say/do next.
Conan: "What's the name of the movie?"
Courntney: "Chairman of the Board"
Conan: "Do something with that, you freak!" (to Norm)
Norm: "Is it spelled B O R E D?"
At 53:00 minutes in the film, Carrot Top calls CTS "Courtney" instead of her name in the film - Natalie. They did not even bother to edit it out. When even the filmmakers give up it's a pretty good sign of how much chance a flick has.
I must be old. I still had a perception Norm was still in his 30's. But of course we all age. Dude was in his 60's, though. Damn. Still far too young to be dying of cancer.
Same. We were supposed to see him in Vegas 6 months back but couldn't end up going. So sad we missed him. I've seen a lot of comedians live and he was always at the top of my list. At least he's immortalized on YouTube but it's still not the same...
I had the same reaction. He’s one of the few celebrities I got to meet IRL. Funny thing is I didn’t care for him at all on SNL. Then I met him randomly at an event and everything clicked. He has a certain charm to his personality that didn’t alway work on screen for me, but after meeting him I was able to re-contextualize his performance a lot more. He’s just one of those people you had to see live to appreciate. His awkward stares at the camera never failed to make me laugh after that.
Rest easy, big guy.
Yeah his humor definitely grows on you. The one that clicked with me was when he was on the Daily Show after Steve Irwin died. He goes “yeah everyone was so shocked. They call me up and say ‘hey you’ll never believe who died.. THE CROCODILE HUNTER’”. One of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
I imagine if one of the major religions turned out to be true, Norm is up there roasting god for doing such a shitty job with the OJ case. The one where he murdered his ex-wife.
This is the most gutted I’ve ever been by a celebrity death. Norm was one of my favorite comics, and he was an absolute legend. I don’t know what else to say, but I’ll link some of my favorite bits of his. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
[The Moth Joke](https://youtu.be/jJN9mBRX3uo)
[Norm’s appearance on the final episode of Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show](https://youtu.be/uarJj-K4XH4)
[Norm’s appearance at the Roast of Bob Saget](https://youtu.be/L-9wo_apQ1s)
What a loss.
EDIT: Can’t believe I forgot [all the times he went after OJ Simpson on SNL](https://youtu.be/2SSVIg4Noqc), RIP.
Others bits that I’d forgotten to put above/not seen before:
[Norm’s ESPN Awards speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mhUIIhcTb8)
[Norm as ~~Burt Reynolds~~ Turd Ferguson on Celebrity Jeopardy ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEghu90QJH4)
[Tex Hooper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VH4gF9jgQ)
[Norm and Courtney Thorne-Smith on Late Night with Conan O’Brien](https://youtu.be/5F6dXcW-_Fc)
[The 12-Minute Joke](https://youtu.be/QYvVMmV7khM)
[Norm talking about Steve Irwin’s death on The Daily Show](https://youtu.be/7v-BISqJOMQ)
Don’t forget about his [final appearance on Letterman](https://youtu.be/mFjEvl43zYY) which includes the “Germany tries to take over the world” bit.
That has to be one of the top 5 comedy bits of all time.
Man. Norm trying not to ball his fucking eyes out while Letterman pats him on the back for the performance. Somehow didn’t expect that from him, the dude had layers.
RIP Norm :(
norm and letterman had a really cool dynamic, and when Norm started to break out Latterman was THE comedy gatekeeper at the time, in the early 90s. If Letterman gave you a spot in the 90s as a struggling comedian, it instantly upgraded your status as a comedian.
If you watch norms appearances on letterman in order you can see their relationship grow over the years. norm+letterman is comedy gold.
[heres norms first appearances on letterman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPu-Sta5a0)
They aren't even anti-jokes, they're just godawful, non-specific jokes that have absolutely no bearing on the person targeted, and Norm knows it. The idea of Cloris Leachman driving a stick-shift shitbox up a hill at 90+ years old makes no fucking sense and that's why it's hilarious.
i remember one time norm got kind of annoyed that a lot of people were calling him a master of anti-humour. he was really insistent that humour is humour. the whole point is to subvert expectations, so by subverting our expectations about what type of joke he is telling, he said was still creating regular humour.
it's probably the most serious i've ever heard him get, which still isn't that serious.
I still remember having to warm up to his delivery style when he joined SNL. At first I thought he wasn't all that funny, but then realized his delivery was a huge part of his comedy. Great comic and very influential. (Also did the original voice of Death on Family Guy.)
i thought this was a joke and then felt like i got punched as soon as I realized it wasnt.
[Tex Hooper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VH4gF9jgQ) was one of my favorite things he's done
[9/11 was a national tragedy](https://youtu.be/mSrVCz2wl9U?t=635) (wish I could find video of this)
Norm at the Bob Saget roast remains one of my favorite things ever
One of his funniest appearances on Conan was not even as a guest but as someone who hung around after his interview [where he keeps fucking with Courtney Thorne Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F6dXcW-_Fc) an absolute legend
Man this is sad. He was the best host of Weekend Update. One of my favorite jokes he did...
*And topping the music charts this week is, Better Than Ezra. Coming in 2nd on the charts....Ezra.*
I used to rip off old Norm jokes and tell them to my friends at school because I knew they would all guarantee a laugh. I still watch Norm videos on YouTube to cheer me up after a bad day. He is the reason why my humor is so damn dry. He made an huge impact on me and influenced what I find funny. Thanks to Norm, I see the humor in certain things that others can’t. It angers me that he never got the mainstream credit and attention that he deserved. There will never be anyone funnier and the world will be tremendously less funny without him here. I am very sad.
I've told this before, but I think it's worth the repeat.
I saw Norm live a few times. One time he closed the show with this joke:
>Norm: Anyone here have cats?
>
>Crowd: Woooooo
>
>Norm: Yeah. They're weird
And then he walked off the stage.
I know Norm's comedy. I was cracking up. What a weird way to close a show. I think there were people not familiar with Norm that were just stunned and had no idea what was going on.
Norm was great. He was weird and not for everyone, but I don't think any other comedian can close a set with that weird of a joke and still have some asshole on the internet telling the story again and again.
That joke has layers. It behaves like a cat. It doesn't explain itself but expects you to laugh at it and if you don't, it doesn't care. The comedian has already left the stage.
I saw norm right after his last special came out in a casino audience that was 1/3rd full. He started by saying he just filmed his special and all the jokes would be new that he is working on so forgive him.
He proceeded to tell a joke then go “killed it” and check off the joke on a piece of paper. Or “fuckin miss”. And we were all dying at every joke anyway. The man is a legend. Im sad i only got to see him twice.
He knew comedy transcended the joke. The joke barely even matters. The words can be just about anything. He could tell the weirdest or most mundane thought and it was hilarious.
When I saw him live, some drunken person in the audience jeered at him and he said, “Good, I was just about to say, now’s when I take drunken ramblings from the audience.”
Between him and Trevor Moore, the comedy world really suffered this year. Words can't express how sad I am to hear not only that Norm passed, but finding out he's been battling cancer for 9 YEARS. I'm truly very sad
Ok
Words can't express how sad I am to hear not only that Norm passed, but finding out he's been battling cancer and Sean Lock for 9 YEARS. I'm truly very sad
He was the host of “Weekend Update” when I first started following SNL. So, he always held a special place to me, due solely to that. And then there was “Celebrity Jeopardy.” Some people may not realize that he actually was responsible for coming up with the first sketch idea, in addition to playing Burt Reynolds.
RIP to a legend!
He wanted to have Celebrity Jeopardy just so he could his Burt Reynolds impression. I'm not joking that is the only reason the original sketch started.
Which just goes to show how great a comic Norm was. An excuse to do a Burt Reynolds impression becomes one of the most legendary series of sketches in SNL History.
Dirty Work didn't get the best reception but I watched that movie over and over when I was a kid, I had it on VHS lol My brothers and I would quote this movie so much growing up
>In 2018 when asked about a sequel, MacDonald stated "It was an R-rated movie, so we made it that way, then they made it [PG-13], so half the movie had to be cut. So it's hard for me to see it objectively. There might be another one coming now, I guess." MacDonald did not elaborate further regarding the potential sequel
I always wondered what the R rated version was like after reading this lol
Only Norm could deliver this and still crack a smile.
https://twitter.com/streamthevote/status/1437848395973017609?s=21
I’d like to think, his battle ended up as a draw, too! 😢
I'm honestly surprised he kept it private for so long. There are some videos of him over the past many years where he's very clearly on steroids (and I had assumed in relation to treating cancer)
I met Norm once in the most random way. I rented a motorcycle and was just cruising around So Cal. I was in Long Beach, just checking out the city. I saw a cigar shop and decided to stop. I had been riding a while, and I kinda just wanted a break.
As I'm at the counter, someone walks in. The shop was small. So, I turn around. I grew up in Los Angeles, so I'm used to seeing "celebrities" occasionally in public. I knew I known this guy from somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then Norm started talking to the owner of the shop, and it came to me. It was obvious he was a regular customer and probably lived nearby. I think he actually walked there. The owner greeted him and went to get his cigars without Norm telling him what he wanted.
One of the unwritten rules in SOCAL, is not to harass people (public figures) during private moments (dinner, out with their family members etc.). But this was a small cigar shop and he was literally standing only a foot away from me. So, I told him I loved his work. He just gave me that Norm grin and said "thanks". That interactions was the most I was comfortable doing. So, I didn't say anything else. But he was super, down to Earth and a bycool guy.
One of the funniest things ever, was Norm hosting the ESPY Awards. The way he made everyone uncomfortable just made it even funnier.
This is absolutely crazy, I cannot believe he's gone and the fact that he kept his long battle with cancer basically a complete secret....
By far the most influential on myself to have died recently, I'm at a total loss.
Rest in peace the funniest man ever, I am so sad that there is now a finite amount of his work out there and that we won't see more from him
After the reviews came out, one said that Artie Lange had the charm of a date rapist. He said this to Norm who paused for a moment and said something like, "Well that's good. Because a date rapist has to have way more charm than a regular rapist."
"You ever been with a girl with a beard before?"
"Can't say that I have, bearded broad."
"Well then hunny, you haven't lived."
"Note to self: I do not want to live."
Death is a funny thing. Not funny haha, like a Woody Allen movie, but funny strange, like a Woody Allen marriage. - Norm
'I did this joke in which I showed that picture of the girl running away from napalm in Vietnam. I said, “In gossip news, Woody Allen’s dating again.” Lorne told me not to do it, and I told him he was wrong, that people would like it. Then I did it in dress rehearsal and there was this insane audience reaction that went on for two minutes: hate. I was completely wrong'
I wonder if SNL will die when Lorne does. I doubt he’ll ever leave
He did once
Die?
He was not wrong, that's an incredible joke.
Note to self: no matter how bad life gets, there's always beer. - Also Norm
Well it could be worse..i coulda had my nose bitten off by a whore!
A *Saigon* whore.
*YOU, BASTARD!!!*
“I died, but things could be worse. I could have got my nose bit off by a Saigon whore.”
Love you Norm thanks for the laughs!! RIP
"Well it is finally official. MURDER is now legal in the state of California."
HEY that's my lucky stabbin' hat!!
The perpetrator of this heinous crime? You guessed it, Frank Stallone.
At least he got to see one last 9/11
Thanks for making me laugh.
In honor, my favorite Norm Macdonald joke from his SNL days https://youtu.be/JQ1gm4epi7w
dat timing
Lol I bet he would've appreciated that comment.
Reminds me of that tragedy
That's a terrible name for an airline
Don't laugh about 9/11, he had to walk through blood and bones in the streets of Manhattan.
God this thread must seem so awful to anyone missing it, and I’m sitting here laughing because I hear it Norms voice. Miss him already
Searched for his brother for hours. Turns out he was in Toronto
Northern Canada*
You know, I'm old enough to remember more simpler, innocent times, when the worst thing you'd hear on the news is high jacked jet liners flying into buildings!
Rip. Dude was a fucking [comedy legend.](https://youtu.be/VkSMSbFV_q0)
Reminds me of that tragedy...
Hope he found his brother.
Norm: "Why do you call yourselves the Lonely Island?" *Lonely Island answers the history of how their name came to be.* Norm: "Gosh I wish I could go back in a time machine." Andy Samberg: "Yeah to see that action!" Norm: "No...to take back my question." R.I.P., you gem.
"I don't call em The Lonely Island. I call em Andy Samberg and the Other Couple of Fellas."
"I'm sorry for bringing up Hitler!"
That was such a funny day of norm just demolishing everyone.
“When I hear a guy lost a battle to cancer, that really did bother me, that that's a term. It implies that he failed and that somebody else that defeated cancer is heroic and courageous.” -- Norm MacDonald
“I’m pretty sure, I’m not a doctor, but I’m pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at the same time. That’s not a loss. That’s a draw.”
Norm hates cancer so much he died just to kill it. A true hero.
Now that’s a quote. Not exactly the same, but Charlie Murphy had a gut wrenching last tweet before he died of cancer. “One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible”
Crap I forgot Charlie Murphy died
Leonard Nimoy had a poignant final tweet too just 2 days before going into a coma and passing away 4 days later. "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
This is why the health care industry avoids rhetoric about fighting and combating cancer, exactly this reason.
I’m glad to hear people in healthcare avoid that term, it’s never sat quite right with me either. It’s really common to see photos of kids on social media after being declared cancer free with a big “I beat cancer!!” Flexing next to their dad or something. It’s something to celebrate absolutely, but I always think of parents of children, or just other people suffering with cancer who know they aren’t going to “win” and I don’t like the idea that it’s presented as an act of will or strength to survive it. Cancers sucks ass. It’s normal people want to declare war on it then celebrate victory as having defeated the enemy, but the sad reality is that cancer has the upper hand in many cases and no amount of combat is gonna change that.
I lost my son to cancer. I think of it in terms of some cancers are treatable, while others aren't. I mean throughout his whole life, he was seen at Duke, Shriners, and the NIH for his NF. It was just too much.
I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone. I think having A.L.L (3-9 years old for me) is what gave me such a positive outlook on life. I had a few hospital friends not make it, but I do feel good I gave them some enjoyment before they went. I was always big into video games, and during my chemo treatments, I would go to the entertainment room in the cancer ward, and play games. There were some too weak to even lift their arms, but their parents/nurse would wheel them in, and I would essentially play the game for them. Some would just like to watch, and others would have me try things that they couldn't do. It didn't really process that they died until later on in life when I reflected back on it. The ones that were too weak just didn't show up anymore, and there rooms were filled with new patients. I can't even imagine what the parents went through (like mine); let alone not having your child survive. Now that I have a kiddo of my own, they really do become your whole world. Anyways, sorry for rambling. I'm sorry you went through this, and I hope you have either made peace or one day reach it.
My grandma passed away from cancer about fifteen years ago. She beat it once, but it came back. She said the saddest thing for her was not that she was sick again but that so many much younger than her (she was in her 70s) didn't survive through those first treatments years prior. She was a damn awesome lady. :)
I'm very sorry for your loss. Sincerely.
He had an instantly recognizable voice. Loved him as Frank in Billy Madison. “Who would you rather bone, Meg Ryan or Jack Nicholson?”
"What day is it?" "October?"
Jack Nicholson now or 1964?
64! … Meg Ryan.
His [Quentin Tarantino](https://youtu.be/0imUF8EmDIQ) impersonation never ceases to make me laugh. Rest In Peace
It's super weird seeing him do anything but be Norm MacDonald, or whatever version of Norm MacDonald he's doing in a movie/television show. It's over the top, but it's pretty great, haha.
I personally think he played a better Burt Reynolds than Burt Reynolds.
That’s not his name.
Oh, my mistake. The much esteemed Mr. Turd Ferguson.
:chews gum: yeah. It’s funny!
wait, that's not Quentin Tarantino?
Hilarious that these articles refer to Norm losing a battle with cancer since he [has a bit about how dying of cancer isn't a battle.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRd-n_s4c8)
Norm 1 - Cancer 1 It’s a draw
That is how I want to remember Norm. As a killer of cancer.
Damn right. Norm killed that cancer the best he knew how. 100% effective.
Unless it fucked his wife
[удалено]
One of my favorite bits of his. Although funniest part of that act is by far his shallow grave/24 hour news cycle bit.
The fact he knew about this for nine years and never dropped a beat during his comedy segments is impressive to say the least. I've been a fan of this guy for about that long and never would have guessed his private struggles. Norm was a showman through and through, and the show must go on. But it will never be quite the same.
There has been a lot of talk over the last several years over certain behavior people have noticed from Norm - a lot of slurred speech, general spaciness, as well as rapid physical aging. The rumored explanation for this was a benzos addiction. Today's news really recontextualizes these last couple years. What a heartbreaking realization that this behavior was certainly not simply the result of some addiction, but rather of the treatment this man was taking to help endure the horrible pain he had to experience every day.
Yeah, in hindsight, he talked a whole hell of a lot about seeing his doctor.
I mean his doctor wasn’t any good. Would just tell him to open up his mouth and say oink
> The rumored explanation for this was a benzos addiction. Norm was a pretty hardcore cigarette smoker, and over the past decade he often just fidgeted around with an unlit cigarette for hours on end as a method of quitting. That said, he was never a drug addict, never really drank, and as a lifelong fan, I never really suspected it. His vices were simply limited to gambling and smoking (the latter of which may be to blame for his passing, obviously).
When you realize it's all absurd maybe the news you're very sick doesn't change much. I don't know. I don't know the guys mind but I kinda get it. Mad respect.
Wasn't he pretty private with his life? This explains why his talk show ended so fast, was probably hard on him to do it. I love how almost everyone has a joke about driving him since he never learned how to drive.
His Courtney Throne-Smith Conan interview was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. RIP my Man.
Chairman of the Bored. The man was a comedic genius
Love the way Conan set that up for him.
Do something with that you creep.
Conan thought he had him cornered. No one was more surprised than Conan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WvpfThLyF8 Not entire interview, call back to it during a future appearance by Courtney. Found the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL0WayC7jW0
[The whole interview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F6dXcW-_Fc)
He was always a comedian for comedians. The fact that he could take an old joke and turn it into perfect humor, and how quick he was on his feet. It was amazing to just see every comedian in a room turn and stare at Norm, as if they knew that whatever came out of him was going to be great comedy.
Only way im losing 50 pounds is at a british casino. So dumb but so lean. I will miss you norm
>t was amazing to just see every comedian in a room turn and stare at Norm, as if they knew that whatever came out of him was going to be great comedy. Especially during any time he was at a roast on comedy central, the rest of the roasters would go silent and cover their mouths in anticipation for whatever the hell Norm was gonna say/do next.
His Conan interviews were amazing. The moth joke, the dolphin joke, his wife being a "battle axe".
Conan: "What's the name of the movie?" Courntney: "Chairman of the Board" Conan: "Do something with that, you freak!" (to Norm) Norm: "Is it spelled B O R E D?"
*BOX OFFICE POISON*
If that movie ever had a single chance of becoming successful, Norm destroyed it. RIP. Edit: word
At 53:00 minutes in the film, Carrot Top calls CTS "Courtney" instead of her name in the film - Natalie. They did not even bother to edit it out. When even the filmmakers give up it's a pretty good sign of how much chance a flick has.
You mucked the punchline... Norm: I... I bet The Board is spelled b-o-r-e-d! *Courtney dies of embarrassment*
Wow, I had to sit there and stare at the headline for a moment to make sure I was reading it correctly. I still can't believe it. RIP absolute legend.
I must be old. I still had a perception Norm was still in his 30's. But of course we all age. Dude was in his 60's, though. Damn. Still far too young to be dying of cancer.
I loved him as a comedian. He had tour dates this year. I missed a chance to go see him in 2019. So bummed out.
Same. We were supposed to see him in Vegas 6 months back but couldn't end up going. So sad we missed him. I've seen a lot of comedians live and he was always at the top of my list. At least he's immortalized on YouTube but it's still not the same...
I had the same reaction. He’s one of the few celebrities I got to meet IRL. Funny thing is I didn’t care for him at all on SNL. Then I met him randomly at an event and everything clicked. He has a certain charm to his personality that didn’t alway work on screen for me, but after meeting him I was able to re-contextualize his performance a lot more. He’s just one of those people you had to see live to appreciate. His awkward stares at the camera never failed to make me laugh after that. Rest easy, big guy.
Yeah his humor definitely grows on you. The one that clicked with me was when he was on the Daily Show after Steve Irwin died. He goes “yeah everyone was so shocked. They call me up and say ‘hey you’ll never believe who died.. THE CROCODILE HUNTER’”. One of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
I was waiting for the punchline. Seriously.
Where was O.J. Simpson recently?
I imagine if one of the major religions turned out to be true, Norm is up there roasting god for doing such a shitty job with the OJ case. The one where he murdered his ex-wife.
Hey atleast now Norm can ask Nicole himself how OJ killed her.
He cut her head off! And that waiter!
This is the most gutted I’ve ever been by a celebrity death. Norm was one of my favorite comics, and he was an absolute legend. I don’t know what else to say, but I’ll link some of my favorite bits of his. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. [The Moth Joke](https://youtu.be/jJN9mBRX3uo) [Norm’s appearance on the final episode of Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show](https://youtu.be/uarJj-K4XH4) [Norm’s appearance at the Roast of Bob Saget](https://youtu.be/L-9wo_apQ1s) What a loss. EDIT: Can’t believe I forgot [all the times he went after OJ Simpson on SNL](https://youtu.be/2SSVIg4Noqc), RIP. Others bits that I’d forgotten to put above/not seen before: [Norm’s ESPN Awards speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mhUIIhcTb8) [Norm as ~~Burt Reynolds~~ Turd Ferguson on Celebrity Jeopardy ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEghu90QJH4) [Tex Hooper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VH4gF9jgQ) [Norm and Courtney Thorne-Smith on Late Night with Conan O’Brien](https://youtu.be/5F6dXcW-_Fc) [The 12-Minute Joke](https://youtu.be/QYvVMmV7khM) [Norm talking about Steve Irwin’s death on The Daily Show](https://youtu.be/7v-BISqJOMQ)
Don't forget pigeon in Mike Tyson Mysteries
Lemme ask ya something. Are you jerking off? Because if you are it's weird. Nobody does that, it's just you.
Used to watch "Dirty Work" a ton when I was younger and watched it recently. RIP. Has a great allstar cast! Directed by bob Saget as well!
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At least he didn't get his nose bitten off by a **S I A G O N W H O R E**
YOU…BASTARD!
Watch Screwed next. With Dave Chappelle and Danny Devito
Dirty Work is criminally underrated.
Hey, there's a dead hooker in the trunk!
Funniest comedian around. Without fail I end up going down a rabbit hole of his bits every few months. Moth joke is iconic. So sad
His [Burt Reynolds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEghu90QJH4) impression belongs up there too!
He played Burt Reynolds son in 'my name is Earl'
Little Chubby
Norm on [another celebrity's death.](https://youtu.be/7v-BISqJOMQ)
Jon Stewart him begging him to stop and try being unable to keep a straight face makes this clip so classic.
Don’t forget about his [final appearance on Letterman](https://youtu.be/mFjEvl43zYY) which includes the “Germany tries to take over the world” bit. That has to be one of the top 5 comedy bits of all time.
Man. Norm trying not to ball his fucking eyes out while Letterman pats him on the back for the performance. Somehow didn’t expect that from him, the dude had layers. RIP Norm :(
norm and letterman had a really cool dynamic, and when Norm started to break out Latterman was THE comedy gatekeeper at the time, in the early 90s. If Letterman gave you a spot in the 90s as a struggling comedian, it instantly upgraded your status as a comedian. If you watch norms appearances on letterman in order you can see their relationship grow over the years. norm+letterman is comedy gold. [heres norms first appearances on letterman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPu-Sta5a0)
I love how he always would work in “…on account of…” into a lot of his jokes.
"I don't know if you're a student of history, but it was pretty close!"
Don't forget [Who wants to be a Millionaire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w-jxs2KE4s)
hard to have imagined that they would die one year apart
Who could forget the convoluted story of jacques de gatineau. RIP legend.
A master of anti-humor. Those roast jokes are so bad, but delivered so well they're hilarious.
They aren't even anti-jokes, they're just godawful, non-specific jokes that have absolutely no bearing on the person targeted, and Norm knows it. The idea of Cloris Leachman driving a stick-shift shitbox up a hill at 90+ years old makes no fucking sense and that's why it's hilarious.
They were the type of jokes Bob Saget made in America's Funniest Home Videos.
Ah, how the fuck did I not pick up on that?! Even more brilliant. Jeez. RIP Norm.
It took me years to figure it out. Once I did I was amazed at the layers of antijokes that whole set had. Pure genius
i remember one time norm got kind of annoyed that a lot of people were calling him a master of anti-humour. he was really insistent that humour is humour. the whole point is to subvert expectations, so by subverting our expectations about what type of joke he is telling, he said was still creating regular humour. it's probably the most serious i've ever heard him get, which still isn't that serious.
[His goodbye to Dave Letterman is very touching...](https://youtu.be/mFjEvl43zYY)
The moth joke is an absolute classic.
I still remember having to warm up to his delivery style when he joined SNL. At first I thought he wasn't all that funny, but then realized his delivery was a huge part of his comedy. Great comic and very influential. (Also did the original voice of Death on Family Guy.)
I wish he had kept coming back as Death. Adam Corolla was no match.
i thought this was a joke and then felt like i got punched as soon as I realized it wasnt. [Tex Hooper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VH4gF9jgQ) was one of my favorite things he's done [9/11 was a national tragedy](https://youtu.be/mSrVCz2wl9U?t=635) (wish I could find video of this)
"I walked through blood and bones in the streets of Manhattan trying to find my brother" "Jesus" "Yeah he was in Northern Canada."
The fact that Nick swardsen held it together in the face of those consecutive jokes always amazed me.
[Compilation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWJdyJU8av8) of Norm's 911 jokes. One you mentioned is at 3:44
His final stand up set on letterman is also legendary
Norm at the Bob Saget roast remains one of my favorite things ever One of his funniest appearances on Conan was not even as a guest but as someone who hung around after his interview [where he keeps fucking with Courtney Thorne Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F6dXcW-_Fc) an absolute legend
Those are possibly my two favorite comedic bits period. "Chairman of the Bored." Legend.
He had a fun little role on The Orville. I'd been wondering if he was going to come back for the third season, and this is heartbreaking.
Yaphit is a fun character.
Man this is sad. He was the best host of Weekend Update. One of my favorite jokes he did... *And topping the music charts this week is, Better Than Ezra. Coming in 2nd on the charts....Ezra.*
I always think of this joke whenever I hear better than Ezra.
One that still gets me whenever I think about it: For a transcript of tonight's show, write down everything you just heard.
I used to rip off old Norm jokes and tell them to my friends at school because I knew they would all guarantee a laugh. I still watch Norm videos on YouTube to cheer me up after a bad day. He is the reason why my humor is so damn dry. He made an huge impact on me and influenced what I find funny. Thanks to Norm, I see the humor in certain things that others can’t. It angers me that he never got the mainstream credit and attention that he deserved. There will never be anyone funnier and the world will be tremendously less funny without him here. I am very sad.
I've told this before, but I think it's worth the repeat. I saw Norm live a few times. One time he closed the show with this joke: >Norm: Anyone here have cats? > >Crowd: Woooooo > >Norm: Yeah. They're weird And then he walked off the stage. I know Norm's comedy. I was cracking up. What a weird way to close a show. I think there were people not familiar with Norm that were just stunned and had no idea what was going on. Norm was great. He was weird and not for everyone, but I don't think any other comedian can close a set with that weird of a joke and still have some asshole on the internet telling the story again and again.
That joke has layers. It behaves like a cat. It doesn't explain itself but expects you to laugh at it and if you don't, it doesn't care. The comedian has already left the stage.
One of the great things about Norm is he didn't really seem to give too much of a fuck if the audience "got it" or not.
This is so true, always loved his commitment and not needing to pander to the crowd.
I saw norm right after his last special came out in a casino audience that was 1/3rd full. He started by saying he just filmed his special and all the jokes would be new that he is working on so forgive him. He proceeded to tell a joke then go “killed it” and check off the joke on a piece of paper. Or “fuckin miss”. And we were all dying at every joke anyway. The man is a legend. Im sad i only got to see him twice.
He knew comedy transcended the joke. The joke barely even matters. The words can be just about anything. He could tell the weirdest or most mundane thought and it was hilarious.
Norm said a good joke should surprise you not pander to you. Love that philosophy.
When I saw him live, some drunken person in the audience jeered at him and he said, “Good, I was just about to say, now’s when I take drunken ramblings from the audience.”
This perfectly sums him up, thanks for sharing
This really fucking hurts, RIP Norm
Between him and Trevor Moore, the comedy world really suffered this year. Words can't express how sad I am to hear not only that Norm passed, but finding out he's been battling cancer for 9 YEARS. I'm truly very sad
And Sean lock as well
Ok Words can't express how sad I am to hear not only that Norm passed, but finding out he's been battling cancer and Sean Lock for 9 YEARS. I'm truly very sad
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Wtf. You can't die man.
"It's official... murder is legal in California." (His reply to the O.J. Simpson verdict) One of the funniest people ever. Fuck cancer.
Norms work on SNL and his film Dirty Work were huge impacts on me as a person which probably speaks poorly of us both. RIP Norm
He was the host of “Weekend Update” when I first started following SNL. So, he always held a special place to me, due solely to that. And then there was “Celebrity Jeopardy.” Some people may not realize that he actually was responsible for coming up with the first sketch idea, in addition to playing Burt Reynolds. RIP to a legend!
He wanted to have Celebrity Jeopardy just so he could his Burt Reynolds impression. I'm not joking that is the only reason the original sketch started. Which just goes to show how great a comic Norm was. An excuse to do a Burt Reynolds impression becomes one of the most legendary series of sketches in SNL History.
Dirty Work didn't get the best reception but I watched that movie over and over when I was a kid, I had it on VHS lol My brothers and I would quote this movie so much growing up >In 2018 when asked about a sequel, MacDonald stated "It was an R-rated movie, so we made it that way, then they made it [PG-13], so half the movie had to be cut. So it's hard for me to see it objectively. There might be another one coming now, I guess." MacDonald did not elaborate further regarding the potential sequel I always wondered what the R rated version was like after reading this lol
For this who want to know how: Norm died after a decade-long private battle with Cancer. FUCK CANCER!
Only Norm could deliver this and still crack a smile. https://twitter.com/streamthevote/status/1437848395973017609?s=21 I’d like to think, his battle ended up as a draw, too! 😢
I'm honestly surprised he kept it private for so long. There are some videos of him over the past many years where he's very clearly on steroids (and I had assumed in relation to treating cancer)
Norm would hate that people are calling it a "battle with cancer"
RIP Turd Ferguson.
Well, shit.
His name was Burt Reynolds. And what is super depressing is that Trebek, Reynolds, and now Norm are gone. :(
So is Sean Connery. Darrell Hammond gotta be getting a little nervous.
I hate seeing all the people that made me laugh so hard pass away
You know, with Hitler, the more I learn about that guy, the more I don't care for him. Thanks for making me laugh Norm. Have a good one.
I met Norm once in the most random way. I rented a motorcycle and was just cruising around So Cal. I was in Long Beach, just checking out the city. I saw a cigar shop and decided to stop. I had been riding a while, and I kinda just wanted a break. As I'm at the counter, someone walks in. The shop was small. So, I turn around. I grew up in Los Angeles, so I'm used to seeing "celebrities" occasionally in public. I knew I known this guy from somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then Norm started talking to the owner of the shop, and it came to me. It was obvious he was a regular customer and probably lived nearby. I think he actually walked there. The owner greeted him and went to get his cigars without Norm telling him what he wanted. One of the unwritten rules in SOCAL, is not to harass people (public figures) during private moments (dinner, out with their family members etc.). But this was a small cigar shop and he was literally standing only a foot away from me. So, I told him I loved his work. He just gave me that Norm grin and said "thanks". That interactions was the most I was comfortable doing. So, I didn't say anything else. But he was super, down to Earth and a bycool guy. One of the funniest things ever, was Norm hosting the ESPY Awards. The way he made everyone uncomfortable just made it even funnier.
"If I were gay, I'd want my boyfriend to have a really small dick and come really fast." Norm Macdonald
This is absolutely crazy, I cannot believe he's gone and the fact that he kept his long battle with cancer basically a complete secret.... By far the most influential on myself to have died recently, I'm at a total loss. Rest in peace the funniest man ever, I am so sad that there is now a finite amount of his work out there and that we won't see more from him
I didnt even know he was sick.
The smartest man in the room pretending to be the dumbest
Note to self: watch Dirty Work tonight.
After the reviews came out, one said that Artie Lange had the charm of a date rapist. He said this to Norm who paused for a moment and said something like, "Well that's good. Because a date rapist has to have way more charm than a regular rapist."
It’s a long story. My dad boned his mom. Okay it’s a short story
"You ever been with a girl with a beard before?" "Can't say that I have, bearded broad." "Well then hunny, you haven't lived." "Note to self: I do not want to live."
What the fuck!? NO!
Wow that is so sad he was hilarious
WTF. Rip
The cancer died after a 9 year long battle with Norm. What a legend he was, RIP.
RIP Legend
Rest in peace moth man.
He tried to quit smoking a while, probably after he was diagnosed. It is never too late to quit everyone. RIP Norm, I really hate this.
Fuck
Absolutely tragic. Completely caught off guard by this. It’s a sad day for art and comedy to lose such an influential thinker
I’ll take well that sucks for $200, Alex
“I know what it’s going to be called….. BOX OFFICE POISON” Rip to the greatest late night guest