Wow. This sucks. I loved Norm. He was brilliant.
““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.’”
Comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Norm Macdonald died Tuesday after a private battle with cancer, his manager Marc Gurvitz confirmed to USA TODAY. He was 61 years old.
Lori Jo Hoekstra, Macdonald’s friend and producing partner, told Deadline she was with him at the time of his death and that the comedian had been fighting cancer for nine years, but did not wish to share his health struggles with the public.
“He was most proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra told Deadline. “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.”
Macdonald is best known as a cast member on “SNL” from 1993-98, and especially his role as anchor of the show’s popular “Weekend Update” segment for three seasons. He also starred in several sitcoms and did voiceover work in animation.
“He’s eccentric, but he’s always had his own voice, and I respect that,” “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels said in 2018. “He likes the part of the curmudgeon, but he is truly funny.”
Macdonald was born October 17, 1959, in Quebec City, Canada, and got his start doing stand-up comedy. He was a writer on ABC’s “Roseanne” from 1992-93 before landing a spot on “SNL.”
Tears were shed in this household. R.I.P.
One of favorite bits he did was about the proud father of his gay son. Hilarious, as only Norm could tell it.
His podcasts would have me laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. The best import we got from Canada.
This one hurts, as far as celebrities go. Noble of him to keep a 9 year struggle to himself.
Funny guy! Always had Dennis Miller laid out!
RIP Sir!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBmIoUO7_Gc
That’s rough news. As a fellow curmudgeon he was something of a hero.
One of the best. RIP, will be missed.
He was so damn funny.
His delivery was spot on.
I remember him doing an SNL Weekend Update:
“This weeks number 1 band on the music charts is ‘Better Than Ezra.”
“Number 2 was…’Ezra”
So sad, he will be missed.
This is one that ranks as a real loss. RIP Mr. MacDonald
WMAL Vince Coglianese is going to roll some of his bits coming up. IHEARTradio will get you there.
Or WMAL.com.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
One of the greats of SNL. We’ll miss his deadpan humor.
The world just keeps getting less funny, doesn’t it.
He was one of the few comedians who made me laugh.
R.I.P. Mr. McDonald loved your Turd Ferguson character! Thanks for the laughs!
In a perfect world, we’d keep Turd Ferguson and lose Turd Fauci.
I’m serious.
Norm was hilarious. He and Dennis Miller were by far the best Weekend Update anchors. Loved Norm when he’d call up on Miller’s radio show and crack everyone up. So sad to see him go too soon.
One of my all time favorites.
I just watched the 35 min video of why he got fired from SNL…. Hilarious. In fact there are several cool video in this link :: https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/norm-macdonald-passes-away/
RIP Norm. 🙁
He did an ESPN awards show:
“And there’s Charles Woodson, won the Heisman…that’s something they can never take away from you…unless of course you kill your wife and a waiter…”
Damn!
That clip is out there if you look for it…
Now that is sad.
Prayers for his family.
Sad. One of my favorites.
RIP Norm. Talented, sharp mind, honest funny man.
Dang…..was laughing at his jokes last night on the YouTube channel I’m Not Norm…..
He didn’t car what people thought. Will be missed….
A funny, funny man. This loss hurts.
I loved it when Norm appeared live on The View and called Bill Clinton a murderer:
https://youtu.be/Z3PP_SWHUQQ?t=79
RIP, Norm.
Loved Norm but the world wanted him to be obsolete because he pointed out stupid people.
Dammit.
This sucks.
He is our favorite and not just because Mr. Illustr8r resembles him in looks and sense of humor. We saw him live years ago at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle when he was on a career comeback. Funny forever.
RIP Norm.
Thanks for all the laughs Norm.
All the cool people are dying, and all the douchebags are alive and kicking.
Coglianese just played The View where he called clinton a murderer.
Dude had balls. The ladies were fainting.
Brilliant fellow and thorn in the side ofd the left.
Rest in Peace, Norm. Your wit shall always be held in high regard.
HIs videos await my viewing pleasure again and again! RIP Norm
What does battling cancer for nine years and not going public about it tell you about the man – besides his deadpan hilarious humor? It wasn’t all about him. He did not have the “hey look at me” personality.
I second others who are pointing out that the good memorable entertainers are dying off to rapidly, leaving us with unmemorable, undesirable pretenders.
One of my all-time favorites (Language Warning):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_gUQeZcB8
Godspeed Norm MacDonald, may you rest in peace.
That one is a pisser. I’ve passed many an hour watching him on youtube.
God speed dude
@Chance – that is absolutely one of my favorite video clips!!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BITS WAS DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH HOWARD STERN WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A LIVE AND RAW ROUTINE THAT WASN’T GOING WELL:
HOWARD: “WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE IN TROUBLE?”
NORM: “WELL, I COULDN’T SEE VERY GOOD BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE BRIGHT LIGHTS, YOU KNOW…BUT I HEARD A GUY IN THE FRONT SAY ‘HONEY, GET YOUR COAT'”..
ONE OF THE BEST, SO BRILLIANT BUT PLAYED IT WELL
OMG. The San Francisco story with the proud parents of gays.
Fucking hilarious.
RIP
Enjoyed his work.
He found Jesus before he passed. Godspeed, Norm.
RIP Norm. You were funny.
All our favorites are dropping like flies. Sad.
His dry wit and nonchalant delivery of those spot on very funny jokes were the best.
Loved it when he made the left squirm, intentionally or not.
My favorite Norm MacDonald impression was definitely Burt Reynolds.
May he RIP.
We stopped watching SNL when he left. Best timing in the business. Cancer sucks.
I just watched about a half hour of old Norm videos. One commenter summed him up pretty, said he was the Colombo of Comedy.
I only recently became aware of him and thought he was so hilarious in a subtle way. Loved his humor. I don’t usually pay any mind to celebrities or when they die, but this really is a loss and he wasn’t very old. Rest in peace.
This is a great clip. The joke at 3:48 is over-the-top Norm. I share all of your sentiments posted above. Thank you all for posting, I watched all the “my uncle” jokes linked earlier. The one that goes on and on about the moth who goes to the doctor…I needed to laugh today.
Thanks, Norm.
https://youtu.be/L7K-kaelQEs
I think he was still one of the best Colonel Sanders in the KFC commercials too!
Rest In Peace Norm.
That was DOC…I didn’t know I stuttered!
What’s up DDDDDoc.
He also was on the early David Letterman Show.
@Irony he and Miller were tops.
RIP Norm
Dang. I really liked him. 9 years is a long battle. Didn’t know we shared a birthday, mine in 60 though.
Oh man, I loved his appearances in “The Middle”. He played the eccentric Uncle Rusty of the dysfunctional Hecht family. May he rest in God’s glory.
The hits just keep on coming lately. Norm is so awesome. Be at comedic peace and may all his family, friends, and fans be heavily comforted. 😥