I have some positive stories about Norm.
At a comedy show afterparty, these women groupies came for Norm. And Norm, not interested, said, “Hey You don’t want to party with a old guy like me. My dick doesn’t work! Those fellas could probably use some company!”
And they did! They all left together and Norm just hung out with the staff.
If you ever met comedians, they’re timid and shy, and often starving for attention. So to see someone like Norm MacDonald do that made him so incredible to me. Just super confident in himself.
His confidence was really something else. All of his friends in comedy describe him as “fearless” because he was never desperate to prove himself and seemed to just do whatever he personally thought was funny.
There are multiple stories of him going out and bombing on purpose, just for kicks.
There are multiple stories of him going out and bombing on purpose, just for kicks.
I mean if you listen to his live stuff, a solid quarter of it is him bombing intentionally, then just antagonizing the audience. Its like whatever the opposite of crowdwork is.
Seth MacFarlane: “Norm, you want to be a blob?”
Norm: “Hell yeah, I’ll be a blob.”
Pigeon!
A really, really great youtube doc, about 25 mins, about Norm that was released around his passing. Loved that guy and OJ Simpson killed his wife.
I haven’t watched his last special yet. I just can’t bring myself to, because after that there won’t be any new material from him ever. Stupid I know, it is what it is.
Watching him purposely bombing and egging it on, the looks on his face the whole time … he’s just enjoying the ride. Like all of his jokes were just for him, not the audience, and he knew they were going to land, and i don’t think he cared where.
I’ve only seen it once, but his last special feels less like a stand-up show and more like you’re on a zoom call with Norm while he tries out material. It’s funny, but I really missed all the “oohs” and grumbles from the audience when he would stick his toe over the line and then grin at the reaction.
It’s also very bittersweet, because it includes a bunch of Norm’s comedian friends sharing memories about him and being visibly sad that he’s gone.
I keep rewatching Norm MacDonald Live! on internet archive. Its the best of Norm imo. The Superdave Episode (the real first one, not the fake after the fact, produced one), where Superdave (I think) is literally not in on the joke till the last 20 minutes, it might be one of the funniest pieces of comedy out there.
Is that the one where he insists “I’m not part of this!” over and over? Lol
Yes.
The “What are you doing with your life?” one, where he only finds out its live like 45 minutes in.
But 9/11 was a national tragedy.
also that Hitler guy was a real jerk
You know, with Hitler, the more I learn about that guy, the more I don’t care for him.
Hey, do you own a doghouse?
Oh, I didn’t know he was sick.
He was already battling cancer when he posted this.
What year did Norm die in, again?
EDIT: 2021, so this was probably real.
didn’t even know he was sick
What do you mean, didn’t you hear him at the podiatrist office?
…or so the Germans would have us believe.
He’s saying the mom’s a whore. Its somehow a joke, an insult, and heartfelt.
Spread your love around to others, just like your mum did with me and the boyz lmao
