# RIP Norm MacDonald **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [September 14, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662 "2021-09-14T18:36:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/42 "2021-09-15T05:43:11Z")
Yeah, that’s perhaps his biggest talent — the ability to take hokey, out-of-date jokes and spin them into something funny with his delivery. Half the lines on Weekend Update are just terrible groaners, but he made them work and seem like the funniest lines ever written. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/43 "2021-09-15T09:45:51Z")
Oof, look at the reactions. Macdonald was reliably funny, but that was pretty shitty. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/44 "2021-09-15T10:23:42Z")
You know, now he’s probably up in Heaven, doing a set for St. Peter. Or, maybe he’s in hell, where demons gnaw at his flesh and the agonies of the damned never cease. Either way, he’ll be missed! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/45 "2021-09-15T11:32:26Z")
Nooooo! Not Yaphit! [![](https://mikeladano.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/orville-yaphit.jpg) ](https://mikeladano.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/orville-yaphit.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/46 "2021-09-15T15:37:03Z")
I saw Norm live in Calgary at a comedy club 6 or so years ago. He was hysterical, and his standup was very different than a lot of what I have seen him do on TV. He had tons of material. He did a long segment about being a vegetarian and how it was important to his healthy lifestyle. Then he said he also loved steak and hamburgers, “so I guess I am not a strict vegetarian.” He was one of my favorite comedians and didn’t seem to lose his edge. RIP Norm, I was pretty shocked to hear you died. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/47 "2021-09-15T15:56:22Z")
One of the funniest people to walk the Earth. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/48 "2021-09-15T16:09:14Z")
Remember that Macdonald didn’t just act in those Celebrity Jeopardy skits, he wrote most of them. So he had to be talented writing in other people’s voices, not just his own very distinctive one. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/49 "2021-09-15T16:11:51Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Sad to hear. > > If you did not know SNL axed him because an NBC exec was friends with OJ and did not like Norm constantly bashing OJ over the Nicole/Ron murder I’ve heard this story before, and I have to call BS on it. For one, Norm was hardly the only comedian, even on NBC, ripping on OJ in the mid-90s. Jay Leno, who was also on the network, mocked OJ relentlessly, as well, back then. Also, Norm didn’t leave SNL until 1998, a few years after OJ’s trial. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/50 "2021-09-15T16:24:37Z")
I’ve been listening to the Netflix Comedy Channel on Sirius (short snippets of their standup routines, from two to eight minutes long), and last week they played a portion of some standup he had done. Normally I don’t pay too much attention to the jokes since I’m driving, but I looked at the screen to make sure I saw who it was, and said to myself “Damn! He’s really funny!” I was surprised how good his material was. I hope they don’t take him off the rotation. It’ll be interesting to see what SNL does this weekend, since they’re still on break. It looks like Dave Chapelle (again), but a nice clip show wouldn’t be too hard to throw together. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/51 "2021-09-15T16:25:01Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I’ve heard this story before, and I have to call BS on it. For one, Norm was hardly the only comedian, even on NBC, ripping on OJ in the mid-90s. Jay Leno, who was also on the network, mocked OJ relentlessly, as well, back then. I don’t know or have an opinion whether this is true or not, but to be fair, it’s a lot easier to fire Norm MacDonald from SNL than it is to fire Jay Leno from The Tonight Show. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/52 "2021-09-15T16:39:47Z")
One of the few celebrity deaths that I really feel, also wild that he had been dealing with cancer for 9 years and kept it so close to the vest–but that seems like a quintessentially Norm MacDonald thing to do. Norm was a unique comedian who never pandered, maintained his own unique style and delivery his whole career, and was also widely regarded as being a generally good guy in the industry. Lots of stories about him out there being more polite and more personable behind the scenes and with fans than most celebrities. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/53 "2021-09-15T16:42:35Z")
Came down to the wire–Dole is undergoing treatment for Stage IV lung cancer, which is almost always fatal. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/54 "2021-09-15T18:38:43Z")
This is terrible; truly one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/55 "2021-09-15T19:13:24Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Dole is undergoing treatment for Stage IV lung cancer, which is almost always fatal. Especially when you are 98. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/56 "2021-09-15T20:08:33Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Nooooo! Not Yaphit! Damn, I’d forgotten he voiced Yaphit! That sucks. To honor NM, a friend steered me towards his 2017 special _Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery_, which I watched last night. It’s pretty funny. I’m gonna miss that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/57 "2021-09-15T21:06:50Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I don’t know or have an opinion whether this is true or not, but to be fair, it’s a lot easier to fire Norm MacDonald from SNL than it is to fire Jay Leno from The Tonight Show. > [@joebuck20](#): > > Also, Norm didn’t leave SNL until 1998, a few years after OJ’s trial. Doesn’t necessarily mean the jokes stopped. I’m not a regular watcher of SNL and don’t have an opinion on why he got fired. But it is plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/58 "2021-09-15T22:07:41Z")
I saw somewhere that he’d already recorded his part for S3 of _The Orville._ It apparently wrapped production in August… I haven’t seen a real confirmation, though. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/59 "2021-09-15T22:53:51Z")
Celebrity deaths happen just like everyone else. But this one stings bad. Really bad. My deepest condolences to his friends and family. Norms comedy was extraordinarily clever. One of my favorites is the title joke in his Hitlers Dog special on Netflix. He just didn’t let any subject be taboo. Norm, if you set out to make people really, really laugh, as well as think, mission more than accomplished. RIP. Hope it doesn’t sound morbid but I bet he had thought up some jokes regarding his cancer and death and such that we’ll never get to hear. You just know they were hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/60 "2021-09-15T23:09:37Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > “And the reason I don’t like it is 'cause in the old days, they’d go, “Hey, that old man died.” Now, they go, “Hey, he lost his battle.” That’s no way to end your life, you know? What a loser that guy was. Last thing he did was lose.” Another joke from that set: “I’m pretty sure, I’m not a doctor, but…I mean if you die, the cancer also dies at exactly the same time. So to me, that’s not a loss. That’s a draw.” What an absolutely fearless comedian. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662/61 "2021-09-15T23:50:18Z")
I never thought I’d laugh again at a Polish joke, let alone laugh my ass off: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2_0q_CXl41s/hqdefault.jpg "Norm Macdonald Hates Polish Jokes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_0q_CXl41s) RIP Norm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-norm-macdonald/950662.md?page=4)