Remembering a legend
Every celebrity death hits different. Anthony Bourdain broke my heart. Kobe had me in disbelief. Now, Norm Macdonald has me…looking for a laugh.
I never got to meet Norm, nor see him live but his comedy had an enormous impact on me. Turd Ferguson will forever be one of–if not the–best SNL skit of all-time. He was also the greatest Weekend Update anchor we’ve seen, and there have been some great ones. No guest on late night shows could steal the show the way he could. If you’ve never had the chance to watch Norm Macdonald Live, his video podcast, make sure to check it out now. Norm had a way to make horrible jokes funny. Both horrible in the sense of being a bad not funny joke, and horrible as in offensive. He could tell those kind of jokes like nobody else could, with his awkward charm and self-aware questioning of what he just said. It’s a craft that many comedians can’t capture. His ability to deliver a cringey joke is what makes him one of my favorites ever. Doing my awkward interviews, on-air conversations, and street bits I always wanted to be like Norm. The segment on Live where they would read each others jokes or have guests read his jokes is unparalleled.
Not only was Norm one of the best stand-up comedians we’ve seen, but he was always funny in his movie/tv roles. His brief cameo in Deuce Bigalow European Gigolow? Classic! He had a one of a kind voice that can’t be replicated. Trust me, I’ve tried. It can’t be done. I encourage you to spend some time watching the videos and clips I’ve provided within this blog. You may feel guilty laughing occassionally…but those jokes will stick with you. He was everything I want to be as a funny guy, understated, care free, awkward, and not afraid to say what everyone else is thinking. Thank you Norm for teaching us how to be funny, even when it’s not the right time. We will all miss you.
Cort Freeman 