In 1986, a young comedian walked off stage at Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club and vowed never to perform again.
That same year, he was diagnosed with cancer.
His name was Norm Macdonald, and his story would change comedy forever.
Here's what happened:
That same year, he was diagnosed with cancer.
His name was Norm Macdonald, and his story would change comedy forever.
Here's what happened:
In his 20s, Norm faced his first battle with cancer.
He kept it secret and returned to comedy, saying: "The brave thing to do if you have cancer is not talk about it. Just have it and keep it a secret."
Lesson: Not everything needs to be a public spectacle.
He kept it secret and returned to comedy, saying: "The brave thing to do if you have cancer is not talk about it. Just have it and keep it a secret."
Lesson: Not everything needs to be a public spectacle.
Norm played the dumb guy but behind this persona was a genius who graduated high school at 14 and studied mathematics in university.
He kept this hidden, believing the smartest comedians play dumb.
"The worst guy you can be, a guy smarter than the audience - they're going to hate you!"
He kept this hidden, believing the smartest comedians play dumb.
"The worst guy you can be, a guy smarter than the audience - they're going to hate you!"
By 1993, Norm landed his dream job on SNL.
But his relentless jokes about OJ Simpson caught the attention of NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer - a close friend of OJ.
When ordered to stop, Norm did something unexpected:
But his relentless jokes about OJ Simpson caught the attention of NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer - a close friend of OJ.
When ordered to stop, Norm did something unexpected:
The day after OJ's acquittal, Norm opened Weekend Update with:
"Well, it's finally official: murder is legal in the state of California."
He chose principles over job security.
The cost? His position at SNL.
"Well, it's finally official: murder is legal in the state of California."
He chose principles over job security.
The cost? His position at SNL.
In 1998, Norm hosted the ESPYs.
Just weeks after being fired from SNL, he delivered a scorching monologue to a room full of athletes.
His final joke about OJ brought the house down.
The message? Never compromise your art.
Just weeks after being fired from SNL, he delivered a scorching monologue to a room full of athletes.
His final joke about OJ brought the house down.
The message? Never compromise your art.
Late night TV was where Norm truly shined.
David Letterman said: "If we could have, we would have had Norm on every week," and he was the last comedian on Letterman.
His ability to hijack interviews and turn bad jokes into comedy gold made him the greatest talk show guest ever.
David Letterman said: "If we could have, we would have had Norm on every week," and he was the last comedian on Letterman.
His ability to hijack interviews and turn bad jokes into comedy gold made him the greatest talk show guest ever.
His appearance with Courtney Thorne-Smith on Conan became legendary.
When she mentioned starring in a film with Carrot Top called "Chairman of the Board," Norm waited...
Then delivered: "I bet the Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D"
When she mentioned starring in a film with Carrot Top called "Chairman of the Board," Norm waited...
Then delivered: "I bet the Board is spelled B-O-R-E-D"
In 1999, SNL invited Norm back to host - just one year after firing him.
Instead of playing nice, he opened with: "How did I go in a year and a half from being not funny enough to be even allowed in the building to being so funny that I'm now hosting the show?"
Instead of playing nice, he opened with: "How did I go in a year and a half from being not funny enough to be even allowed in the building to being so funny that I'm now hosting the show?"
His answer? "I haven't gotten funnier. The show has gotten really bad."
The writers booed. The audience roared.
Norm stood there smiling, showing that sometimes the best revenge is just telling the truth.
The writers booed. The audience roared.
Norm stood there smiling, showing that sometimes the best revenge is just telling the truth.
Norm had strong opinions about impressions, especially political ones.
On Alec Baldwin's Trump: "I don't find his impression funny because he has nothing but contempt for Trump. You need to empathize with someone to impersonate them."
"To do a good impression, you have to love the person. Because people love themselves. When you hate the person you're imitating, the audience can feel it. It just becomes mean."
A lesson in empathy over mockery.
On Alec Baldwin's Trump: "I don't find his impression funny because he has nothing but contempt for Trump. You need to empathize with someone to impersonate them."
"To do a good impression, you have to love the person. Because people love themselves. When you hate the person you're imitating, the audience can feel it. It just becomes mean."
A lesson in empathy over mockery.
Behind the scenes, Norm was a voracious reader of Russian literature and philosophy.
He studied Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov.
His favorite book? Ecclesiastes.
Why? It dealt with life's biggest questions through simple stories.
He studied Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov.
His favorite book? Ecclesiastes.
Why? It dealt with life's biggest questions through simple stories.
His approach to comedy was unique:
"The perfect joke would be where the setup and punchline were identical."
He spent his career pursuing this impossible ideal.
His best example?
When Julia Roberts divorced Lyle Lovett:
"Julia Roberts told reporters this week that her marriage to Lyle Lovett has been over for some time. The key moment came when she realized she was Julia Roberts and she was married to Lyle Lovett."
"The perfect joke would be where the setup and punchline were identical."
He spent his career pursuing this impossible ideal.
His best example?
When Julia Roberts divorced Lyle Lovett:
"Julia Roberts told reporters this week that her marriage to Lyle Lovett has been over for some time. The key moment came when she realized she was Julia Roberts and she was married to Lyle Lovett."
Most comedians fear silence. Norm craved it.
"I don't know why, but to me, the funniest thing is trying to make people laugh and having them hate you."
He understood something profound about comedy:
"I don't know why, but to me, the funniest thing is trying to make people laugh and having them hate you."
He understood something profound about comedy:
Even fans got Norm's style of comedy. During a flight, some recognized him and sent him a note:
On an airline barf bag.
The flight attendants weren't amused, but Norm loved it. Peak Norm MacDonald fan behavior.
On an airline barf bag.
The flight attendants weren't amused, but Norm loved it. Peak Norm MacDonald fan behavior.
At the 2008 Bob Saget roast, he deliberately told outdated, corny jokes from a 1940s joke book.
The audience was confused. Other comedians howled.
Norm smiled: "These are all from a book my dad gave me called 'Jokes for Retirement Parties'"
The audience was confused. Other comedians howled.
Norm smiled: "These are all from a book my dad gave me called 'Jokes for Retirement Parties'"
The Moth Joke became Norm's masterpiece:
"A moth goes to a podiatrist. The podiatrist says 'What's the problem?' The moth says 'Doc, I'm troubled...'"
For the next 3 minutes, Norm wove Russian literature, existential dread, and profound depression into a story about... a moth.
"A moth goes to a podiatrist. The podiatrist says 'What's the problem?' The moth says 'Doc, I'm troubled...'"
For the next 3 minutes, Norm wove Russian literature, existential dread, and profound depression into a story about... a moth.
The genius? It was originally a simple two-line street joke from Colin Quinn.
But when Conan needed to fill time, Norm transformed it into high art.
He showed how the setup is often funnier than the punchline.
But when Conan needed to fill time, Norm transformed it into high art.
He showed how the setup is often funnier than the punchline.
His take on "battling" cancer became legendary:
"In the old days, they'd say 'hey that old man died.' Now they go 'hey, he lost his battle.'
That's no loss. I'm pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at exactly the same time."
He continued: "That's not a loss. That's a draw."
"In the old days, they'd say 'hey that old man died.' Now they go 'hey, he lost his battle.'
That's no loss. I'm pretty sure if you die, the cancer dies at exactly the same time."
He continued: "That's not a loss. That's a draw."
Death fascinated Norm so much that he even voiced Death itself on Family Guy.
The role was perfect: Death was exhausted by its job, philosophical about existence, and had a dry sense of humor about mortality.
Art imitating life.
His obsession with death went deeper than comedy:
"I can't stop myself from constantly ruminating about death," he once said.
Even his fictional roles reflected his real preoccupation with mortality.
The role was perfect: Death was exhausted by its job, philosophical about existence, and had a dry sense of humor about mortality.
Art imitating life.
His obsession with death went deeper than comedy:
"I can't stop myself from constantly ruminating about death," he once said.
Even his fictional roles reflected his real preoccupation with mortality.
In 2012, Norm received devastating news:
Cancer had returned.
For 9 years, he kept it secret from everyone - even his closest friends.
Why? He didn't want it to affect how people saw his comedy.
Cancer had returned.
For 9 years, he kept it secret from everyone - even his closest friends.
Why? He didn't want it to affect how people saw his comedy.
His final years revealed his true focus:
"The two themes I'm interested in now are God and Love. That's the hardest stuff to write about in a comedic way."
He never got to finish this chapter.
"The two themes I'm interested in now are God and Love. That's the hardest stuff to write about in a comedic way."
He never got to finish this chapter.
On September 14, 2021, the world was stunned to learn Norm Macdonald had died.
No one knew he was sick. No one saw it coming.
In true Norm fashion, he'd pulled off his greatest punchline:
He'd made death itself the setup.
No one knew he was sick. No one saw it coming.
In true Norm fashion, he'd pulled off his greatest punchline:
He'd made death itself the setup.
His legacy?
• Pure comedy over social commentary
• Principles over popularity
• Art over acceptance
The greatest comedian's comedian who ever lived.
• Pure comedy over social commentary
• Principles over popularity
• Art over acceptance
The greatest comedian's comedian who ever lived.
Norm's final message to aspiring comedians:
"If you want to be a pure artist, you should never seek approval."
Follow @hunleyeric for more threads on history's most fascinating characters and the lessons they left behind.
"If you want to be a pure artist, you should never seek approval."
Follow @hunleyeric for more threads on history's most fascinating characters and the lessons they left behind.
The smartest comedian in history pretended to be the dumbest.
He graduated high school at 14, studied advanced mathematics, and read Russian literature.
Then spent his career hiding it all.
This is the incredible story of Norm MacDonald:
He graduated high school at 14, studied advanced mathematics, and read Russian literature.
Then spent his career hiding it all.
This is the incredible story of Norm MacDonald:
https://x.com/hunleyeric/status/1869438425063100548
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