Last Updated: 17 Feb, 2025 | Views: 78
Age: 61
Profession: Actor
Other Profession(s): Writer, Comedian
Famous For: His Work in the show “Saturday Night Live”
Higher Education: Carleton University, Algonquin College
About (Profile/Biography):
Norman Gene Macdonald (1959-2021) was a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, and writer who gained fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Known for his deadpan delivery and uncompromising comedic style, Norm carved his own path in comedy by prioritizing the craft of joke-telling over mainstream success. His Weekend Update segments on SNL became legendary for their biting political satire and controversial jokes. Despite facing career setbacks, the comedian maintained his unique voice and authenticity, ultimately becoming one of the most respected figures in comedy.
Early Life & Background of Norm Macdonald
• The quick-witted comedian spent his early years in Quebec City, where his teacher parents fostered his love for literature and gambling, a passion that would later become both his hobby and demon.
• Young Norm worked as a CBC radio newsreader in his teens, where he deliberately messed up news readings to entertain himself, unknowingly developing his signature deadpan style.
• The aspiring comic dropped out of high school in grade 9, yet was known to be extremely well-read, often surprising people with his deep knowledge of Russian literature and philosophy.
Norm Macdonald’s Career Highlights
• The fearless satirist's firing from SNL in 1998 was allegedly due to his relentless jokes about O.J. Simpson, despite NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer being friends with Simpson.
• Quebec's finest wrote a "non-memoir" called "Based on a True Story," which masterfully blended fact and fiction, leaving readers guessing what was real and what wasn't.
• The comedy maverick hosted the YouTube show "Norm Macdonald Live," where he conducted some of the most uniquely entertaining celebrity interviews, often derailing them with absurd tangents.
Awards & Recognition received by Norm Macdonald
• The beloved comedian received the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Stand-up in 2011, though he often joked about awards being meaningless.
• Comedy Central ranked him #139 on their list of the 200 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time, a ranking that many fellow comedians considered criminally low.
• The comedy legend was posthumously nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special for "Nothing Special," his final gift to the comedy world.
Lesser Known Facts about Norm Macdonald
• The Canadian comic was an avid poker player who once lost his entire $400,000 bankroll playing craps in Atlantic City, making three separate trips to the ATM in one night.
• Our deadpan hero actually recorded a comedy album in secret before his death, which was released posthumously as "Nothing Special" on Netflix, filmed in one take.
• The quiet genius turned down the role of Hobie in "Baywatch" because he didn't want to wear a swimsuit on camera, a decision that amused him throughout his life.
Major Controversies around Norm Macdonald
• The unfiltered comic faced backlash in 2018 for defending Louis C.K. and Roseanne Barr, leading to the cancellation of his Tonight Show appearance.
• SNL's boldest anchor got into hot water for suggesting that Down Syndrome babies should be allowed to live, showcasing his tendency to tackle taboo subjects.
• The comedy rebel famously mocked Michael Jackson repeatedly on SNL, even after being warned by producers to stop, leading to increased tensions with management.
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