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Thread: Norm Macdonald, Comedian and 'Saturday Night Live' Star, Dies at 61

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    Administrator fuego's Avatar
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    Norm Macdonald, Comedian and 'Saturday Night Live' Star, Dies at 61

    Norm Macdonald, the deadpan comedian, actor, writer and "Saturday Night Live" star, has died after a battle with cancer, Variety has confirmed. He was 61.

    Macdonald privately battled the disease for almost a decade. "Norm was an original! He defined American humor with honesty and blunt force," Jeff Danis, president of DPN Talent and one of Macdonald's reps, told Variety in a statement.

    Dozens of comedians, including Seth Rogen, Jon Stewart, Ron Funches and Jim Gaffigan, paid tribute to Macdonald, "one of the greatest comedians to have ever lived," on social media.

    The comedian got his start in showbiz as a writer on "Roseanne" in 1992 after making rounds at comedy clubs in Canada. He joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1993, and the next year, began his memorable stint as "Weekend Update" anchor until early 1998, when he was replaced by Colin Quinn. Macdonald was known for his dry humor, non-sequiturs and impressions of Burt Reynolds, David Letterman, Larry King, Quentin Tarantino and many more during his five-year run on the show.

    Macdonald anchored "Weekend Update" during the O.J. Simpson trial, where he delivered one of his most memorable jokes at the top of the episode following Simpson's acquittal: "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." After his removal from "Weekend Update," Macdonald accused NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer of firing him over his controversial Simpson jokes, though Ohlmeyer cited poor ratings.

    After exiting "SNL," Macdonald created "The Norm Show" with Bruce Helford on ABC, which ran from 1999 until 2001. The comedian starred as Norm Henderson, a hockey player who is banned for life from the NFL because of gambling and tax evasion, so he must perform five years of community service as a social worker. The cast included Laurie Metcalf, Ian Gomez, Max Wright, Artie Lange and Faith Ford.

    In the 1990s, Macdonald appeared in films like "Billy Madison," "The People vs. Larry Flynt" and Eddie Murphy's "Dr. Dolittle" as the voice of Lucky the dog. In 1998, he starred in the film "Dirty Work," directed by Bob Saget based on the Roald Dahl short story, about two friends who raise money to pay for heart surgery for one of their fathers by starting a revenge-for-hire business. The cast included Lange, Chris Farley, Jack Warden, Traylor Howard, Chevy Chase and Christopher McDonald, and featured cameos by Don Rickles, Adam Sandler, John Goodman, and more.

    Macdonald went on to provide voice work in the "Dr. Dolittle" sequels, and other animated films and shows. He voiced Lieutenant Yaphit, a gelatinous, shape-shifting engineer on Fox's sci-fi comedy "The Orville," starring Seth MacFarlane. A third season of the show is set to release on Hulu.

    Norm Macdonald Dead: Comedian and 'SNL' Star Dies at 61 - Variety

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    Senior Member Romans828's Avatar
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    I will never forget him "playing" Burt Reynolds years ago on SNL - It was brilliant!

    Hope he knew Jesus.

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    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuego View Post

    Macdonald anchored "Weekend Update" during the O.J. Simpson trial, where he delivered one of his most memorable jokes at the top of the episode following Simpson's acquittal: "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." After his removal from "Weekend Update," Macdonald accused NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer of firing him over his controversial Simpson jokes, though Ohlmeyer cited poor ratings.
    "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." - That's funny

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cardinal TT View Post
    "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." - That's funny
    His weekend updates had funny stuff in them like that. Things that liberals would go mad over today.

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    Flashback: SNL Legend Norm Macdonald Scolded a Comedian for His Blasphemous Joke on National TV
    By Jack Davis
    September 14, 2021 at 4:07pm
    Flashback: SNL Legend Norm Macdonald Scolded a Comedian for His Blasphemous Joke on National TV

    The death of comedian Norm Macdonald at the age of 61 after nine years of battling cancer has ignited tributes to the many facets of the character of a man who made millions laugh on "Saturday Night Live."

    But although he existed in a shallow age, Macdonald was deeper than just a punch line.

    He often spoke publicly of his faith.
    In 2017, he posted a window to his soul on Twitter.

    "Scripture. Faith. Grace. Christ, Glory of God. Smart man says nothing is a miracle. I say everything is," he posted.

    The post came a year after Macdonald broke what has become one of entertainment's rules and spoke up when a comedian thought trashing the Bible was just so humorous.

    It was 2015, and Macdonald was one of the judges on NBC's "Last Comic Standing."

    Harrison Greenbaum came out with a joke that pushed Macdonald's buttons.

    Greenbaum constructed a mythical argument with a fellow New York City subway rider who he said quoted the Bible at him.

    "That is not fair," he said. "Like you get to quote from your favorite book, I should be able to quote from my favorite book. He was like, 'Men do not live on bread alone — Matthew 4:4' and I was like, 'Everybody's a little bit magic — Harry Potter, chapter seven.' Not a fair fight, right? One of those books is a classic about a man who has sacrificed himself for the good of the world and the other is the Bible, do you know what I'm saying, people?"

    Fellow judge Roseanne Barr said she liked the joke. "You're real brave," she told him. "The stuff you're talking about, Bible jokes, that's some brave s***."

    Macdonald was not amused.

    "I don't think the Bible joke was brave at all," he said.

    "I think if you're gonna take on an entire religion, you should maybe know what you're talking about. ....








    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind, having the understanding darkened...
    (Ephesians 4:17-18)

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...
    (Psalm 1)

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    Senior Member Cardinal TT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GodismyJudge View Post
    He often spoke publicly of his faith. In 2017, he posted a window to his soul on Twitter.

    "Scripture. Faith. Grace. Christ, Glory of God. Smart man says nothing is a miracle. I say everything is," he posted.

    God bless you Norm trust to see you in heaven

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    Frozen Chosen A.J.'s Avatar
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    The comedian starred as Norm Henderson, a hockey player who is banned for life from the NFL because of gambling and tax evasion, so he must perform five years of community service as a social worker.
    Ummmmm.... no hockey players in the NFL.

    I liked Norm. Good to hear he knew Jesus.

  12. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Cardinal TT View Post
    "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." - That's funny
    Since then? It's become legal to publically poop on the sidewalks and shoplift in broad daylight. Truly groundbreaking.

  13. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by GodismyJudge View Post

    Flashback: SNL Legend Norm Macdonald Scolded a Comedian for His Blasphemous Joke on National TV
    By Jack Davis
    September 14, 2021 at 4:07pm
    Flashback: SNL Legend Norm Macdonald Scolded a Comedian for His Blasphemous Joke on National TV

    The death of comedian Norm Macdonald at the age of 61 after nine years of battling cancer has ignited tributes to the many facets of the character of a man who made millions laugh on "Saturday Night Live."

    But although he existed in a shallow age, Macdonald was deeper than just a punch line.

    He often spoke publicly of his faith.
    In 2017, he posted a window to his soul on Twitter.

    "Scripture. Faith. Grace. Christ, Glory of God. Smart man says nothing is a miracle. I say everything is," he posted.

    The post came a year after Macdonald broke what has become one of entertainment's rules and spoke up when a comedian thought trashing the Bible was just so humorous.

    It was 2015, and Macdonald was one of the judges on NBC's "Last Comic Standing."

    Harrison Greenbaum came out with a joke that pushed Macdonald's buttons.

    Greenbaum constructed a mythical argument with a fellow New York City subway rider who he said quoted the Bible at him.

    "That is not fair," he said. "Like you get to quote from your favorite book, I should be able to quote from my favorite book. He was like, 'Men do not live on bread alone — Matthew 4:4' and I was like, 'Everybody's a little bit magic — Harry Potter, chapter seven.' Not a fair fight, right? One of those books is a classic about a man who has sacrificed himself for the good of the world and the other is the Bible, do you know what I'm saying, people?"

    Fellow judge Roseanne Barr said she liked the joke. "You're real brave," she told him. "The stuff you're talking about, Bible jokes, that's some brave s***."

    Macdonald was not amused.

    "I don't think the Bible joke was brave at all," he said.

    "I think if you're gonna take on an entire religion, you should maybe know what you're talking about. ....








    Bold move. Wow.

  14. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Cardinal TT View Post
    God bless you Norm trust to see you in heaven
    I truly hope so...


    Norm MacDonald Dies at 61: Why He Once Said, 'I Don't Think the Bible Jokes Are Brave at All'
    09-14-2021
    Tré Goins-Phillips, Faithwire
    Norm MacDonald Dies at 61: Why He Once Said, 'I Don't Think the Bible Jokes Are Brave at All' | CBN News

    Famous comedian Norm Macdonald, who described himself as a Christian, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday after a nine-year battle with cancer.

    Lori Jo Hoekstra, a friend of the 61-year-old celebrity, said the comedian "had been fighting cancer for nearly a decade but was determined to keep his struggle away from his family, friends, and fans," according to the New York Post.

    "He was most proud of his comedy," she said. "He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that 'a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.' He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly."...



    ...Macdonald made headlines a few years ago when he drew the ire of leftists on social media for tweeting about Christianity. In a tweet he later deleted, Macdonald wrote, "The Enlightenment turned us away from truth and toward a darkling weakening horizon, sad and gray to see. The afterglow of Christianity is near gone now, and a Stygian silence lurks in wait."

    The comedian's tweet, posted in 2018, was a reference to the 18th-century cultural shift away from the imitation and depiction of the sacred to a focus on self-indulgence and decadence. From then, people began favoring secular reasoning and science above spirituality.

    That was not the only time Macdonald had taken up for Christianity.

    In 2015, when he served as a judge on NBC's "Last Comic Standing," Macdonald schooled a contestant for mocking Christianity during his routine.

    Fellow judge Roseanne Barr told comedian Harrison Greenbaum his jokes about the Bible were "brave," an assertion with which Macdonald staunchly disagreed.

    "I don't think the Bible jokes are brave at all," he said at the time. "If you think you're gonna take on an entire religion, you should maybe know what you're talking about."...



    ...Two years before that, while talking with the late interviewer Larry King, Macdonald described himself as a Christian, quipping that he knew it wasn't "a stylish thing to say."

    "What people don't understand about faith is that you have to choose it," he told King. "They think that you believe it. But you have to choose it. ... There's a lot of things, I have faith, but I don't really believe in DNA. If I was on a jury, and a guy was — his DNA was on a cigarette, I'd go, 'I don't know what DNA is.'"

    "I don't have faith in science," he continued. "Haven't scientists always been wrong? Like, they used to think the sun went around the earth. ... Back then, everybody at that time thought that guy was smart. Why at this time do we think the earth goes around the sun?"

    In 2017, he tweeted this on Reformation Day, "Scripture. Faith. Grace. Christ, Glory of God. Smart man says nothing is a miracle. I say everything is."

    In a separate interview with King, however, Macdonald suggested he felt more at home in Judaism, telling the anchor he was "on a spiritual journey."

    "I believe there's a God, but I'm unsure of His nature," he said in the updated interview. "So I consult a rabbi often because they're the people that know the Bible the best. ... I've had more time with Judaism than with any other religion."












    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (futility) of their mind, having the understanding darkened...
    (Ephesians 4:17-18)

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly...
    (Psalm 1)

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