Norm Macdonald
Stand-up comedian from Canada šØš¦
About Norm Macdonald
Norm Macdonald (October 17, 1959 - September 14, 2021), born Norman Gene Macdonald, was a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, and writer whose style was characterized by deadpan delivery, eccentric understatement, and the use of folksy, old-fashioned turns of phrase. He appeared in numerous films and was a frequent guest on late-night talk shows, where he developed a reputation for his chaotic yet understated comedic style. His appearances on Conan O'Brien's and David Letterman's programs were especially well-received, with Letterman describing him as "the best" stand-up comedian.
Earlier in his career, Macdonald's first television work included writing for comedies such as Roseanne and The Dennis Miller Show. In 1993, he was hired as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live, spending five seasons on the series, which included anchoring the show's Weekend Update segment for three and a half seasons. He was removed as host of Weekend Update in 1998, allegedly for relentlessly mocking O. J. Simpson during his murder trial. After leaving SNL, he wrote and starred in the 1998 film Dirty Work and headlined his own sitcom, The Norm Show, from 1999 to 2001. He also provided voice acting for Family Guy, The Fairly OddParents, Mike Tyson Mysteries, The Orville, and the Dr. Dolittle films.
Macdonald was born in Quebec City, Quebec, to Ferne and Percy Lloyd Macdonald, both Anglophone teachers. He attended Quebec High School and then Gloucester High School in Ottawa, graduating at the age of 14, before enrolling at Carleton University to study mathematics and philosophy. His first performances were at stand-up clubs in Ottawa, regularly appearing on amateur nights at Yuk Yuk's in 1985, and six months later he performed at the 1986 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Between 2013 and 2018, he hosted the talk shows Norm Macdonald Live and Norm Macdonald Has a Show, and in 2016 he authored the novel Based on a True Story. He died of leukemia in September 2021, a condition he had not publicly disclosed.
Videos (9)
Videos 1 to 9 of 9.
5:34Norm Macdonald does standup about coronavirus
4.3M views
3:43Norm Macdonald does standup about coronavirus pt. 2
1.4M views
6:29Quarantined with Norm Macdonald (ft. Adam Eget)
672.3K views
9:10Quarantined with Norm Macdonald (ft. Chevy Chase)
668.9K views
14:51Quarantined with Norm Macdonald (ft. Roseanne)
631.3K views
7:56Quarantined with Norm Macdonald (ft. Bob Saget)
571.8K views
2:02Norm Macdonald's Bat Song
299.3K views
6:19Quarantined with Norm Macdonald (ft. Josh Gardner)
203.3K views
Norm Macdonald
0 viewsGuest appearances (78)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Norm Macdonald.
Guest appearances 25 to 48 of 78.
9:47"Norm Macdonald had the best Trump joke ever" with Greg Gutfeld.
Roseanne Barr
473.7K views
33:30Norm Macdonald - Guests On Early Tom Green Web TV Show - 2007
Tom Green
441.7K views
6:39Courtney Thorne-Smith Remembers Her Interview With Norm Macdonald | Inside Conan
Conan O'Brien
417.7K views
2:46Norm Macdonald Out Smarts Astrophysicist Neal deGrasse Tyson
Jimmy Dore
380.7K views
3:25Q&A: Conanās Favorite Norm Macdonald CONAN Sketch | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
Conan O'Brien
370K views
1:22:58Tribute to Norm Macdonald ft. @aupmanyu @rohanjoshi8016 @pantonfire @KaruneshTalwar
Samay Raina
270.6K views
11:54Colin Quinn Remembers Norm Macdonald | We Might Be Drunk Podcast
Mark Normand
220.3K views
1:26Tom Green remembers hanging with Norm Macdonald
Theo Von
207.8K views
5:02Blake Griffin on Norm Macdonald Asking Him a Question at a Press Conference
Seth Meyers
205.2K views
0:55Talkin Norm MacDonald with Judd Apatow
Sam Morril
186.6K views
15:20Norm Macdonaldās Comedy Rules For Trump Era
Jimmy Dore
175.9K views
5:58Jimmy's Tribute To Norm Macdonald RIP
Jimmy Dore
148.2K views
6:15Mark Normand on Norm Macdonald
Mark Normand
118.4K views
1:36:54Wayne Federman On Making The Norm Macdonald Documentary & Why Norm Will Last Forever
Adam Carolla
104K views
5:46R.I.P. Norm MacDonald | Nick Di Paolo Show
Nick Di Paolo
104K views
0:59Debating religion with Norm MacDonald | Gianmarco Soresi | The Downside Podcast
Gianmarco Vincent Soresi
95.7K views
0:40Conan O'Brien Can't Stop Laughing at Norm MacDonald's Offensive Joke
Dave Rubin
94.5K views
1:43:25Greg Fitzsimmons: Adamās Rock Bottom & The Last Time Greg Saw Norm Macdonald
Adam Carolla
94.2K views
0:40Norm Macdonald's request to new SNL cast
Theo Von
84.7K views
5:41What Norm MacDonald said about Dusty Slay
Dustin Richard Slay
81.7K views
1:58Norm Macdonald Quit Comedy for Cactuses
Kevin Nealon
75.7K views
13:43Norm Macdonald with Rosebud Baker - CLIP - Bertcast
Bert Kreischer
71.6K views
1:12Anthony Jeselnik on Working w/ Norm Macdonald on Last Comic Standing | We Might Be Drunk
Mark Normand
69.3K views
1:43:31Adam Ray on Norm Macdonald, Funny Movies & 2 Girls 1 Cup
Adam Carolla
67.6K viewsChannels on this page: Roseanne Barr, Tom Green, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Dore, Samay Raina, Mark Normand, Theo Von, Seth Meyers, Sam Morril, Adam Carolla, Nick Di Paolo, Gianmarco Vincent Soresi, Dave Rubin, Dustin Richard Slay, Kevin Nealon, Bert Kreischer
Frequently asked questions
What was Norm Macdonald known for?
He was a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for his deadpan delivery, eccentric understatement, and folksy, old-fashioned turns of phrase, especially on late-night talk shows.
What was Norm Macdonald's role on Saturday Night Live?
He joined SNL in 1993 as a writer and cast member, spending five seasons on the show and anchoring the Weekend Update segment for three and a half seasons before being removed as host in 1998.
What films and shows did Norm Macdonald star in?
He wrote and starred in the 1998 film Dirty Work and headlined his own sitcom, The Norm Show, from 1999 to 2001.
Where was Norm Macdonald born?
He was born on October 17, 1959, in Quebec City, Quebec, to Anglophone teachers Ferne and Percy Lloyd Macdonald.
How did Norm Macdonald die?
He died of leukemia on September 14, 2021, a condition he had not publicly disclosed.
Comedians similar to Norm Macdonald
Same comedic style, across countries
