Comedy legend Norm Macdonald has died and Canada is shocked
Norm Macdonald, an icon of Canadian comedy known for his deadpan anti-humour, has reportedly passed away at the age of 61 after a private nine-year battle with cancer.
The Quebec-born comedian cut his teeth on the Ontario comedy club circuit before making it big time, appearing from 1993 through 1998 on Saturday Night Live with a memorable run hosting Weekend Update.
Macdonald also made several appearances in comedy films throughout the 90s, sitcoms in the 2000s, and more recently, hosted a podcast. All the while, Macdonald never made even the slightest attempt to downplay his distinctly Canadian accent for U.S. audiences.
He may be gone, but his style of comedy has left an indelible mark on the next generation of Canadian comedians and the comedy world as a whole.
We're very sad to hear of the passing of Norm Macdonald. He was one of the greatest ever, we send our condolences to his friends, family and countless fans. Rest in peace, sir.https://t.co/R3ceZ8ncyZ
— JFLCanada (@JFLCanada) September 14, 2021
One familiar voice was fellow Canadian Seth Rogen, who reacted to the news on Twitter.
Oh fuck. I was a huge fan of Norm Macdonald and I essentially ripped off his delivery when I first started acting. I would stay up specifically to watch him on talk shows. He was the funniest guest of all time. We lost a comedy giant today. One of the the all time greats. RIP.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) September 14, 2021
Another Canadian comedian, Debra DiGiovanni, was among those lucky enough to have worked with Macdonald.
I am so sad to read this. Norm was a fantastic, fearless weirdo. Just the funniest -all the time. I had the pleasure of spending a day working beside him and I’ll cherish it forever.
— Debra DiGiovanni (@DebraDiGiovanni) September 14, 2021
RIP 🇨🇦♥️ https://t.co/1YHdyZB4aB
We'll leave you with what (in this writer's opinion) could be Macdonald’s funniest bit, his classic "moth joke," which stunned Conan O'Brien and his audience with its non-punch line.
The Norm Macdonald "moth Joke," one of the greatest jokes every told on television. pic.twitter.com/daC9oPVPsU
— Lights, Camera, Pod (@LightsCameraPod) September 14, 2021
