Holy God No Norm McDonald

[Ryan]

Nah, it was definitely still mean, but he's Norm and she was a good sport. It's like a lineman went for the knees but the QB laughed it off.

[mister d]

I was there to promote Chairman of the Board. I was not thrilled about having to do it, so when Norm took over, I’m like, Oh, thank you, God and Norm Macdonald. It was a blessing. Look—had I thought that Chairman of the Board was my path to an Oscar, I might have been offended. I did not.

[The Sybian]

Did you ever talk to Carrot Top about it?

[Laughs] No, I have not kept up with Carrot Top. No, I did not.

That was great. She really seemed like she was enjoying the jokes, but you never know if someone is nervously laughing through the pain. I have so much respect for someone who can take Norm completely shitting on their movie on national TV and enjoy it. Her analogy to her father loving Rickles making fun of him is perfect. Most important takeaway from the article, the movie had a $10,000,000 budget(!!!!!) and made back $200,000!!!!!

[Giff]

Agreed, Syb. My multiple decisions to email my brother about her 6 years before I had any idea what email was, but Summer School was my favorite movie turned out to be a good one.

[Johnny Carwash]

My multiple decisions to email my brother about her 6 years before I had any idea what email was

We may possibly have been doing this about her at the same time, which I guess is right up your alley.

[Giff]

Who knew!?!?

[govmentchedda]

Fucking great movie.

[The Sybian]

Fucking great movie.

Saw that one in the theater. Still remember her cameltoe in the wetsuit.

[Nonlinear FC]

She's no Elizabeth Shue, but that's an extremely high bar.

[rass]

12 or 13 year old me didn't get why she wasn't naked in Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise since there was ample nudity provided by the female lead (and as we've discussed other problematic shit that went over my head at the time) in the first movie.

[Ryan]

Come on guys, this is Norm’s thread.

[The Sybian]

Come on guys, this is Norm’s thread.

This is what Norm would have wanted.

[Shirley]

Wasn't she probably a bigger star than Norm at that time?

[brian]

Wasn't she probably a bigger star than Norm at that time?

He was doing Weekend Update then so arguably not.

[mister d]

Nah, I’m with Shirley here. Starring role on a major show is bigger than the “smart portion” of a show that starts at 11:30 PM.

[sancarlos]

Wasn't she probably a bigger star than Norm at that time?

A bigger star to the general public, but not to the subset that stayed up late to watch Conan O'Brien at midnight.

[Shirley]

Wasn't she probably a bigger star than Norm at that time?

A bigger star to the general public, but not to the subset that stayed up late to watch Conan O'Brien at midnight.

Fair point

[Nonlinear FC]

Conan has what I assume is a nice tribute (I'm only 5 mins in... work beckons) on his Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast.

For those so inclined... Andy Richter and long-time Norm segment producer Frank Smiley with the memories.

[bfj]

I’m listening now. Great stories.

[+] spoiler

Turns out the whole Moth story was an ad lib because they gave him an extra segment on the Tonight Show.

[The Sybian]

Conan has what I assume is a nice tribute (I'm only 5 mins in... work beckons) on his Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast.

For those so inclined... Andy Richter and long-time Norm segment producer Frank Smiley with the memories.

Just coming to post this. Heartfelt unplanned podcast, Conan had no idea Norm was sick, and suddenly realizing why it's been so difficult to book Norm the past several years. Kind of cool that I just watched every clip they discussed, and like BFJ said, the reason for the moth story was they last second asked Norm to stay and fill a second segment, and he had nothing prepared, so he took a 20 second joke Colin Quinn told him, and stretched it into 6 minutes to fill the time. Genius. He had such a weird way of thinking, and that joke was the perfect way of seeing it.

[The Sybian]

And because you all wanted to know Carrot Top's take on the Courtney Thorne Smith interview... skip through the weird Carrot Top image and music between clips to hear Norm answer an audience question about the segment.

[Ryan]

[Nonlinear FC]

Here's the thing about Carrot Top... I think he's actually a pretty good dude? I mean, being rich as fuck and (reportedly) screwing his way through Vegas all probably helps him maintain his pleasant, aw shucks, I'm in on the joke that I'm a joke demeanor. But, still... The shit he takes is RELENTLESS, yet I've heard him on a number of podcasts / long-form interviews and he just seems pretty grounded and not bothered by his overall image.

[brian]

Here's the thing about Carrot Top... I think he's actually a pretty good dude? I mean, being rich as fuck and (reportedly) screwing his way through Vegas all probably helps him maintain his pleasant, aw shucks, I'm in on the joke that I'm a joke demeanor. But, still... The shit he takes is RELENTLESS, yet I've heard him on a number of podcasts / long-form interviews and he just seems pretty grounded and not bothered by his overall image.

Yeah, I know a few people who know him and he's legitimately a nice guy, if a little overly obsessed with his physique.

[A_B]

Here's the thing about Carrot Top... I think he's actually a pretty good dude? I mean, being rich as fuck and (reportedly) screwing his way through Vegas all probably helps him maintain his pleasant, aw shucks, I'm in on the joke that I'm a joke demeanor. But, still... The shit he takes is RELENTLESS, yet I've heard him on a number of podcasts / long-form interviews and he just seems pretty grounded and not bothered by his overall image.

Dude has a net worth estimated at $75 million. Yeah, I can laugh at myself for that.

[sancarlos]

Dude has a net worth estimated at $75 million. Yeah, I can laugh at myself for that.

Around here, we laugh at you for free.

[A_B]

Dude has a net worth estimated at $75 million. Yeah, I can laugh at myself for that.

Around here, we laugh at you for free.

Yeah, and it makes me cry, SC. If you want to bankroll me the $75M I can do better.

[Ryan]

[Johnny Carwash]

Bob Seger actually is what Michael McDonald tries to be, fight me

[rass]

carwash has takes all his own, sitting way up high - way up firm and high

[The Sybian]

I tried to watch the Netflix release of Norm's final "special." Norm was supposed to film a special early in the pandemic, but it was postponed. The day before going in for a medical procedure, he decided to record his material just in case. He planned on shooting the special later, but was never healthy enough. This recording was Norm sitting in front of his computer with a headset on rambling for 45 minutes or so. All one take, so we have his cell phone going off and he takes the call, his dog barking... I didn't even mind the call and dog barking, it was just a horrible representation of his material. It was clearly awkward for him and the jokes didn't come off. Half the time he seemed distracted and rambling on about nothing for several minutes and completely forgetting what his point was. It just made me sad. I love Norm, but I couldn't get through it. I may have laughed once, and 2 or 3 times thought it was a good premise that could have been funny. He did go off on a tangent that ended up being a sweet story about how kind his mother was and that he loves her. No joke in any of it, just wanted to say it in case he didn't make it.

I skipped through most of the act to watch the end. Letterman, Conan, Sandler, Chappelle, Spade and Molly Shannon shared stories about Norm and talked about his work. That was worth watching if you are a fan, but honestly, all of the tributes I already watched were much better. They were all trying to compliment the video, and there just wasn't much you could say.

[Giff]

I made it maybe three minutes.

[mister d]

Only recently saw this one and its one of the funniest jokes and deliveries I've ever seen. The background laughter takes it up to an A++.

[Ryan]

Half my recommendations on YouTube shorts are those

[Pruitt IV]

Only recently saw this one and its one of the funniest jokes and deliveries I've ever seen. The background laughter takes it up to an A++.

Fuck he was great.

[rass]

I just listened to this with my phone to my ear and it took a second listen because the TV is on to get it but a third watching and seeing Saget’s face to put it over.