The Norm Macdonald Thread Over Here

[mr. logic]

Sometimes I get Norm earworms:  I remember something he said, and it's usually some daft throwaway line, and find myself unable to stop laughing, no matter where I am or who I'm talking to.

Yesterday, for some reason, I got to talking about Popeye with a Russian person.  I was surprised she had seen it but apparently they did show it there.  So we're ruminating on this fascinating pop-cultural titbit, and I remembered Norm's take on Popeye:  'Remember how skinny and ugly Olive was, and everybody wanted to fuck her?'

That's just so perfectly funny.  I keep trying to think of reasons why, and I've came up with a few, but it's besides the point really:  It's just perfectly funny. 

Anyway, I couldn't tell this Russian person why I was laughing.  They would never have understood.  It's such a gift he has.  I think he is my favourite ever person, and I'm still laughing thinking about him describing Popeye.

[Rolf Lundgren]

This thread has just reminded me - where is the podcast? Anyone got any knowledge on that one?

[TKO]

Rumours were that something would materalise after the Netflix special, but there's been no word from anyone on the production team since March.

https://twitter.com/Danielkellison/status/844602464921792513

Trust me, I'm dying to get these episodes out. There are complications but they are coming

We have photographic evidence of them filming episodes with Seinfeld and Letterman, so whether or not new episodes exist is not a mystery. What is a mystery is what's causing these "complications" and "unexpected delays".

https://www.reddit.com/r/NormMacdonald/comments/5hzt4n/hey_daniel_kellison_aka_uketelonerocks_whats_up/

Hey. They're coming. Unexpected delay. But they're coming, promise. Probably beginning of year. Sorry. This wasn't the plan.

https://twitter.com/danielkellison/status/833070279634989056

meeting w Norm tomorrow to discuss

[Rolf Lundgren]

Great update TKO. The unexpected delay is very intriguing. With the episodes recorded, it does make you wonder why they're holding fire on these. But then Norm wouldn't be Norm without some mystery.

[TKO]

One possible scenario is that Norm went ahead and signed an exclusive contract with Netflix without properly discussing it with Kellison and JASH first, which would explain the unexpectedness of the delay. Would signing a contract with Netflix mean Norm is prohibited from working with other networks, and hence JASH is having to hold fire on releasing new episodes? It seems unlikely Netflix would care too much about JASH or a podcast on YouTube, but maybe the involvement of Amazon has complicated matters.

[TKO]

One possible scenario is that Norm went ahead and signed an exclusive contract with Netflix without properly discussing it with Kellison and JASH first, which would explain the unexpectedness of the delay. Would signing a contract with Netflix mean Norm is prohibited from working with other networks—

Of course it would. That's what exclusive contract means, you doofus.

I guess it all does depend on the details of his contract with Netflix. As far as I can remember, the deal was exclusive.

[Swoz_MK]

On Netflix now

[Jobey]

So excited. Hope it's not shit.

[Mr Banlon]

Sometimes I get Norm earworms:  I remember something he said, and it's usually some daft throwaway line, and find myself unable to stop laughing, no matter where I am or who I'm talking to.

Yesterday, for some reason, I got to talking about Popeye with a Russian person.  I was surprised she had seen it but apparently they did show it there.  So we're ruminating on this fascinating pop-cultural titbit, and I remembered Norm's take on Popeye:  'Remember how skinny and ugly Olive was, and everybody wanted to fuck her?'

That's just so perfectly funny.  I keep trying to think of reasons why, and I've came up with a few, but it's besides the point really:  It's just perfectly funny. 


Anyway, I couldn't tell this Russian person why I was laughing.  They would never have understood.  It's such a gift he has.  I think he is my favourite ever person, and I'm still laughing thinking about him describing Popeye.

If I see a Dachshund, I always point and say 'Wiener dog !' In a very Norm-ish way

[Ringside]

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I only discovered him last week when I watched the new Netflix special, and enjoyed it immensely.

From there I watched "Me Doing Stand Up", which I also loved.

What else is worth checking out? I don't really know where to start now, as I'm such a latecomer.

[up_the_hampipe]

Check out Norm Macdonald Live and his numerous talk show and radio appearances all over YouTube. He's a treasure.

[Dr Rock]

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I only discovered him last week when I watched the new Netflix special, and enjoyed it immensely.

From there I watched "Me Doing Stand Up", which I also loved.

What else is worth checking out? I don't really know where to start now, as I'm such a latecomer.

There's ten pages right here linking to good stuff, but via YouTube I'd recommend the first Stand-Up special 'One Night Stand https://youtu.be/nYnrkmCJhjQ which has most of his early great jokes all in one package.

Then any appearances on talk shows are good, particularly Letterman or Conan.

His movie Dirty Work is great.

And if you can find it, his bit in the roast of Bob Saget (you don't need to know who that is), which has achieved legendary status...

[mr. logic]

Him hosting the Youtube video awards is the very summit of all comedy.  'Listen, fuck all the jokes for just a second...'

Those hipsters don't know where to put themselves.

[TKO]

UPDATE!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUoHzcpgrFu/

Norm and Adam with Sarah Silverman.

[hedgehog90]

Woohoo!
It seems like Silverman will be released next, so when will the other recorded shows be released?
NML is a mysterious thing.

[mr. logic]

Hang on though.  What about the Seinfeld and Letterman episodes?

[Twit 2]

...all the stars!

[lankyguy95]

http://www.vulture.com/2017/06/norm-macdonald-special-donald-trump-snl.html?utm_campaign=vulture&utm_source=tw&utm_medium=s1

"With Manson, his biggest flaw was probably his bloodlust for slaughtering people."

[McChesney Duntz]

That was the line that paralyzed me with hilarity.  MacDonald is an absolute wordsmith when he wants to be, the "probably" being the kicker in that sentence.  And that it seems to have been so casually tossed off in the course of the conversation... He's just the best.

[marquis_de_sad]

http://www.vulture.com/2017/06/norm-macdonald-special-donald-trump-snl.html?utm_campaign=vulture&utm_source=tw&utm_medium=s1

That was a nice interview, thanks. He does seem a bit touchy about Trump, but I agreed with a lot of his points.

[Monsieur Verdoux]

He's got some weird old views. In what way was William F. Buckley super-smart? Was it the cadence of his voice?

[lankyguy95]

I find a lot of his more 'surprising' opinions quite refreshing to be honest, even the ones I disagree with. I do think he's got a bit of contrarian streak in him but he has so much charm and even humility (to a certain extent) and I frequently find myself either agreeing with him or disagreeing but enjoying his view point and his way of expressing it.

I just fucking love him.

[Ringside]

I just started listening to his podcast....I know it was a video podcast but there's also mp3's available, as I'm sure most of you know.

Anyway, I started with Stephen Merchant, and it was gold. So many great bits. Last night I listened to "Super Dave Osborne" / Bob Einstein, which I also enjoyed apart from Einstein's fucking annoying voice.

[Obel]

Annoying, really? He's got an odd voice for sure but I don't think I could ever consider it annoying. I think the Super Dave episode is my favourite, he has such a great rapport with Norm.

[DeGrise]

He's got some weird old views. In what way was William F. Buckley super-smart? Was it the cadence of his voice?

In what way wasn't he? Because you don't agree with his views?

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Not really, he's simply what I would describe as superficially intelligent.

[DeGrise]

Not really, he's simply what I would describe as superficially intelligent.

Could you provide some more details on the Verdoux Scale?

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Well his pugilistic debate style certainly indicated a man who loved to see things in terms of the binary and the superficial, and obviously his views on racial segregation and homosexuality lacked nuance of thought, whether you agreed with them or not. I would simply say that one should be wary of a 'man of culture' veneer in all contexts, but especially on television, and while I don't doubt that the man had a certain amount of intelligence, I would say his dogmatism and his inability to see beyond the illusion of American exceptionalism excludes him from the category of the 'super-smart'. You are free to think of him as you wish, obviously. I don't know if you're defending him because you're a fan or whether you're just trying to make a point.

[marquis_de_sad]

Buckley was urbane and charming. I dunno if that makes him clever.

[Trojan_Jockey]

Well his pugilistic debate style certainly indicated a man who loved to see things in terms of the binary and the superficial, and obviously his views on racial segregation and homosexuality lacked nuance of thought, whether you agreed with them or not. I would simply say that one should be wary of a 'man of culture' veneer in all contexts, but especially on television, and while I don't doubt that the man had a certain amount of intelligence, I would say his dogmatism and his inability to see beyond the illusion of American exceptionalism excludes him from the category of the 'super-smart'. You are free to think of him as you wish, obviously. I don't know if you're defending him because you're a fan or whether you're just trying to make a point.

So the point still stands, you just don't agree with his views.