Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Stand-Up--A Review
Topic: Norm Macdonald, comedy

As I stated in my last blog entry, I am not usually a fan of comedy. Honestly, I can sit through an entire comedy show or movie and not laugh.  Not because it isn't funny, but because it takes A LOT to get me to laugh. 

Around 1994, the comedians I considered funny, I could count on one hand and have several fingers left over.  Dennis Miller (The Thinking Man's Comedian) and Steven Banks, who had a short-lived PBS show.  Then after I had started watching SNL, I became a fan of Norm Macdonald when he started doing the Weekend Update.  The man was hysterical!  However, after 3 years as the WU anchor, I find out to my shock and horror that he's not funny, according to Don Ohlmeyer. Weird, I laughed every week.  But the head of NBC said it, so it must be true.  After all, I was a mere viewer.  What did I know?  My opinion, as well as the opinions of other viewers apparently doesn't matter.  That didn't seem right, but oh well...I stuck it out until Norm left SNL completely, and then I boycotted the show.  Unfortunately, I missed him hosting a year later because I was too busy boycotting to pay attention to who was hosting. 

Norm went on to do some movies and TV shows, including a show called "Norm" that lasted for three seasons.  I had seen him on some talk shows for a while and then suddenly, he disappeared. 

About a year ago, I joined Twitter.  Mostly, I joined to keep up with my favorite celebs.  Recently, I decided to search for Norm Macdonald, hoping he would be on Twitter.  Lo and behold, there he was.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  I started following him right away and quickly found out he was doing a Comedy Central stand-up special.  "Excited" doesn't even begin to describe how I felt when I heard the news. 

I found out the date of the special was March 26, 2011.  I tuned in, and OH MY GOD!  The man hasn't lost it AT ALL! As a matter of fact, he has only gotten better.  Seriously, if I'm laughing, you know it's funny!  I have to say, I was a bit shocked at first since I've never seen Norm's stand-up routine before.  Weekend Update it isn't.  Far from it.  However, it was surprisingly tame compared to what I was expecting (based on what I have seen of other stand-up comics).  The topics he covered (alcoholism, death, disease,  heart attacks, and murder) aren't usually things to make jokes about or that you would normally laugh about.  And there was a time when I wouldn't have laughed at these jokes no matter what.  However, Norm pulls it off flawlessly in typical Norm fashion.  At no time does he make fun of any of these subjects.  He simply points out the absurdity of certain things like "waging a battle" with an illness and exaggerates certain aspects of things like how they report the news....in this case, a missing person named Janice, who later turns up murdered.  Once you get past the topics he is doing jokes about, you have to admit...he's right.  All of his observations are right on the money and done tastefully and respectfully. 

I was amazed to find out that this was his the very first time he has ever had a televised stand-up show.  What took so long?  Comedy Central should have done this long ago!  I'm so glad they finally did, and I hope they have him do another special.  By the end of the hour, I wanted more.  And more there will be.  "Sports Show with Norm Macdonald" debuts April 12, 2011 on Comedy Central.  I, for one, can't wait. I'm very sports challenged, but with Norm as the host, this is gonna be good!

The Man Is Back!
Topic: Norm Macdonald

I first saw Norm Macdonald around 1994 when he started doing Weekend Update.  I was never a big fan of comedy.  It takes A LOT to get me to laugh, and I really wasn't all that impressed with the previous Weekend Update anchor.  So when Norm started, I was skeptical to say the least. 

Week 1 with Norm...I sat in front of the TV waiting patiently to see how this was going to go.  "Over all, not so bad", I thought. The man just needs to slow down, and well, that Hasselhoff joke is funny."  So, ok he was off to a pretty decent start. 

Week 2, more of the same.  But I was getting concerned about him talking so fast.  I mean really.  One joke would sink into my brain, and he'd be 3 jokes ahead.  And then there was that Hasselhoff joke again....Still kinda funny, but not as funny as the first time.

Week 3..same thing.  By week 4, my best friend at the time and I both knew he needed help.  So we decided to write him a letter.  Turns out, we think a lot a like.  Long story short, we gave him the same pieces of advice, word for word, without knowing it.  They were going to be off for two weeks, so we sent the letters knowing they'd have plenty of time to get there before the show was back live.  But we figured he'd never read our letters. I mean really, I'm sure he gets tons of mail, right? But what happened next, we never expected.  The show goes live...I wait...Finally, update starts.  And I swear...this man starts off talking SO SLOWLY.  Honestly, I'm about ready to die laughing at this point. Then 3/4 of the way through the Update, he introduces David Hasselhoff.  And, holy cow, it really IS David Hasselhoff!  The whole bit looks unrehearsed and like David was just dragged off the street to do it.  I'm still not sure if it was just suppopsed to look like that or if that's really how it was. And it's all about Norm trying to get him to say "Germans love me."  Norm ends the update, and I call my friend.  Neither of us could talk.  We were too busy laughing.  (Oh, and he never did the Hasselhoff joke after that night.)  Norm had a 3-year stint as the Update anchor before a certain idiot told him he wasn't funny and was fired from doing the Update.

Norm went on to do other things..movies and a TV show, "Norm" that lasted for three seasons.  I still say "Norm" should have never been canceled.  At least not until his character finished his five years of community service he was required to do.  But I guess TPTB don't bother doing math when they decide to cancel a show.

I'm perfectly well aware that a lot of people don't get Norm, for some unknown reason.  He's different...a refreshing change from most comedians I have seen.  You have to have a brain to understand his humor.  And he may act like a shy goof-ball, but don't let that fool you.  He's usually the smartest person in the room and knows exactly what he is saying.

Fast forward to 2011.  I had not seen Norm on anything for quite some time.  I had actually given up hope of ever being blessed by his talent again when suddenly the man shows up on Twitter, of all places.  Color me shocked out of my mind!  I started following him and haven't been sorry once.   I have enjoyed each and ever one of his tweets.  I even start to go through withdrawl when he goes one day without tweeting. 

March 26, 2011...the day all Norm fans have been waiting for.  He has a stand-up special on Comedy Central for the first time in I don't know how long, but it definitely has been too long.  And he is as funny as ever.  Honestly, the first 20 mins. or so, I was trying to drink a cup of tea but couldn't or I would've choked from laughing so hard!  My only complaint about the whole show is that it was only an hour. I would've preferred two hours since it had been so long since he had been on TV, but I'll take what I can get.

Next up is Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, which debuts on Comedy Central April 12, 2011.  I don't understand a thing about sports, but with Norm as the host, I can't wait! Welcome back, Norm!  You've been missed.  I hope you never go away again!