I was an intern on Conan during this time. I got to meet Norm that day, and watch them shoot that little segment in front of a portable blue screen they set up in front of the curtain where Conan would do his monologue. I remember him doing a few takes and saying "...is... is this funny...?" to the segment producer lol
Agreed. Letterman and Conan both laugh hysterically when Norm is a guest--like they do with no other comedian. He's very much a comedian's comedian. And, like you say, a genius.
apparently he used to be a stand in just hanging around the studio incase a guest couldnt make it, which is why hes on so much but also not always pushing something he is doing which works and makes it even better. What a stand in eh :)
I was born in 1990 and I always got him cuz I'm the bomb. When I was 12 my friends and I would do impressions of him from Billy Madison. His lazy slur.
+Gavin James Canadians are the kings of deadpan. I can see it not getting popular until the 90's lol. Who else can spend 5 minutes telling a joke, in-depth, about a moth.. where the punchline is simply "the light was on" and get a laugh?
I'm firmly, unshakingly, whole-heartedly convinced that Norm is the most deeply intelligent comedian in American history. His style is playful in the way that a 9-year-old is playful with an ant under a magnifying glass. He just owns it. Nothing trips him up. He is ALWAYS in total control of his audience's next reaction. I'm just in awe of him.
Neal Myers-Perry I didn't say he was American. I said "in American history." Norm has made his name, his fortune, his fan-base, his family and his legacy in America. His stand-up was in Canada, but New York and Hollywood are his adopted homes, and he's not a political blowhard. So we're happy to have him ;-)
I totally agree. It's amazing. The way he wanders around a joke, to fit his audience, and the way he caters to whomever he's speaking. He might be genius.
I agree 100%! But, I personally feel that the punchline is watching the ill-prepared unsuspecting rubes absolutely lose their mind after Norm has told them a 10 minute "joke" that has gone absolutely nowhere. It seriously takes a lot of talent to get someone that angry with you and not have them haul off and punch you. He was awesome! What a guy!
There’s a difference between telling jokes, and speaking in joke, where you’re fully immersed in that state of mind fearless and calm. Big difference. Robin Williams and Bill Hicks and Chappelle are like that too.
@@joeyvanostrand3655the punchline is.. Even his wife could've landed. He's not trolling everyone he was trolling sully. The plane landing is the punchline. The us airline... Air Lyin. Is another punchline.
@@rickmontana416 Leo Frank was NOT black, so clearly that wasn't what he was referring to. I would guess he meant Wayne Williams, who some people erroneously believe is innocent, given that case is referred to as The Atlanta Child Murders...
The man doesn't buy his own wife a plane ticket and makes her stand for the whole flight, because they are saving up for "the thing." Even though he's the pilot and could've easily pulled some strings so she could sit. It's perfectly flippant and so Norm :)
@@keithwald5349 in Danville, Ca. ? I think I heard he lives there. I live in Concord, Ca. Knowing the family, that's so cool. Must feel a little surreal in a way.
Took me awhile to appreciate Norm. I actually didn't care for him on SNL. Now? Far and away the best comedian in my opinion. And I normally hate to rank anybody or anything. Miss him dearly.
I'd say he was funny and had an interesting style and delivery that's unique. I wouldn't call him brilliant. He hits but also misses a lot. Certainly off beat, quirky and very funny and witty at times.
Loved it when Norm talked about him & many other comedians doing a comedy benefit for the Ronald McDonald House Charities,the benefit was making money hand over fist then Norm said it dawned on him"hey!wait a second, just how big of a house does this fuckin' clown need?!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Norm was completely an act the hell are you talking about. At 4:09 he stops himself from saying 'bindle' so he doesn't look smarter than Conan because it would kill the illusion. He's basically the low-key 90s version of Andy Kaufman.
"Him and his wife...Laurie Sungleberger - what was their name again? I wrote this bit 25 minutes ago!" There's so much great stuff in the whole story, but this plus conan's resigned reaction is my favourite part.
As always, his absurd humor masks a savage critique of modern culture. "Sully" was the same guy before the mishap on the Hudson, yet nobody would want to see a movie about him then. The world is full of amazing people who nobody cares about just because they haven't had a horrendous near-tragic incident yet.
Norm is brilliant he can tell a 10 minute joke with little punchlines all along the way before he destroys with an ending. Norm also has this likable appeal. I feel like he's inviting us to operate at his level.
John Thomas Boy, that may be true. I’m no comedian, but sometimes when telling a story and someone interrupts with something stupid, I bring them or their stupid comment into the story, often completely derailing it, with the intent of not-friendly commentary of their comment, interrupting, or their inability to shut up and listen. But I’m not a particularly nice person. Maybe Norm is...
My favorite thing is that he talks like he's a total burnout and maybe not very smart, and he always has that grin on his face, so people underestimate him, and it's a terrible mistake
Tribute to one of the greatest comedians of our generation. In his own words, his battle with cancer was a draw. “I’m not a doctor, but I’m pretty sure that if you die, then the cancer also dies at the same time. “That to me is not a loss. That’s a draw.” RIP Norm...
Moron. He had a longer and more successful career than most comedians, is heralded by most of his peers as a comedy genius and legend, and all media right now are filled with tributes to him. "Blah blah blah is underrated" is one of the laziest comments on social media and is almost always made by people who are 100% wrong.
"One of the funniest people I've ever met" you can tell Conan meant every word. David Letterman and Louis ck have said the same thing along with many other comics. The public might not always understand Norm's humor but for those who do he is a comic legend.
Norm correctly predicted the nature of the Conan/Leno debacle and the Sully Movie. Too bad his "guys jumping off the top of buildings" investment didn't work out quite so well.
Norm was talking about Jay getting his own talk show which would air before Conan's Tonight show after Jay would (be forced to) leave the Tonight show. Norm was just joking around Jay outfoxing Conan because everyone was hoping it would be a win-win situation. (Please dont start a Conan/Leno flame war, I love both of them and the whole disaster was NBC's fault)
US suicide rates are higher now than anytime since the First Great Depression. That these rates are so high is an indicator that we're currently in the beginning or middle of the Second Great One. "Jumping off buildings" is clearly a euphemism for suicide.
@@tarico4436 Things change. History doesn't repeat, it rhymes. The economy is booming right now (don't get me wrong, we're looking at a bubble), and the reason why people are killing themselves is different than in the Great Depression. The problem today is complex but it's mostly a symptom of inequality not seen since the Gilded Age. I dread what will happen when the economy inevitably does turn south, but the truth is by the time we recover from that we will be staring the effects of climate change right in the face.
I love how his buildup to jokes are usually funnier then his punchline for them. Gives him a lot of freedom with his jokes since he isn't worried about making sure the Punchline is the big laugh instead he just focuses on making sure the entire joke is funny from start to finish like the moth joke he tells its so long that he has to make sure to remind the audience what's happening again towards the end just so they understand the punchline.
Wise Wolf Tony Norm’s genius is that the buildup is funnier than the punchline, and then he often explains the joke again after, which is even funnier than the buildup! I don’t think there is another comedian who has the timeline and delivery to get away with what he does so well.
There's a video called "Conan & Norm Macdonald Cook With Gordon Ramsey" which shows what happened next after this clip, you should def check it out if you already haven't!
Weird. Is it just me or did his stock slightly go up recently? I know I've been looking him up a lot but he did just recently go on Letterman and there are a lot of newly posted videos. Maybe his podcast has helped a bit.
I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but the credits for Norm's Sully movie include the following people as members of the cast: Fred Willard (another comic genius), Sigourney Weaver, Ben Burtt (the sound designer for the original Star Wars trilogy), and John Ratzenberger ("Cliff" from Cheers).
He is one of my favorite comedians. He does shit that wouldn't be funny if done by any other person in his profession. The most unique delivery I have ever seen. He is one of a kind.
"On behalf of uhh... US Air..... line" *Norm smirk - I've seen this clip like 20 times, but for some reason that moment struck me as particularly funny this time.
Gonna miss Norm so much. So unique. There was no comedian even remotely close to him in terms of style. My biggest regret? We'll never get to see what 80+ year old Norm would've been like...tell me that wouldn't have been fantastic?? Norm @Rickles age?? Would've been something to behold😓
Norm Macdonald is a gem; a pure legend. Other comedians can make us laugh, and some can make us reflect while we laugh, but I've never smiled so much in my life as when I hear some of the art that is Mr. MacDonald's work. I bet I'm not alone.
Jay Schmidt, if you honestly find him to be a pure legend, you should really pay him the respect of crediting him rather than just stealing his sentiment and attempting to claim it as your own.
4:03 The lead-up to the cantaloupe line... Norm: So the powerful guys will be the old hobos Conan: The hobos from olden times? Norm: From the original depression Conan: Oh, ok...those guys are still around? Norm: Some of them never gave up the life and they...and they use that stick for more than carrying a...a pouch on, I'll tell you that!
Frank Stallone is an abortion that lived. He'd be parking cars at the La Brea Hertz location if not for his bro. And don't bring up his lame ass "music career". Another example of Hollywood nepotism.
The thing about Norm Macdonald, he has me falling off the bed laughing at something, that were it anyone else would have me cringing in horror. It is not even so much the joke/punchline as it is his delivery. The man is a treasure.
So sad that Ill never get to see any of his shows live or have gotten the chance to shake this man's hand and told him how his jokes have helped me laugh my way through some tough times. Rest in Peace Norm. I miss you already..
I thought I had seen all his old Conan and Letterman appearances, but this is new to me. It's funny how the Kitchener Leslie story morphed from him being the scourge of the poor hobo, to a hobo himself. Or vice versa?