Norm Macdonald Passes Away at 61 After Private Battle with Cancer
It’s with a heavy heart that I report that comedian and actor Norm Macdonald best known for his time on Saturday Night Live has passed away. He was 61-years-old and he died after a nine-year private battle with cancer. Fuck cancer.
According to Macdonald’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, the comedian kept his health struggles private and he kept it from his family, friends, and fans. Hoekstra was with Macdonald when he passed away and she said in a statement:
“He was most proud of his comedy. He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”
I’ve been a fan of Macdonald since the ‘90s during his time on SNL. The guy was freakin’ hilarious and he always made me laugh, especially with his “Weekend Update.” Those segments have never been as good or funny since he stopped doing them.
Before SNL, he was a contestant on Star Search in 1990, and shortly after that, he was hired to write for Roseanne Barr’s sitcom Roseanne. After SNL, Macdonald starred in his own comedy series, The Norm Show, from 1999-2001. He also did a talk show for Netflix, Norm Macdonald Has a Show, in 2018, which only lasted one season. Of course, he was also doing stand-up comedy and appeared in several films.
Macdonald certainly made people laugh, and he’ll be missed, but his comedy will live on for people to continue to enjoy.
Source: Deadline