“It’s not easy to be The Beatles; and have the smartest guy and the dumbest guy in the room digging what you’re doing... but to aspire to that I think is noble.” - Shepard Fairy for what it’s worth
That reminds me of Norm's story about Jack Warden forgetting his lines while on the Norm Show. "Normie Normie Normie........ Hockey, Normie! It's no good anymore.... Normie Normie Normie..."
He also works in old world folksie charm that you may hear from an old person, and then purposely undercuts it with the most dirty, savage one liner. His larry flint joke comes to mind. Make no mistake, its calculated and deliberate.
The one thing I've noticed about Norm is that other comics REVERE him as a comedic genius even though the mainstream audience doesn't really know him. It says a lot about how much he understands the construction of comedy
@@mobilegameplaywalkthroughs990 Dave Chappelle has been killing it lately in his Netflix specials - much funnier and more insightful than Norm has ever been. Jim Carrey was terrific in his early standup days, his impressions are scathing, his early comedy movies are original and very funny, and Jim was brilliant in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Bill Burr is another comedian who is way better than Norm. I love Norm in general but too much of Norm's comedy involves puns, groaners, long hairy dog stories, and insults that prevent Norm from making it into the top rank of comedians.
@@ShazzPotz I don't disagree at all. I love watching everything Burr and Chappelle put out. Burr hits his social criticism points with a hilarious sledgehammer, laughing and enraged at the same time. Chappelle is calmer, thought-provoking and is getting increasingly clever with his political messages. I imagine we can all agree that about half of Jim Carrey's movies are just way too infantile and are aging like milk. There's just something about Norm, though. He's so measured, guiding us towards a punchline that could be silly, serious, meta, or anything in between. Is it his nasal voice, his delivery, his mind, his mischievous grin, his carefree attitude? Not sure exactly how he does it, but I love it.
I love him, too. But I think you neglected his demeanor. I think it's really important to why he's funny. Has anyone else tried telling his jokes to friends? It is really hard. He always has an impish smile like he's up to something. He's giggly, intentionally fumbles over words, and will often leave words and thoughts incomplete letting you finish them. I'm not sure if all of these are essential, but it's such an odd way to deliver, I'm guessing there's purpose behind it?
“A long winding journey is okay, as long as the payoff is worth it.” I came back to this video when I heard the news about his passing, but I hope he knew that there are people who appreciated him and his work as this essay lovingly does. Thanks for the laughs, Norm. The payoff was worth it.
@Miles Doyle Bit of advice: If you're trying to tell this joke in Norm MacDonald's style, by taking the long-&-winding-route, you're gonna need a much better punchline than that one.
"If you die during a battle with cancer, the cancer dies too. That's not a loss, thats a draw" - Norm, 2011. The year he was diagnosed. You were right Nerdwriter. Nobody else knew better that a long winding journey was okay if the payoff is worth it. Edit : I didn’t even know he was sick
I'm sorry, but the that whole "dying of cancer is a draw" thing is bullshit. The cancer achieved its goal by killing it's victim. That phrase is a heavily sugar coated way of saying "well, they fought like hell but they still got their ass kicked". It's phantom optimism.
@@Jason_Belmont The cancer's goal is to live. It doesn't have a goal of killing it's victim. It's not like some cells on your prostate start thinking to them selves "In 4 years this guy is a FUCKIN DEAD MAN!". It's goal is to live, your goal is to live. It's a draw.
The way you edited this video is amazing .. how you played the moth joke thru the entire video with mentioning other stuff and made the joke end the video with him staring at Conan .. brilliant
I think it was also a nod to how Norm constructs his jokes as well. In how his jokes can be set up over a long period of time (the whole video), but still make sense and still be thoroughly entertaining.
I saw Norm live a while back, and he opened by reading his short little biography on the handouts that we all received at our tables. He just... read it. That's it. And it was hilarious.
@@mullaoslo I had just said the other day. Why has he not done any projects with Walken yet? They have a similar demeanor, but again are very unique. I also don't see why he did not make more often appearances on Craig Furgueson's show, seeing as they had known eachother when Norms show was filmed in the lot directly adjacent to Drew Carey's sitcom at the time.
@@bryna7 alleged allegations, by a few people who didnt even provide proof. The one about molesting the chick was deleted and posted on an anonymous account so I cant comment on that one. I'd say out of all comedians, Norm was the most well talked about, i can't imagine any of it is true, he just seemed genuinely accepting and loving of everyone. He was honest to a fault, I cant imagine he was somehow a masterful piece of shit, when he never once had a hateful thing to say to anyone.
norm has alway said "no one wants to laugh at someone smarter than them" so although he is with out question always the smartest guy in the room ...he plays the dopey, kinda boyish charm kinda roll
So committed to the craft that he did not want anyone to know he had cancer, in fear it might affect his jokes. That kind of dedication is unheard of. Norm Macdonald bought the farm. RIP
I definitely wasn't expecting a video on Norm but I am so happy I got one. He and Gilbert Gottfried are two of my favorite comedians who don't quite fit into "superstar comedian" category but they are still great. Man everything from Dirty Work to his podcast and of course his time on weekend update was great. Thanks for a new video.
I watched this video when it was posted and it got me really interested in Norm. Since then, I've been watching videos of Norm on youtube, mainly through a channel called "I'm not Norm". I've been watching Norm's videos nearly everyday for something like three or four years now, and even bought his book (I had to import it, because I'm from Brasil). Today, sadly, Norm left us. And then I decided to watch "me doing standup" again. Suddenly I remembered how it all started. And I figured I should come back here and thank you for this video. Thank you, Nerdwritter, for presenting me Norm Macdonald, the funniest man in the world.
I listened to Norm's "memoir" as an audiobook. I think this is a case for when a book is made better when it is listened to. The way he emphasizes words makes it better. There is a part in this book, where I laughed as hard as I could for the entirety of the chapter. It was like 4 or 5 minutes long and I was gasping for air by the time it was done.
My favorite nerdwriter vids are the ones where he introduces me to someone or something I have genuinely never heard of so I can check out something new and awesome. Just like this one. I love that Evan will make videos on almost anything and not just to follow the current trends that will attract views. He's using his huge fan base to bring people cool ass content they've never heard of, something I'd love to do if I ever reached that level.
And the final bit of music used was from Mozart's last unfinished piece, the Requiem in D minor; A literal piece of funeral music. Yet this was my introduction to Norm, almost five years ago now. Somehow this feels significant.
I'm floored. Flabbergasted. Heartbroken. Norm MacDonald passed away today at only 61. He was absolutely my favorite stand up comedian, but he also was probably the smartest person in Hollywood with regard to philosophical insight and pure wit. I'm absolutely crushed at this news. I like to think he and Chris Farley are rejoicing in being reunited.
The beauty of Norm Macdonald is that he subverts every expectation. You're expecting a short joke? He's giving you a long one. You're expecting a clever punchline? He's giving you a simple one. You're expecting him to be dumb? He makes a profound statement regarding life and death. He has pin point accuracy in what he is trying to do, but it often leaves audiences off-balance. And his craft is so perfected, he doesn't need to follow a strict script for his jokes. He often just free-flows his jokes in the order they come to him, or even just asks for topics to talk about from the audience. Never improvising, just prepared for everything. He often talks about his hero Letterman and about how he would act like the dumb guy, but would secretly be the smartest guy in the room. And that's what Norm has done to the absolute extreme. That knowing charming doofus-looking smile her puts on after he tells a subversive joke, the glint in his eye, you know he knows he's in absolute control.
DonkeyLips McGee it’s what the video is based off of, search up his moth joke, some call it one of the greatest jokes ever told because it really is a bad joke but his delivery is what makes it so incredibly funny
yeah that was such an amazing and smart line that came out of nowhere even adam eget was amazed...........not as amazed as when he got tipped two extra dollars under the queens bro but still
This best video essay I have come across on UA-cam. It is an absolute delight to watch and rewatch. I hope Norm had the pleasure of seeing it before his passing…
Randall Shelton, welcome to the Norm Club. Happy to have you aboard. As well as the stuff you'll find, here, on UA-cam, try to find yourself a complete copy of his comedy special entitled "Me Doing Standup". If you have Netflix, check out his comedy special entitled "Hitler's Dog: Gossip and Trickery." And, if you're really handy with computers and the internet, you might be able to find episodes of the UA-cam talk show he did (the episodes have been removed from UA-cam. I think it might have something to do with the deal he made with Netflix.) If you can find some of those episodes (like, on a torrent site...or something), first, look for the episode with Super Dave Osborne, then look for the episode with Russell Brand. Also, while you're diving deep into the internet, look for the routine he did for the Comedy Central's roast of Bob Saget. The things I've mentioned, here, are "quintessential Norm MacDonald" but, by no means, the only quintessential Norm MacDonald.
Rest in peace Norm, it was this video that help me discover your humour and the many recommended bits on UA-cam. We've lost one of the best long form comedians today.
I need to thank this channel and content creator. I had never heard of Norm Macdonald before, until I saw this video. If it wasn't for you I may never have had the pleasure of experiencing Norm's utter brilliance. Thank you so much. RIP Normy
I remember seeing Norm appearing in late night shows as a guest and sometimes making cameos in movies. But I never took the time to think how genius his comedy style is. After hearing about his passing, I came back to this wonderful piece dedicated to him, making me appreciate him more as a comedian. Thank you Norm for the laughs. RIP
Norm is not only a comic genius, he is a proper Artist! One only has to look at his consistency throughout his decade-long career, and the coherence with his values. it's on par with any other artist's, Kafka, van Gogh, D.F. Wallace, you name it. Love to see him in his podcast start to have some recognition from his peers (some of this season's guests are big time A-listers)!
This was my introduction to norm, i'll just paraphrase a joke i read under one of his tribute videos that made me laugh so hard and I think keeps his spirit alive: All this time norm presented himself as a living person, while in realitiy he was a deeply closeted dead guy. I'll miss you like the uncle i never had.
This video also introduced me to Norm. He became my favourite comedian and I was showing somebody several clips right before it was announced that he died and I'll keep showing people norm clips for the rest of my life.
I watched this video 2 years ago for the first time, thats when i first started to know about Norm and descovering his comedy (it is important to mention that i am brazillian and just began to learn english later in life) but at this point (2018) i was already deep into comedy generally for a while... already new the greats and was acquainted with their work. My point is: took me 2 fucking years to just begin to understand Norm, now you have to know that for people that didnt grow up learing english is very difficult to get american comedy as a whole, i study language and i actually think the best way for deep knowledge of the culture and everything that entails is through comedy. What iam trying to say is that Norms himself and his comedy is so intellectual and deeply layered that is like his funny wear a desguise, his approach to this genera is so unique that's genius is just the right word to describe it. I love Norm Macdonald and he will influence my work for sure. If anyone reads this please give me some feedback!
Norm is the least fucking funny comedian Jesus Christ. Ha so fucking funny the light was on cause moths go to light ha fucking ha you have this long story then a cheap punchline. Ha ha nice antijoke. Like WTF it's not funny. That is something I could come up with and no one would think it's funny because I'm not on Conan
Norm is the greatest comedic mind of our time. His appearance on Conan O'brien, with Courtney Thorne Smith is one of the best moments in talk show history. ua-cam.com/video/5F6dXcW-_Fc/v-deo.html
Norm is criminally underrated and I like that, it's fun meeting people who love Norm and feeling like you guys are in on something together and not just another fan, like for Sandler or something
Sergeant Pickles I discovered him yesterday, binge watched his videos, podcasts and stand up today...and all of a sudden, Nerdwriter posts a video about him. What the hell?
Sergeant Pickles that is called cognitive bias. We often ignore things until we understand them, then we can't help but notice it every where. Also everything you do is monitored and compared to people with similar viewing habits as you, so you will often see recommendations come in waves with groups getting the same one. Doesn't mean this isn't all a simulation though, just that your given reason (obviously not meant to be taken too seriously) is not evidence for it being so.
I've been a fan of Norm ever since seeing his roast of Bob Saget on tv. You should look that one up if you can find it. I don't think it's on youtube though.
Revisiting this one out of interest in trying out stand up but wow that ending got me a little emotional out of everything considered. You're right to make that clarification in the beginning too, Norm Macdonald is not an anti comic he's just an actual comedian...something we just really don't get that often.
Show this video to anyone who likes comedy. Understanding Norm is kinda advanced and this does a great job explaining him.. Heard the news of Norm's passing from a buddy's text while sitting in my office right around 5pm quitting time. I checked online hoping my buddy was messing with me. Nope. I've never had much reaction to deaths of people who do things I admire. Today I got vertigo, dizzy, close to tears, then threw up in a trashcan in my office right when my heart rate slowed and i felt more composed. I've done a lot of open mics and love joke writing. It's just a career I realized I'd self destruct in after going at it about 3 nights a week for 2 years. Being passionate about stuff comes with strong opinions. The do and so best stuff is a dumb angle to acknowledge talent. Regardless Norm was a master at his job.
![Norm Macdonald - Catches Up With Craig - Only Appearance [720p]](/img/n.gif)
"The smartest guy in the room pretending to be the dumbest."
- Conan O'Brien about Norm.
really!?
“It’s not easy to be The Beatles; and have the smartest guy and the dumbest guy in the room digging what you’re doing... but to aspire to that I think is noble.” - Shepard Fairy for what it’s worth
takes one to know one
Swish
Norm has said that about Letterman too. Conan has that trait as well. Norm, conan, letterman, are great examples of people like this.
I heard someone say Norm tells his jokes like an uncle who has dementia and doesn't remember the punchline until he's halfway through the joke.
That reminds me of Norm's story about Jack Warden forgetting his lines while on the Norm Show. "Normie Normie Normie........ Hockey, Normie! It's no good anymore.... Normie Normie Normie..."
it's true, I left this feeling remembered of my granddads long winded (but also funny) stories
@@rylestknuckles by the way, on The Norm Show, Norm played Norm
😆
He also works in old world folksie charm that you may hear from an old person, and then purposely undercuts it with the most dirty, savage one liner. His larry flint joke comes to mind. Make no mistake, its calculated and deliberate.
"chairman of the B O R E D" is still the funniest insult I've ever heard
Totally classic! Though, almost anything he did on Conan's show was "classic".
The first time I saw that bit I laughed so hard and then felt like I had seen something truly special. 😭
Stolen from Iggy Pop's "I am BORED"
@@mickavellian Riiiiiiiight. Norm's a H U G E Iggy Pop fan.
@@rhymeswithteeth did not know that! I CAN see a movie in there!
This was such a pleasant surprise. Long live Norm.
Gus Johnson yes, gus! your comedy always reminded me of norm a little. love you both!
me too thanks
This was such a pleasant surprise. Long live Gus.
What a delightful coincidence it is to find that your favorite youtube comedian is fond of your favorite stand up comedian.
Gus Johnson Holy shit it's Gubs Janson! Hey dude!
Coming back to this. What a legend. RIP
Yeah
@Miles Doyle what the fuck are you on dude.
Glad I watched it before his passing.
What a legend. We'll always have his Carrot Top's jokes. Love you Norm.
Norm died? I didn't even know he was sick
The one thing I've noticed about Norm is that other comics REVERE him as a comedic genius even though the mainstream audience doesn't really know him. It says a lot about how much he understands the construction of comedy
Me too. A comedian's comedian I suppose
It's too bad Norm does not understand the construction of the kind of Comedy that makes mainstream audiences laugh, not just comedians.
@@ShazzPotz I'd rather have Norm than another Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld or Dave Chappelle or whomever.
@@mobilegameplaywalkthroughs990
Dave Chappelle has been killing it lately in his Netflix specials - much funnier and more insightful than Norm has ever been. Jim Carrey was terrific in his early standup days, his impressions are scathing, his early comedy movies are original and very funny, and Jim was brilliant in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Bill Burr is another comedian who is way better than Norm. I love Norm in general but too much of Norm's comedy involves puns, groaners, long hairy dog stories, and insults that prevent Norm from making it into the top rank of comedians.
@@ShazzPotz I don't disagree at all. I love watching everything Burr and Chappelle put out. Burr hits his social criticism points with a hilarious sledgehammer, laughing and enraged at the same time. Chappelle is calmer, thought-provoking and is getting increasingly clever with his political messages. I imagine we can all agree that about half of Jim Carrey's movies are just way too infantile and are aging like milk. There's just something about Norm, though. He's so measured, guiding us towards a punchline that could be silly, serious, meta, or anything in between. Is it his nasal voice, his delivery, his mind, his mischievous grin, his carefree attitude? Not sure exactly how he does it, but I love it.
I love him, too. But I think you neglected his demeanor. I think it's really important to why he's funny. Has anyone else tried telling his jokes to friends? It is really hard.
He always has an impish smile like he's up to something. He's giggly, intentionally fumbles over words, and will often leave words and thoughts incomplete letting you finish them. I'm not sure if all of these are essential, but it's such an odd way to deliver, I'm guessing there's purpose behind it?
You hit it on the head with his mannerisms. He can get away with anything because you know he's being mischievous.
Thomas Long Yep. I told his pumpkin head joke to my girlfriend, and she looked at me like I grew a dick out my forehead.
His demeanor serves a youthful porpoise
Very true,when attempting to tell a Norm joke you almost have to imitate him to make it funny.The man is a legit genius.
He hit on that when he talked about the movie The Prestige. The bumbling idiot is part of Norm's shtick.
“You don’t actually have to fill the van with sandwiches”
The 12 minute joke cracks me up so much
"... ya know, unless you want to be known for your detailed work."
- We damn well know Norm's van would actually be filled with cheese sandwiches.
@@teenwithforce4 yeah but that's just for a role he's playing in a movie, he has to get fat!
"And they play basketball with each other.. Which is fine nowadays."
@@nickbooze9766 ...with their ridiculous 3 colored ball...
Cutting the Moth Joke bit throughout the video was a really great idea.
Not!
got em
Got eeeeem
Lol I was confused because I thought “where do I begin man” was the punchline
“A long winding journey is okay, as long as the payoff is worth it.” I came back to this video when I heard the news about his passing, but I hope he knew that there are people who appreciated him and his work as this essay lovingly does. Thanks for the laughs, Norm. The payoff was worth it.
I guess that means Norm's life was worth nothing, cause I ain't laughing at this punchline.
@Miles Doyle Bit of advice: If you're trying to tell this joke in Norm MacDonald's style, by taking the long-&-winding-route, you're gonna need a much better punchline than that one.
RIP to the deeply closeted king of comedy
@Miles Doyle
Okay, Man!!
Wait, so you're saying he was the king of comedy?
@@TheEmperorOfTheWorld yes
@Miles Doyle jesus christ, did you actually write that whole thing
@Miles Doyle I have reported your spamming ass
"9/11?"
**Busts out laughing**
"don't laugh at that, I was walking through the ash looking for my brother. He was in northern Canada".
God. That reminds me of that horrible tragedy.
Walking through blood and bone on the streets of Manhattan
That's a terrible name for an airline
Airline? Isn't that a popular convenience store across the world?
Norm has a lot on his mind. When he wears a hat.
NoMoreHideTheBall people say his face looks like a flower. Yeah, a CAULIFLOWER!
This man is for the birds
No thoughts at all, just a hat.
Norm has a lot of well-wishers here tonight and a lot of them would like to throw him down one. A well. They want to murder him in a well.
@@MonkyMonk729 Great one!
He kept his illness a secret for so long, and based on his persistence and work rate, you would never have known. One of a kind. #RIPNorm
"If you die during a battle with cancer, the cancer dies too. That's not a loss, thats a draw" - Norm, 2011. The year he was diagnosed.
You were right Nerdwriter. Nobody else knew better that a long winding journey was okay if the payoff is worth it.
Edit : I didn’t even know he was sick
@Miles Doyle It's you again...
Christ!
@Miles Doyle shut up
He had since he was a kid.
I'm sorry, but the that whole "dying of cancer is a draw" thing is bullshit. The cancer achieved its goal by killing it's victim. That phrase is a heavily sugar coated way of saying "well, they fought like hell but they still got their ass kicked". It's phantom optimism.
@@Jason_Belmont The cancer's goal is to live. It doesn't have a goal of killing it's victim. It's not like some cells on your prostate start thinking to them selves "In 4 years this guy is a FUCKIN DEAD MAN!". It's goal is to live, your goal is to live. It's a draw.
"This guy was a real jerk!"
Most ambitious crossover since infinity war
Yooo mma on point what were you doing here
been binging watching your videos MMA On Point.
@@critical2apps 😂😂😂
The goat
Someone should ask Norm where he gets his ideas from.
They did he gets them all from Frank stallone
At Ralphs, just like Super Dave
Under the bridge, they have a sale for men
From his driver
Bill Maher
RIP to this brilliant man. You will be missed.
The way you edited this video is amazing .. how you played the moth joke thru the entire video with mentioning other stuff and made the joke end the video with him staring at Conan .. brilliant
@@markwoollon This is why people talk behind your back, Mark.
I think it was also a nod to how Norm constructs his jokes as well. In how his jokes can be set up over a long period of time (the whole video), but still make sense and still be thoroughly entertaining.
@@markwoollon oh boy
I saw Norm live a while back, and he opened by reading his short little biography on the handouts that we all received at our tables. He just... read it. That's it. And it was hilarious.
+Phil Jamesson
That is great. I hope to see the man live someday. Definitely on the ol' bucket list.
They should have him read three little piggies as well, would probably be just as good as Walken just in a different way
@@mullaoslo I had just said the other day. Why has he not done any projects with Walken yet? They have a similar demeanor, but again are very unique. I also don't see why he did not make more often appearances on Craig Furgueson's show, seeing as they had known eachother when Norms show was filmed in the lot directly adjacent to Drew Carey's sitcom at the time.
@@taurusthefoolit’s probably difficult for him to do that because, you know, he’s DEAD!
Man, this was posted on the exact day of his death, 4 years before it happened.
Norm will be missed so much, he was a great guy and a great comedian.
@Miles Doyle Jesus Christ of latter-day saints
Norm MacDonald: "9/11"
*Norm starts laughing hysterically*
Alan Gohel Subscribe to my channel I'm not Norm to really appreciate Norm greatness
that tragedy....
I think you mean 9-1-1...
I'm not Norm I just saw this reply and I was already subscribed to you lol
it was a national tragedy
"My father went to a reverse psychologist and he told him to kill himself." -Norm
Bronn of the Blackwater When and where did he say that?
I never learnt anything college. In retrospect, maybe double majoring in psychology and reverse psychology wasn't the best idea.
@Dirk Diggler "He's looking up at his owner going, 'Hey, no offense buddy, but I can do this pretty well by myself, you know?' "
norm macdonald is a fine man the best part about him is that hes not a hypocrite
Really? Look up how he treated women at comedy clubs and how the clubs had to keep an eye on him.
@@bryna7 well my comment was a reference to a joke of his but I never heard about this gonna research it more
@@bryna7 alleged allegations, by a few people who didnt even provide proof. The one about molesting the chick was deleted and posted on an anonymous account so I cant comment on that one. I'd say out of all comedians, Norm was the most well talked about, i can't imagine any of it is true, he just seemed genuinely accepting and loving of everyone. He was honest to a fault, I cant imagine he was somehow a masterful piece of shit, when he never once had a hateful thing to say to anyone.
@@bryna7 that old chestnut. "speak ill of the dead"
norm has alway said "no one wants to laugh at someone smarter than them" so although he is with out question always the smartest guy in the room ...he plays the dopey, kinda boyish charm kinda roll
Greg Giraldo was pretty funny, o and extremely smart & troubled
@@jcman240 I think Greg dying before being recognized is one of the greatest tragedies in comedy that most people will never know about.
Stewart Lee is an intelligent man and also one of the funniest, so I have to disagree with him.
No one "likes" not no one "laughs." Pretty sure that quote is from his sky news interview
George Carlin literally called his audience stupid and Dave Chapelle recently did the same with the cancel culture joke, so idk about that take
Stand up was never a stepping stone for Norm. You are 100% correct. He has spent his life seeking mastery of the art and I think he's achieved it
RIP Norm Macdonald. There will never be another like you.
Thank god for the hatchery. we’d all be lost without it.
"You don't fuck with Terry when he has been drinking."
His best joke ever
You've not quoted it right, but I'll give you a pass. :)
"Doc she's choking..." 😂
Gian Mikaelo Alegre, that's modern medicine for you.
So committed to the craft that he did not want anyone to know he had cancer, in fear it might affect his jokes. That kind of dedication is unheard of.
Norm Macdonald bought the farm. RIP
Running into Norm McDonald drunk on Venice beach my first night after moving to LA is one of the highlights of my life.
Not sure, but he was probably on Xanax.
Did he tell you he could get a bottle?
Oh please tell us more! What happened?
norm doesnt drink
benwhitnell he doesn't drink or do drugs, maybe he just seemed that way?
I definitely wasn't expecting a video on Norm but I am so happy I got one. He and Gilbert Gottfried are two of my favorite comedians who don't quite fit into "superstar comedian" category but they are still great. Man everything from Dirty Work to his podcast and of course his time on weekend update was great. Thanks for a new video.
Jack's Movie Reviews Hey-I know you!
I came into this thinking I was about to learn about the Big Mac and some secret sauce. I was not disappointed.
I still miss Norms Sport show. Funniest thing on Comedy Central. Replaced by some dumb shitcom. More honesty than on ESPN.
Anytime Norm makes an appearance is pure gold. Here's a brief clip of Norm on Who Wants to be a Millionair: ua-cam.com/video/YdJez1dzmWo/v-deo.html
I can't listen to Gilbert Gottfried, so I don't know if he's funny.
I watched this video when it was posted and it got me really interested in Norm. Since then, I've been watching videos of Norm on youtube, mainly through a channel called "I'm not Norm". I've been watching Norm's videos nearly everyday for something like three or four years now, and even bought his book (I had to import it, because I'm from Brasil). Today, sadly, Norm left us. And then I decided to watch "me doing standup" again. Suddenly I remembered how it all started. And I figured I should come back here and thank you for this video. Thank you, Nerdwritter, for presenting me Norm Macdonald, the funniest man in the world.
I listened to Norm's "memoir" as an audiobook. I think this is a case for when a book is made better when it is listened to. The way he emphasizes words makes it better. There is a part in this book, where I laughed as hard as I could for the entirety of the chapter. It was like 4 or 5 minutes long and I was gasping for air by the time it was done.
@Miles Doyle wrong book nerd
His bit on Conan with Courtney Thorne Smith caused the internet to have to be shut down for three days just so everyone could stop laughing.
knowing now, after the Conan podcast dedicated to Norm, that the moth joke was basically improvised makes it even more legendary.
That's a knick-knack,
Paddy Wack,
Give the frog a loan,
His old man's a Rolling Stone!
Cosmic Mage best norm joke of all time
mrs wack.. her name is patty
My favorite nerdwriter vids are the ones where he introduces me to someone or something I have genuinely never heard of so I can check out something new and awesome. Just like this one. I love that Evan will make videos on almost anything and not just to follow the current trends that will attract views. He's using his huge fan base to bring people cool ass content they've never heard of, something I'd love to do if I ever reached that level.
What kind of a pleb are you holy shit! Not because of Norm but in general Nerdwriter makes videos about the most mundane topics
24 Frames Of Nick Are you 12 or something? How do you not know who Norm Macdonald is?
Perspective helps. Have a nice day. xkcd.com/1053/
24 Frames Of Nick i know this dude from 'The Middle'
24 Frames Of Nick I wish I could "discover" Norm again.
It’s kinda spooky how this video was uploaded on 14th September which is the date Norm died. Long live the legend.
Just came to rewatch after hearing the news, but Yoooow! (☉_☉)
that's real spooky...
Well, 9/14 was a national tragedy
And the final bit of music used was from Mozart's last unfinished piece, the Requiem in D minor; A literal piece of funeral music. Yet this was my introduction to Norm, almost five years ago now. Somehow this feels significant.
Once you start getting Norm . You will think he’s the funniest man on the planet
@Miles Doyle you speak like a deeply closeted atheist
I became cynical with comedy over the last decade. Norm is a forever exception. He holds my faith in comedy.
I'm floored. Flabbergasted. Heartbroken. Norm MacDonald passed away today at only 61. He was absolutely my favorite stand up comedian, but he also was probably the smartest person in Hollywood with regard to philosophical insight and pure wit.
I'm absolutely crushed at this news. I like to think he and Chris Farley are rejoicing in being reunited.
Norm's memoir is actually amazing, and definitely 100% true.
Good sales pitch
The audiobook is amazing
Does he add some juicy things about his life?
The beauty of Norm Macdonald is that he subverts every expectation. You're expecting a short joke? He's giving you a long one. You're expecting a clever punchline? He's giving you a simple one. You're expecting him to be dumb? He makes a profound statement regarding life and death. He has pin point accuracy in what he is trying to do, but it often leaves audiences off-balance. And his craft is so perfected, he doesn't need to follow a strict script for his jokes. He often just free-flows his jokes in the order they come to him, or even just asks for topics to talk about from the audience. Never improvising, just prepared for everything. He often talks about his hero Letterman and about how he would act like the dumb guy, but would secretly be the smartest guy in the room. And that's what Norm has done to the absolute extreme. That knowing charming doofus-looking smile her puts on after he tells a subversive joke, the glint in his eye, you know he knows he's in absolute control.
+juffan -- you could say he's made an entire career out of challenging cultural norms.
My hero norm.
Grizabeebles you are my new hero 2k18
you wouldn't hear that from any 1930s comic..
The channel thinkbiganimation made a video about Norm and he quoted all this word for word without credit to you lol
The old chunk of coal has now become a diamond.
Thanks for the hardest laughs of my life Norm. Rest in glory.
Good old norm, I'm so happy u did a video on him.
Doctor Oswald Subscribe to my channel I'm not Norm to really appreciate Norm greatness
I'm not Norm dude you are a legend
I was about to subscribe, but then I saw you begging in each comment so decided to unsubscribe
Rest In Peace Norm McDonald. I shed a tear for you. You will be dearly missed.
This video is what started off my first Norm induced UA-cam rabbit hole. RIP, thanks for the laughs.
The genius of having Adam Eget as a sidekick is finally getting recognized. 😂 #timeless #aheadofitstime
Garret Zenanko I still remember the first time I met Adam. Under the queensboro bridge.
@@ricksanchez4813 Yeah... with his soft hands...
That moth joke was amazing 😂 🤣
DonkeyLips McGee it’s what the video is based off of, search up his moth joke, some call it one of the greatest jokes ever told because it really is a bad joke but his delivery is what makes it so incredibly funny
The funniest man in the room, bar none. And as of yesterday, he's in every room.
A personal role model of mine.
"One think is to make people laugh, another is to make people smile..."
Norm Macdonald
yeah that was such an amazing and smart line that came out of nowhere even adam eget was amazed...........not as amazed as when he got tipped two extra dollars under the queens bro but still
R.I.P. Norm. This video is so special right now. Thank you for that.
this video was uploaded on sept 14th. Norm died on the same day, 4 years later. RIP Norm, and also, great video
I love how his mannerisms make him seem goofy but then you find out he reads deep sh-t and is actually smart as hell lol.
Norm MacDonald is a comedic genius...
*Or so the germans would have us believe*
Alex Spadge #AWKWARRRD
Daniel Katz ????
Are those the ones that love David hasselhoff?
@@thatcherdaniels9860 yes they do, which confirms my theory: *the Germans love David Hasselhoff*
Explain to the folks at home who Germans are.
This best video essay I have come across on UA-cam. It is an absolute delight to watch and rewatch. I hope Norm had the pleasure of seeing it before his passing…
Norm MacDonald is a genius. I never watched much of his stand up until here recently, and he is becoming my favorite comic.
Randall Shelton, welcome to the Norm Club. Happy to have you aboard. As well as the stuff you'll find, here, on UA-cam, try to find yourself a complete copy of his comedy special entitled "Me Doing Standup". If you have Netflix, check out his comedy special entitled "Hitler's Dog: Gossip and Trickery." And, if you're really handy with computers and the internet, you might be able to find episodes of the UA-cam talk show he did (the episodes have been removed from UA-cam. I think it might have something to do with the deal he made with Netflix.) If you can find some of those episodes (like, on a torrent site...or something), first, look for the episode with Super Dave Osborne, then look for the episode with Russell Brand. Also, while you're diving deep into the internet, look for the routine he did for the Comedy Central's roast of Bob Saget. The things I've mentioned, here, are "quintessential Norm MacDonald" but, by no means, the only quintessential Norm MacDonald.
this is where i first heard about Norm, binged his stuff during the pandemic and loved them. thank you NW, and R.I.P. Norm.
Rest in peace Norm, it was this video that help me discover your humour and the many recommended bits on UA-cam. We've lost one of the best long form comedians today.
I need to thank this channel and content creator. I had never heard of Norm Macdonald before, until I saw this video. If it wasn't for you I may never have had the pleasure of experiencing Norm's utter brilliance. Thank you so much. RIP Normy
"Cuz the light was on"
F'ing I laughed out loud and woke up my wife.
Holy shit this video was posted 4 years EXACTLY before his death. RIP
Watching this video introduced me to Norm. Thank you
From the thumbnail I want to eat a egg Mcmuffin all of a sudden
sellout sponsorship confirmed, unsubbed and reported.
Mike Arredondo I was thinking of one of those old Southwest Chicken Sandwiches but I get your vibe.
Mike Arredondo old Harold Delaney?
He should do an episode about how good McDonald's is at mind contr--err marketing.
I believe your comment has been infected with an overwhelming amount of replies from bots... :(
RIP Norm. I never had the chance to meet you but I will forever miss you!
Exactly 4 years later... Damn. May he rest in peace.
I remember seeing Norm appearing in late night shows as a guest and sometimes making cameos in movies. But I never took the time to think how genius his comedy style is. After hearing about his passing, I came back to this wonderful piece dedicated to him, making me appreciate him more as a comedian. Thank you Norm for the laughs. RIP
Awesome, check him out in Mike Tyson mysteries. Crazy funny!
The fact that you run the Moth Joke throughout the video itself, from start to end, is close to perfect
Norm is not only a comic genius, he is a proper Artist! One only has to look at his consistency throughout his decade-long career, and the coherence with his values. it's on par with any other artist's, Kafka, van Gogh, D.F. Wallace, you name it. Love to see him in his podcast start to have some recognition from his peers (some of this season's guests are big time A-listers)!
Had to come and watch this again. Rest in peace funny man, you will be missed.
Gaaahhh I love this video. Norm needs more attention. It’s just sad we couldn’t show it to him now. Rip in peace, old timer.
It's weird to know that he voices a talking pigeon on the Mike Tyson Mysteries show. Then again, it totally makes sense.
Pigeon is hilarious
Some Dude, he's also a blob (yaphit) on the Orville.
I completely agree. Very, very well done sir. Norm is the single best comedian of all time
This was my introduction to norm, i'll just paraphrase a joke i read under one of his tribute videos that made me laugh so hard and I think keeps his spirit alive:
All this time norm presented himself as a living person, while in realitiy he was a deeply closeted dead guy.
I'll miss you like the uncle i never had.
This video also introduced me to Norm. He became my favourite comedian and I was showing somebody several clips right before it was announced that he died and I'll keep showing people norm clips for the rest of my life.
Plus, as an extra tidbit, his spider joke references, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Pretty cool, I think.
C Jones Tidbit?
He was absolutely brilliant and very underrated. A legend. Love you Norm, rest in peace
This video was how I first discovered Norm, 4 years back and then I saw his Netflix stand-up special and became fan. R.I.P Genius!
Those long jokes are amazing. It's an absurd premise with hilarious remarks throughout and finished with a flat punchline.
I watched this video 2 years ago for the first time, thats when i first started to know about Norm and descovering his comedy (it is important
to mention that i am brazillian and just began to learn english later in life) but at this point (2018) i was already deep into comedy generally for a while... already new the greats and was acquainted with their work. My point is: took me 2 fucking years to just begin to understand Norm, now you have to know that for people that didnt grow up learing english is very difficult to get american comedy as a whole, i study language and i actually think the best way for deep knowledge of the culture and everything that entails is through comedy. What iam trying to say is that Norms himself and his comedy is so intellectual and deeply layered that is like his funny wear a desguise, his approach to this genera is so unique that's genius is just the right word to describe it. I love Norm Macdonald and he will influence my work for sure. If anyone reads this please give me some feedback!
Saw Norm's standup last night. God, it was brilliant. Left me and my father in tears.
What a weird coincidence that this video was uploaded on the date Norm Macdonald died just 4 years earlier
This video is more important right now than ever before.
Y?
Are you bitching about his serial killer joke? *eyeroll*
Norm is the least fucking funny comedian Jesus Christ. Ha so fucking funny the light was on cause moths go to light ha fucking ha you have this long story then a cheap punchline. Ha ha nice antijoke. Like WTF it's not funny. That is something I could come up with and no one would think it's funny because I'm not on Conan
@@James-cb7nb I'm so glad you're last name is so close to being "shill."
@@JohnQDarksoul see, that was actually pretty funny
I think the delivery is what really sold it for me. He had a way of making things that otherwise wouldn’t be funny, hilarious, just by how he told it
Norm MacDonald. _"The greatest underrated comic of our time."_
What is that song at the end?
His weekend update was the best of all the weekend updates.
Shed a tear when I saw Chappelle dedicated "The Closer" to him on Netflix. Thanks for honoring him Dave!
Norm is the greatest comedic mind of our time. His appearance on Conan O'brien, with Courtney Thorne Smith is one of the best moments in talk show history. ua-cam.com/video/5F6dXcW-_Fc/v-deo.html
7:32 was the equivalent of dropping the mic with that "pretend to be oblivious" look into the straight smirk dead pan into conan's eyes haha
Norm is criminally underrated and I like that, it's fun meeting people who love Norm and feeling like you guys are in on something together and not just another fan, like for Sandler or something
Fun fact: He was going to tell the moth joke in under a minute, but he was asked to fill the next segment. Like the legend he is he pulled it off.
Literally just discovered norm macdonald and then nerdwriter rocks up with an analysis. This life is a simulation I swear to god.
Yeah, I just discovered him too and he is already one of my favorites, maybe there is a little norm macdonald virus going around the interwebs.
Sergeant Pickles I discovered him yesterday, binge watched his videos, podcasts and stand up today...and all of a sudden, Nerdwriter posts a video about him. What the hell?
Sergeant Pickles that is called cognitive bias. We often ignore things until we understand them, then we can't help but notice it every where. Also everything you do is monitored and compared to people with similar viewing habits as you, so you will often see recommendations come in waves with groups getting the same one. Doesn't mean this isn't all a simulation though, just that your given reason (obviously not meant to be taken too seriously) is not evidence for it being so.
Same! I just ddisocovered him and then watched all his letterman interviews since the 90s.
I've been a fan of Norm ever since seeing his roast of Bob Saget on tv. You should look that one up if you can find it. I don't think it's on youtube though.
On an other note i want to appreciate the work you have put in the making of this video. Its very well made. Hats off!!
“Thank God for the hatchery, we’d be lost without it.”
My favorite joke.
Revisiting this one out of interest in trying out stand up but wow that ending got me a little emotional out of everything considered. You're right to make that clarification in the beginning too, Norm Macdonald is not an anti comic he's just an actual comedian...something we just really don't get that often.
Show this video to anyone who likes comedy. Understanding Norm is kinda advanced and this does a great job explaining him.. Heard the news of Norm's passing from a buddy's text while sitting in my office right around 5pm quitting time. I checked online hoping my buddy was messing with me. Nope. I've never had much reaction to deaths of people who do things I admire. Today I got vertigo, dizzy, close to tears, then threw up in a trashcan in my office right when my heart rate slowed and i felt more composed. I've done a lot of open mics and love joke writing. It's just a career I realized I'd self destruct in after going at it about 3 nights a week for 2 years. Being passionate about stuff comes with strong opinions. The do and so best stuff is a dumb angle to acknowledge talent. Regardless Norm was a master at his job.
You sir first introduced me to this legend four years ago... and I thank you for it from the bottom of my heart.
RIP Norm, you old chunk of coal.
The best Norm video. RIP Norm, a true legend -- he will be forever missed.
This was the video that first introduced me to Norm, and led to him being one of my favorite entertainers. RIP to a legend.
thanks for introducing me to this great comedian m8. Off to binge watch this guy for the rest of the day.
WhyyoutubeWHY?! If you want to see how smart he is on the fly, check out the Courtney Thorne Smith interview work Conan