The world was saddened Tuesday afternoon by the shocking news that comedian Norm Macdonald had passed away at the age of 61.
The Saturday Night Live alum had been privately battling cancer for nine years. Best known for his deadpan delivery, Norm Macdonald served as the host of SNL's Weekend Update segment from 1994 to 1997. Some of his best bits come from his guest appearances on shows like Conan and The Howard Stern Show. Chances are, Norm Macdonald was your favorite comedian's favorite comedian. On Tuesday, many people took to social media to commemorate him: some contemporaries, some friends, and many who found Macdonald to be a source of comedic inspiration.
Seth Meyers
Firstly, Seth Meyers took a moment during Late Night with Seth Meyers to acknowledge Macdonald's passing. He recognized the fact that Macdonald would not want anyone to be too sentimental. You could tell that Meyers had a great admiration for Macdonald and his work. Meyers followed in Macdonald's footsteps as the host of "Weekend Update"in the 2000s. The late night host cited him as "the gold standard," and acknowledged that he had to try his best to not sound like Macdonald.
Seth Rogen
Oh fuck. I was a huge fan of Norm Macdonald and I essentially ripped off his delivery when I first started acting. I would stay up specifically to watch him on talk shows. He was the funniest guest of all time. We lost a comedy giant today. One of the the all time greats. RIP.— Seth Rogen (@Seth Rogen) 1631644634
In a similar fashion, in a tweet, Seth Rogen cited Norm Macdonald as an influence on his comedic delivery. Only Rogen outright admits that he "essentially ripped off his delivery" So, in other words, if you're a fan of Seth Rogen, you're a fan of Norm Macdonald. The same goes for most comedians.
Jim Carrey
My dear friend Norm MacDonald passed after a brave 10 year battle. He was one of our most precious gems. An honest and courageous comedy genius. I love him.— Jim Carrey (@Jim Carrey) 1631646463
Jim Carrey sent his love to his "dear friend" in a heartfelt tweet that praises Macdonald as "an honest and courageous comedy genius."
Conan O'Brien
I am absolutely devastated about Norm Macdonald. Norm had the most unique comedic voice I have ever encountered and he was so relentlessly and uncompromisingly funny. I will never laugh that hard again. I'm so sad for all of us today.— Conan O'Brien (@Conan O'Brien) 1631648335
Former SNL writer Conan O'Brien took to Twitter to honor his friend. Norm Macdonald had appeared on Conan countless times and some of his most well known material was generated during those appearances. For example, one appearance that is over a decade old is now resurfacing.
Basically, Macdonald tells O'Brien a long-winded story about a moth, but his delivery of this particular joke perfectly summarizes his sense of humor.
James Corden
Another late night host who paid homage to Norm Macdonald was James Corden. On The Late Late Show, Corden said:
"He could take the most inanimate thing and make it hilarious in a heartbeat."
He turned to his co-head writer Ian Karmel who said that after "losing him there is not a next person up." He also declared that Macdonald was "maybe the best at it, ever." The leader of Corden's house band, Reggie Watts, hailed Macdonald as a legend. The three of them took some time to reflect on the life and legacy of Macdonald.
It is clear that Norm Macdonald made his mark on the comedy world and the world in general. He will be greatly missed.
