Many comics have taken to social media to celebrate the late former Saturday Night Live star. <\/p>
Former Saturday Night Live star Norm Macdonald has died of cancer aged 61.<\/p>\n
MacDonald\u2019s long-time producing partner Lori Jo Hoekstra confirmed the news in a statement, which revealed the comedy great had privately been living cancer for more than nine years.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe 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,\u201d it read.\u00a0\u201cHe once wrote that \u2018a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.\u2019 He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ever since the news of the Macdonald\u2019s passing broke yesterday, a slew of celebrities have taken to social media to pay tribute to the Canadian comic, who was an SNL cast member between\u00a01993-98.<\/p>\n
\u201cRIP Norm Macdonald,\u201d Taskmaster\u2019s Greg Davies tweeted.<\/p>\n
RIP Norm Macdonald.<\/p>\u2014 Greg Davies (@gdavies) September 14, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>
Monty Python\u2019s John Cleese added: \u201cThere are very few really funny people. Norm Macdonald was one of them. It\u2019s infuriating to learn that his comedy was interfered with by the usual clueless executives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cleese is likely referring to the fact that Macdonald often clashed with NBC bosses during his time on SNL due to his lambasting of OJ Simpson, despite pressure from execs linked to the footballer.<\/p>\n
He later told The New York Times Magazine<\/a> he rejected the OJ hypothesis, instead believing he was fired from SNL for his material. \u201cWe were doing experimental stuff, non sequiturs,\u201d he said. \u201cOhlmeyer would watch Leno kill every night for 15 minutes. Every joke, huge laughs, and then I\u2019d do 10 minutes a week and sometimes not get laughs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Late Night with Seth Meyer posted a video in which fellow SNL alum Meyers honoured Macdonald\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not think that Norm would want to hear anything sentimental, but I would like to say a few of my favourite things that I heard Norm say over the years,\u201d Meyers said, before saying Macdonald \u201cwas the gold standard.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the gold standard.\u201d @SethMeyers<\/a> reflects on the passing of comedy legend Norm Macdonald. pic.twitter.com\/kvxi01VN7Z<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers (@LateNightSeth) September 15, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>
Actors Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey also took to twitter following the news.<\/p>\n
Carrey said: \u201cMy 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery one of us loved Norm,\u201d Sandler tweeted. \u201cSome of the hardest laughs of my life with this man. Most fearless funny original guy we knew. An incredible dad. A great friend. A legend. Love u pal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every one of us loved Norm. Some of the hardest laughs of my life with this man. Most fearless funny original guy we knew. An incredible dad. A great friend. A legend. Love u pal. pic.twitter.com\/2Pftw28uPc<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) September 14, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>
\u201cI 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\u2019m so sad for all of us today,\u201d added Conan O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\u2014 Conan O’Brien (@ConanOBrien) September 14, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>
Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman also paid tribute to Macdonald, saying \u201cNorm was in a comedy genre of his own. No one like him on this planet. Please do yourself a favor and watch his stuff. He was one of a kind of all time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am distraught at the death of <\/span>@normmacdonald<\/span>. He has been there or thereabouts my favourite comedian for many years. Here he is, young, beautiful and f*****g hilarious. RIP Norm,\u201d David Baddiel tweeted<\/a>, alongside a picture of Macdonald. <\/span><\/p>\n
Baddiel has also shared screenshots of Macdonald\u2019s biography, Based on a True Story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Good Omens writer Neil Gaiman also paid tribute to Macdonald, and revealed the comedian had reached out for advice five years ago.<\/p>\n
I am so sorry to see that @normmacdonald<\/a> has passed away. He reached out for advice about five years ago, and I always figured one day we\u2019d have lunch. We never did. pic.twitter.com\/YOh8IT9LTm<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) September 15, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>
As well as a stellar career in comedy, Macdonald had recurring roles in Netflix\u2019s Girl Boss, ABC\u2019s The Middle , My Name Is Earl,\u00a0The Larry Sanders Show, and many more.<\/p>\n
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