Norm's Departure - Dirty Work (1998) Discussion

[–] Gildas 19 years ago

They said he "Wasn't funny". Now normally he would've had a hell of a lawsuit on his hands, but it turns out that's a job requirement at SNL.

There are other theories, that he wrote too many OJ Simpson jokes and that the producer at NBC was a close personal friend of OJ's being one of them.

reply

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

Most SNL regulars leave of their own valition, this is the first I've heard that MacDonald was fired...well, he was really funny in this movie.

reply

[–] bj_arni 11 years ago

Chris Farley was also fired in 1995.

transongeist.com

reply

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] thats_bone 19 years ago

How they'd fire Norm but keep Jimmy Fallon is shameful.

"I don't want to get you drunk, but that's a very fine Chardonnay you're not drinking."

reply

[–] algirdasbr 19 years ago

no joke!! I actually thought Norm MacDonald was one of the last true comic geniuses to be on SNL. He does a great job as an impersonator, actor, and writer. Jimmy Fallon should change his last name to "Talentless."

reply

[–] rep588 16 years ago

anything norm mutters is hilarious. seriously, every sentence out of this guy is pure comic relief. i actually come to tears whenever he starts telling dumb stories.

he was by the far the best weekend update ever.

he's a friggin pro thats all there is.

after seeing him at Sagets roast, the whole world knows what a comedic genius he really is. he totally roasted the whole roast itself.

reply

[–] getkwunk84 17 years ago

"I don't want to get you drunk, but that's a very fine Chardonnay you're not drinking."

awesome

reply

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

How they'd fire Norm but keep Jimmy Fallon is shameful.

Yeah, right?

reply

[–] soonerpike697 19 years ago

I thought he was fired for cussing on the air...

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] show_prep 19 years ago

I'm not certain if that is why he was fired, but it is definatly a possibility. I know at least once he said *beep* during weekend update. I was watching the week he kept coughing (I guess he had something in his throat), finally he got whatever it was out and he said under his breath (yet stil VERY audible) "What the *beep* was that"

reply

[–] jennifer_bellrichard 19 years ago

I thought he got fired because he refused to stop making OJ jokes, and someone at NBC got really pissed, so they fired him.

reply

[–] dcreed02 19 years ago

chris kattan is one stupid mother *beep*

reply

[–] wallacbe 19 years ago

*beep* = *beep*

reply

[–] superboozehound 19 years ago

A producer was friends with OJ, and the joke that got him fired was on weekend update.

"In OJ Simpson second trial, his lawers were set back today after being forced to turn over a tape prooving OJ's guilt. What was on the tape? The FIRST trial!

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tysonh 18 years ago

While you are technically correct . . .

Norm Mcdonald accidentally cursed on air shortly after making this joke, and that was their stated reason for firing him. I love Norm's sense of humor and I hated to see him leave SNL. Weekend update hasn't been the same since. His delivery was classic.

reply

[–] saxyman1004 18 years ago

Yes, Norm was great on SNL. Sometimes his Weekend Update wasn't funny, but in the sketches he was brilliant. Who remembers the sketch he did in which Sylvester Stallone hit Norm's car? Or, my favorite, the sarcasm class with Matthew Perry.

"Can I....uhh...could I want more...to take a bath...I want to take a bath with Marissa."

reply

[–] timmy_501 18 years ago

A year of two after he was fired, they had Norm on to host SNL. He said that he couldn't understand how he went from being too unfunny to be a cast member to being so Godda(mn funny that they asked him to host. He went on to repeat his expletive several times. Evidently his language upsetted some people and I'm pretty sure they decided never to rerun that show. Too bad, because it was classic.

reply

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] BobbySimone86 17 years ago

He was always my fav person on SNL. SNL is so bad now I can't watch more than about 10 min without changing the channel.

reply

[–] bruce_campbell_rulz0804 17 years ago

yeah i dont watch snl anymore nobody on there funny now

''Randall(Clerks 2) :i made fun of some lord of the rings nerd so hard he threw up''

reply

[–] got_my_crocodiles 17 years ago

The NBC West Coast Executive Don Ohlmeyer was the one who pressured Lorne Michaels to get rid of Norm for being "unfunny." Anyone can see that Norm was anything but unfunny, so it's more likely that Ohlmeyer had something personal against MacDonald. Could be that he was friends with OJ Simpson and MacDonald's deep cutting insults didn't sit well, could be something else. Just another great example of an executive with obviously no knowledge of entertainment getting his way in the face of actual logic.

reply

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nserafini 17 years ago

It was for bashing OJ - Don Olmeyer ( spelling ) was good friends with OJ, and Norm was out every saturday night driving home the OJ jokes;

It did get to a point where Norm was , while not liable, saying that OJ was the killer and that he got away with murder. He was just saying what some people felt ( and still feel ).

Secondly, there were some Michael Jackson jokes that stuck pretty hard; he called him a pedo on national tv.

Norm also wasn't getting along with some of the SNL cast ( kattan for sure ). It was sad since norm and will farrel were the 2 top comedians on the show during their time.

I think the cursing on the air was one or 2 times, but it isn't the first ( or last ) time SNL has been asleep at the dump button. That's no big deal really.

Saying OJ got away with murder was the sinker ......

reply

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nutsberryfarm 16 years ago

oh that was why. i wondered that for years. always liked when he did worst jobs and crack whore was the worst job in the us. that was funny. he was funny. everyone since has sucked. and when is dirty work 2 coming out? that's something i'd pay to see.

reply

[–] jgater1981 14 years ago

The SNL verbal history book states that it was Olmeyer that had him fired. Olmeyer just didn't find Norm funny. He would complain about the utter silence after certain jokes. Of course, we fans loved that silence. We understood there were layers to his jokes, and it took people a second to understand. They weren't dumb jokes. They were smarter than the average joke. Don didn't get that. He took the silence to mean it wasn't funny. Of course it was. It just takes a little longer to get there. The writer's all loved Norm. They all got what he was doing. Don Olmeyer just wasn't a "comedy" guy. Of course, he didn't like the OJ jokes, but Leno got away with them. You couldn't point the finger at Norm about OJ jokes and not do the same to the weekday late night hosts.

The book also mentions that it was David Spade, I believe, who Norm would just wail on. It said a lot of people were afraid of him because he was so brutal in his honesty.

Oh, Indeed!

reply

[–] morningxafter 17 years ago

NBC did some rearranging of management, and Lorne Michael's new boss was very concerned about the direction the show was taking as they were in another low point. he was considering who to let go and during this time Norm had said something that had really pissed him off. so he used the "you're just not funny enough for SNL" excuse to fire him. 6 months later Norm was invited back to HOST the show, which was weird.

reply

[–] spielbergos 17 years ago

Norm loved the repetitive jokes. yes,He swore on the air(there was only 3 complaints), he bashed OJ relentlessly (the real joke was making an absurd amount of jokes), and MJ too.
But let me elaborate on his firing.I was a huge fan of his prior standup comedy, and watched him on SNL frequently (back when it was somewhat watchable)
But he loved the repetitive jokes. That season, or maybe a year before, or maybe even always...Norm bashed NBC..he bashed NBC and the Execs. He did it the way Letterman always made fun of the network, or even the way simpsons joke about Fox... but he was relentless..Norm style.
I enjoyed Norm, and smirked at his nbc jokes, but i always thought,"man, what are you doing, and that you are picking a losing fight".
Now maybe he intensified after the previous season, when some cast members were let go, and he was unhappy.
But he always went after the network, just like OJ..and i knew his days were numbered well before the firing.
Now this happened a while ago, but i was surprised i couldnt find anything on the Net to back me up...
Anyways, his making fun of NBC was his biggest downfall, even though no-one says so ( i guess they would feel immature to admit it)-
C'mon..no-one else remembers???

reply

[–] ungettablethats 16 years ago

see the below links. fakenews.net is invaluable if you like norm mcdonald.

http://www.fakenews.net/archive/transcripts/1998_01_07_TLS.html

http://www.fakenews.net/archive/transcripts/1998_03_06_TLS.html

reply

[–] XfilesMystic 16 years ago

I thought Norm was great!!!

Whatever!!! SNL now sucks.

That show has some of the most unfunny and untalented people known to man on air which explains why the show has sucked for such a long time.

reply