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'Saturday Night Live' alumnus Norm Macdonald dies at 61 after private nine-year cancer battle
Norm Macdonald died Tuesday at 61 years old after a nine-year battle with cancer that he purposefully kept a secret, Deadline reported.
People also confirmed the sad news.
"Macdonald’s death was announced to Deadline by his management firm Brillstein Entertainment," Greg Evans wrote for Deadline. "The comedian’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, who was with him when died, said Macdonald had been battling cancer for nearly a decade but was determined to keep his health struggles private, away from family, friends and fans."
"He was most proud of his comedy," Hoekstra told the outlet. "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."
Evidence of how much Macdonald will be missed is all over Twitter:
No one could make you break like Norm Macdonald. Hilarious and unique. Fuck cancer.
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) September 14, 2021
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 (@Sethrogen) September 14, 2021
Norm MacDonald, 61, has died of that damn cancer. He leaves behind a thousand clips online that are all funny. He had a way about him you could never describe, you could only tell someone... "just watch him and laugh."
— DC (@DaneCook) September 14, 2021
We lost one of the greats today…RIP Norm Macdonald, one of the funniest comedians of all time. #ripnormmacdonald pic.twitter.com/kFkCt03hPn
— Spencer Charnas (@spencerink) September 14, 2021
Another reminder that you never know what someone is going through, battles come in all shapes and sizes. RIP Norm MacDonald. Fuck cancer. ❤️
— Allie Mac Kay (@alliemackay) September 14, 2021
Quintessential Norm Macdonald… https://t.co/5Ct7NA2o3Q
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) September 14, 2021
I’ve got so many laughs in my life by just repeating Norm MacDonald jokes. One of the funniest to ever do it - RIP to a king
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) September 14, 2021
This absolutely sucks, but rest in peace to comedy legend, Norm MacDonald! A true comedian's comedian. ️️ pic.twitter.com/9RgVQaDn0G
— BROTHER (@BrotherHQ) September 14, 2021
Norm MacDonald was not only the funniest person of our age but also among the wisest. A longtime fan, I had the unexpected privilege of a lengthy, private correspondence with him—mostly about religion. The certain knowledge of his humility and profound faith are a great comfort!
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) September 14, 2021
This photo was taken after I was a guest on Norm's show. At dinner the laughs just continued nonstop. He will be missed. RIP Norm Macdonald pic.twitter.com/DToJCUBdU2
— Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) September 14, 2021
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 (@ConanOBrien) September 14, 2021
To so many people in comedy, me included, there was nobody funnier than Norm MacDonald. You always hoped he would hang around after the work was done, just so you could hear his stories and get a laugh. So hilarious and so generous with his personality. I’m gonna miss him.
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) September 14, 2021
Norm Macdonald’s roast of Bob Saget remains the single greatest roast of all time.
— Lights, Camera, Pod (@LightsCameraPod) September 14, 2021
pic.twitter.com/HYFykIzIqz
We loved Norm MacDonald. One of a kind. https://t.co/0sXoCLEtuG
— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) September 14, 2021
He was one of the absolute best comedians ever. He was so good that comedy as an art form is better because of his approach to it. One of my life goals was always to have even a single conversation with him. Absolutely devastating loss.
— Kat Timpf (@KatTimpf) September 14, 2021
Macdonald started as a standup comedian before working as a writer on The Dennis Miller Show in 1992. The Canadian perhaps was most widely known for his five-year stint (1993-98) as a Saturday Night Live cast member and his "Weekend Update" anchor position for three of those seasons before he was infamously fired for refusing to go easy on O.J. Simpson.
Macdonald also co-created and starred in ABC series Norm from 1999 to 2001.
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