Comedy - Nerdist Podcast - Episode #32 : Norm Macdonald - Talk with Celebrity

[@Acceptablehandleaheada2.-_]

"If I had a specific ailment,I wouldn't tell anyone about it"

[@DavidBFox]

Norm is the only comic I can listen to all day, laugh at the same jokes he's told many times, and never tire of. Genius. Pure and simple.

[@andyoushouldfeelbad]

I never got to meet Norm in person and I think purposely was, much like Norm himself, far too afraid to do so. But I’ve been something of a historian of him for a while, out of deep love and admiration. I’ve often thought of what I would say if I ever met him that wouldn’t seem too fawning (he did not accept compliments easily), but would convey my deep love for him. I’ve narrowed it down to: “You repeat yourself often, and so does my grandfather. But I can listen to you tell the same stories over and over with nothing but pure love and enjoyment, just like with my grandfather.”

[@priestfan81]

It's strange, isn't it? I've laughed more at other comics. Norm is very funny and the subtleties of his stuff onstage are hilarious. Something about him though. His persona. I know this, hands down the best interview of any comedian.

[@lymz2003]

I recently discovered one of his podcasts with gilbert godfrey. Its one of the funniest things I have ever listened to.

[@undeadpriest13]

I mean this with complete sincerity; I love Norm Macdonald and I will miss him as long as I live.

[@LordMarlle]

Do you often lie about stuff like that

[@walterkersting6238]

Sure, now that he’s dead...

[@jomac841]

You’re not alone. I love him too. Norm was the only person other than immediate family I grieved when he died. I’ll always miss him.

[@Rattus-Norvegicus]

He painfully died of cancer just last year, and it's only now I can think back and laugh about it.

[@misslizzie8480]

r/NormMacDonald awaits your input.

[@lothlab9]

"SHOOOOEESSS". Ugh so funny. Norm always talks about how he wished he could've found that clip. I wish I could've found it for him. My hero.

[@12aR9]

Norm got very open bcs guy was very smart and norm was interested in his opinion on a lot of subjects

[@Jared_Wignall]

5:29 we get to Norm. And man, it’s a shame he’s gone. Truly one of a kind and nobody will ever be able to replicate Norm. RIP Norm. You were an Old Chunk of Coal and are now a Diamond.

[@djbowlz2128]

I've been deep diving on norm ever since he passed and this is the first interview that I've heard that provides real insight into why he didn't tell anyone about his illness.

[@breatmiller606]

J

[@Reprobus3]

I was thinking the same. As far as I can tell, he was ill at this time. So it's like he was confessing without actually confessing while he was slamming confessional comedy. They call that Meta!

[@BinaryJoe]

There's another interview that he does with a radio host on a CBC show out of... Vancouver, I think? It's on here if you search around. Anyway, it's not "funny" for the most part but it's pretty intimate and knowing in hindsight that Norm knew he was dying while talking about death and God and how he wanted to be remembered and what it meant is just astounding. Encouraging. Bravest funny guy ever to own a doghouse.

[@djbowlz2128]

@@Reprobus3 he was a deeply closeted sick person.

[@Rushil69420]

Listen to his podcast with Greg Fitzsimmons. He basically tells us without telling us.

[@gentletsunami]

I came here to hear his voice and cry. I will miss that cadence and candor so much!

[@Michael.Eddington]

😭

[@moodswingy1973]

It's so upsetting. He was a treasure.

[@jdadmk]

Ya same here... I love maybe 30 comedians... you can name the list yourself you know the names... just knowing that he was going to be part of the conversation had me laughing before I even heard him open his mouth. Ddamit. RIP NM.

[@-be-blank-]

im with you.. was so hurt when I found out. 😢

[@lastofthemohicans4665]

Same😢

[@grumpysnail81]

This interview is one of my favorite things ever. The insight into Norm's mind paired with Chris(who is criminally underappreciated) is just fantastic. I could listen to 1000hrs of this conversation. RIP Norm. Thank you!

[@melissasalsbury4705]

Just finding this today. Las Vegas 19 show Ive just listened to. Now this one.

[@timkinney8719]

This is probably one of the best Norm interviews I've ever heard. What an amazingly funny, witty, thoughtful, wise man. I love the inherent dichotomy of comedians, many of them surprise you by having such lofty and profound inner lives.

[@calestelken4645]

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Great interviewer as well. I'll have to check out more of Hardwick's work.

[@moodswingy1973]

Horrible loss. And Hardwick wasn't old enough to get the "Yak" joke. 🙄

[@Heopful]

For me the guy macpherson one so far

[@travisrogers7288]

Newfound respect for Hardwick, always kinda thought of him as just some MTV schmuck personality. I was completely WRONG.

[@timm7681]

I really wish there were more Good norm interviews or conversations with intelligent people, I love all the goofy funny stuff of course, but I find his musings to be so fucking engaging. One of my favorite things he said before was about how it’s easy to make people laugh but they may feel quite I’ll after, like Dice Clay, but it’s better to leave people with a smile.. i butchered the quote but i do think about it a lot

[@reachforthetop3224]

Holy shit. That George Foreman joke caught me off guard. 🤣🤣🤣 Literally spit out my coffee!

[@kize32]

It's funny how Norm refers to 911 as nine eleven. It reminds me of that tragedy

[@sonsofthewestredwhiteblue5317]

I remember when Norm found himself trudging the ruined sidewalks of the city in the aftermath, knee deep in blood and bone, looking for his brother. …. Who was up in Norrh Ontario

[@renanlizar8575]

New perspective after Norm's passing. Knowing he kept the illness in secret all along for the sake of his craft and passion. A true comedy legend. One of a kind. Will be missed.

[@Wallyworld30]

At 1:16:56 Norm talks about a courageous death. Somebody took their own life because they were sick. Norm by the time of this interview had cancer for 5 years. He talks about the guy going through cancer alone and of course the interviewer hasn't a clue because why would he. So fucking depressing to think of what he was dealing with while still being able to maintain his comic genius and incredible story telling. At 1:18:20 Norm hints that he might have an ailment but say's if he did he would not talk about it.

[@heff434]

This is one of the first things I thought of when I heard he had passed. Devastating. God bless the "old chunk of coal"

[@johnlittle7473]

That's not depressing at all. What you're experiencing here is a man living life on his own terms, doing what he loves to do for as long as he can do it. I can't imagine anything more uplifting.

[@dariaeliuk4377]

♥️

[@rethinkery]

Came straight to this podcast episode when I learned of his passing. It hurts.

[@SNNetwork]

1:14:30 he talks about cancer specifically

[@joepalo5866]

Chris amazing job interviewing here! I have listened to this episode over 10 times as a fanatical Norm fan and have never heard him so disarmed and honest. It is clear he respects you and wants to contribute. By far my favorite Norm interview! Thanks Chris!

[@roddydykes7053]

Chris is clearly smart as hell and can keep up and answer Norm’s questions

[@treylee2060]

Best Norm interview talking about comedy.

[@williamdolan2673]

If I weren't such a quisling, this interview would leave me nonplused.

[@Balmorax]

I dont know what quisling means

[@billyparham630]

@@Balmorax Glad to see another fan of Norm from Czech Republic! I just wonder, do you own a dog house?

[@Balmorax]

@@billyparham630 what do you assume that I'm gay? Im not gay Im deeply closeted (Slovakia bro, but you're good guy)

[@Howshegoineh]

@@Balmorax l

[@Howshegoineh]

9l

[@alexwright3849]

This conversation is pure art. Pure class. Pure comic genius. Pure genius. Pure intellect. Pure and raw talent. Norm's KZbin output ages like the finest of wines. And Chris is a good conversationalist

[@katieh8186]

Such a brilliant man. I so deeply regret not knowing about him while he was alive. My only consolation is such an immense back catalog of his content. I even ordered his book. Unimaginable loss

[@truthhurts837]

Wish I was in your spot and could see all the great Norm content for the first time. What’s your favorite so far?

[@truthhurts837]

Check out the channel I’m not Norm.

[@katieh8186]

@@truthhurts837 I’ve been binging I’m not norm. It’s hard to pick a favorite, honestly bob sagets tribute to him was pretty moving. I watched all of sports show, that was great. Him on Conan is wonderful, and norm Macdonald has a show was wonderful, was smiling all throughout. I’ve been binging his videos with his mom on Instagram and they are great. He doesn’t miss

[@deb9806]

@@katieh8186 his mom's although sad, are my favorite. I'm glad she was there for him. She's funny and you can tell a strong woman.

[@tanonymous2557]

@@truthhurts837 I am going through a lot of the rest and I am afraid of this feeling. His content is finite now and I am going through it all, I love it so much but I am afraid to watch any more

[@dougzart]

One of my fav Norm interviews/pieces. Chris Hardwick just rolls along with the stories. So good. R.I.P. NORM

[@jetobey5656]

If one is an intelligent iconoclast, then Norm is correct--- a Letterman comic for sure, and that was the perfect blending, above and beyond the ordinary , in no boundaries comedy.

[@strainwashed]

Love ya Norm. I didn’t realize how much your voice made me feel normal until listening to this podcast. Shit is a little crazy down here. Thanks for keeping my chin up.

[@heysolley]

Chris asked Norm what happened to the yak...? Whoooooooosh

[@TxWIll]

48:00 Paul Newman's son joke kills me every time

[@jamesmurray3889]

"Ya know Sienfelds got that protestant work ethic" hahahHHa

[@whatsuphotdog]

based

[@sergiodeanda5749]

Norm starts at 5:30

[@TheRealPapa4Life]

Norm died last week. And it’s only now that I can laugh about it

[@calestelken4645]

At 1:18:18, referring to his comedy routine, he appeared to hint at his private battle with cancer: "If I had a specific ailment-and possibly I DO; YOU don't know-but I would not talk about it. [...] and try to benefit monetarily from that." We'll miss you, Norm.

[@eoinoconnell185]

Yep. Hits you in the feels.

[@zugdarr]

I caught that as well, he was telegraphing his private battle and what we would hear about 6 years later. Sad to say, he probably saw the shallowness of the world he was in and realized that it was better to keep it to only a handful of people. I know when I fought my battle (2 years free), it was always nice having prayers for me, the extra kindness and consideration from friends, coworkers and customers; and it really gave me a better outlook on life and that I was going to get through it. The pain of what he went through was so unfair, I only hope his final years were comfortable and fulfilling.

[@whenthehammerwastthomas1585]

Norm and Gilbert both never mentioned that they were suffering. True professionals that understood what the whole point of what they were doing was.

[@melissasalsbury4705]

Found this vid today after Las Vegas 19 show.

[@ladazimina]

Man I love this guy. 2 hours fly by

[@sonsofthewestredwhiteblue5317]

Great interview…. So. Much Norm stuff is rehashed 8-ways from Sunday. As a man whose oft described as ‘an old chunk of coal’… this one’s a keeper

[@goodflop255]

That was exceptional. Such a great story teller, what a loss at such a young age. Thanks Norm for a lifetime of making others forget their problems. RIP

[@DavidTrudell]

Yeah,Norm makes us laugh and smile no matter how cranky we are. One of a kind.❤

[@r.p.mcmurphy6623]

This is the best Norm Interview I've ever heard! RIP

[@IntenseGamer105]

1:16:25 he actually talked about cancer and why he didn’t say he had cancer without saying he had cancer. Grim and very meta. At one point he says “and if I had a specific ailment and possibly I do you don’t know, but I would not talk about it.”

[@ChadFarthouse-h8r]

Meta?

[@uhlexseeuh]

​@@ChadFarthouse-h8rmeta.

[@aussiemenace1924]

He's talking about how easy it is for the mafia/media to say you Have/had cancer, 🎶 noone knows

[@SNNetwork]

This is by far the best one on one with norm. I also like the Miller Sedakis norm radio int.

[@chrisv384]

check out "what´s so funny" interview if you enjoy this one.

[@SNNetwork]

@@chrisv384 thx for rec will check it out. RIP to a true king

[@jaysmith3095]

For the sushi story alone.

[@randyj420]

Great stuff - just heard this for the 1st time. Great stories and so much behind the scenes info. Thanks so much for posting - huge Norm fan. We're so lucky a LOT of his stuff is on YT. Rest in Peace to 1 of the best.

[@brianl3766]

"Hey, it's the sprinkly donut guy!" lol

[@yellowonesdontstop]

1:20:22 Love to hear Norm say "fil-um." This is really such a satisfying interview- laugh out loud moments, flashes of insight and beauty. It's like listening to his audiobook, but with the real Norm minus the loutish "Norm Macdonald" caricature from the book.

[@teflojr1562]

“ Look, I don’t wanna say too many good things about the devil.”😂

[@lenhindle1108]

An interview for the ages....profoundly funny...funnily profound......and sweet so beautifully sweetly human.... To paraphrase Norm....this interview was better than good chicken 🐔

[@jeybird6276]

When he talks about how much he respected that guy for hiding his sickness and committing suicide and how if he was sick he would do the same, its so weird. I listened to this before he passed and even thought it was strange then. He was foreshadowing 100p

[@roddydykes7053]

I remember when he showed up doing “Quarantined” podcast looking like Mr. House from Fallout New Vegas and I thought “oh no something is wrong with Norm” but honestly I figured he was depressed and only eating Count Chocula

[@MoreFormosa]

Norm describes exactly why he carried out his struggle with cancer and no one new. He talks about a book and how the guy kept cancer a secret and burdened no on with it. wow, there it is, he spells it out in his own words

[@deb9806]

He said in an interview in 1991, he had cancer (maybe it was something else or precancerous) and he put it in his act in Montreal...no one thought it was funny if about him but if he made up an uncle etc. it was fine.

[@BinaryJoe]

Great interview. Norm was awesome, as usual, but I didn't actually know Hardwick was a stand-up...but I was convinced with, "Can you describe the yak?". Good stuff

[@Ray_D_Tutto]

He isn't. Joe Rogan, Marc Maron and Chris are a bunch of unfunny holes with no comedic instincts who desperately want to be seen as Comedians.

[@MrKrisstain]

48:00 Paul Newman’s son joke

[@lenhindle1108]

That Richard Farnsworth story was so shockingly profound...not sure I agree that going through everything alone is the best way to live and die but I can relate to what Norm was trying to convey.

[@AT-jq2ve]

He practiced what he preached.

[@lurchileb]

I watched the movie twice and i did not get the hidden layer of the film that Norm is talking about. Can anyone help me out?

[@Farmgoth]

​@@lurchileb Earnestly and relentlessly striving towards what is inevitably death?

[@roddydykes7053]

The part I think is insane is the shotgun ending. I mean come on that’s a horrifying mess you have to leave your family to live with

[@Tony-Jabroni]

1:14:25 sent a chill. Makes a lot of sense in context. Rip norm.

[@engrey]

And Tig Notaro made it all about her.

[@SNNetwork]

Ah yes that’s the moron he’s talking about

[@BrianFedirko]

norm is the best, i love hearing about anecdotes from the road. his philosophy is so sweet.

[@markphilpot8982]

This is an amazing interview. Thank you.

[@mickm5097]

This is a good interview in large part because the interviewer is smart enough to ask good questions, shut up and let Norm talk, and add information as needed.

[@Michael.Eddington]

It’s funny to hear Norm say one of the most prominent Jewish entertainers of all time has a PROTESTANT work ethic

[@jodyesperanza657]

When I come across a Norm clip I've not heard before, its a good day.

[@dangerismyusername]

Graduating high school at almost 14 years old does not make you a high school dropout. Dang lies!!! The more I learn about this Norm character, the more I love him!!!

[@davis2387]

Nobody ever got the Johnny Cash joke, the yack bit but he still did it 😂😂😂

[@dylanmcdonagh108]

Best interview I've ever heard

[@skepticalobserver7484]

You can really tell that Norm likes and respects Chris Hardwick.

[@aaronwilson4579]

Awesome interview Chris...came to this because of Norm and you got him to share a couple of stories (whether true or not) I never heard before. Nicely done

[@christiansky942]

I love this interview so much

[@calvinjluther]

Man. Talk about a blast from the past. We lost a real one. R.I.P. LootBoxes

[@lane546]

I just wish I could have a hug from Normy

[@kenbrohere]

Norm really is a genius.

[@jerryabreu5411]

Just an old chunk of coal!

[@roddydykes7053]

Was he good at math or something? (Yes he was)

[@Kurdt1]

@@roddydykes7053 made Harvey Weinstein hate on him with such a simple joke 😂 Genius indeed

[@dcoy8666]

What's crazy is this video on the guys channel, has more views than all hos other interviews combined. By a lot. Shows how strong the Norm fandom is

[@BrianFedirko]

Such a fantastic talk, I learned about myself in quite a profound way. Funny & extremely philosophic. Gr8!

[@moved2bitchute779]

3rd time I've listened to this. Still VERY good.

[@robovac3557]

You thought it would get less good with each listen?

[@josephdavidson3608]

For me the first two listens were great but the third was shit

[@spoocyguy]

5:30 to skip ahead

[@xavierpaquin]

Thank you sir

[@kiran258]

16:33 He is always trolling somebody ahh... I'm going to miss this man!

[@Michael----]

1:22:30 starts here

[@eskathechonk3624]

There’s a real steam of consciousness here.

[@rogue-like4life]

That's more of a comment, really... but seriously I was about to post basically the same comment.

[@tonygibson5171]

Ya it’s called conversation

[@leftysouthpawofdetttth7340]

I'm gonna miss me some Norm

[@FridayPodcastChrisChaos]

Norm MacDonald was a philosopher

[@mohnjarx7801]

Nothing like that Oscar Pistorious though. That guy was a scholar and a gentleman

[@johnlittle7473]

It's been clear for a long time that things weren't well with Norm. I'm just proud that he was able to do what he loved 'til the end, and I hope his going was easy. RIP to the greatest standup of all time.

[@pharmgirlupinhere6459]

What do you mean? Was it a secret? I didn't even know he was ill...

[@tw7231]

yeah. it's clear watching all these old interviews (30 yrs. worth or so) that he wasn't the same toward the end. His comedy was still great, but his spirit was not the same.

[@zachtm4]

I think this is the podcast that turned me onto podcasts

[@Balmorax]

Norm turned full Rust Cohle :D "the obvious thing would be to go extinct" :D

[@seanmurphy8312]

For sure. Except we insist. Lol

[@dragonlotion1789]

You’re really great at restraining yourself and letting the guest speak even if they cut you off mid sentence.

[@1oldschoolz]

Best interview 😂😢😊

[@Thetreeistall]

Wild how he talks about cancer

[@DizKord1600]

34:43 - Gary Shandling

[@Guinessforpresident]

haha just what i was looking for! thanks!

[@scrimmins7]

yes!

[@jasonnightingale644]

Larry king and his stream of consciousness 😂

[@lane546]

SHOES!!! You’re ok baby.

[@CalmDownJack]

lost two years of mine feels like BUT norm was there for me

[@McRingil]

If you guys have ideas like Norm in 1:42:00 just read st Augustine - Confessions. He struggled exactly with this question and what Norm figured out was a viewpoint of manicheans. St Augustine was one of them for many years, but also a great philosopher and he figured out an alternative account of the goodness of the world - a privation theory of evil. It was later developed by christian philosophers like Aquinas. In his theory goodness is an omnipresent quality of reality and what we call evil is a lack of what should be there according to the nature of things (an elephant without a leg, a water molecule which somehow isn`t polar). And moral evil is when rational creatures who know what are the natures of things and what is good for their fulfilment choose no to do so. There`s also an interesting trope Norm stumbled upon, It may sound like rambling to you, but every philospher working in metaphysics will know what I`m talking about. Norm states a well-known objection to this account - if God is all-good how there can be good outside of Him? It`s a problem that goes way back to Parmenides, the first metaphysician. He said that there is a thing called Being and it is only one, unchanging and nothing else exists (because it would be outside of Being, not "a being"), that`s called monism and notice how it corresponds to Norm`s statement that all-good being couldn`t have created less good ones. Parmenides` reasoning stemmed from the univocal account of being - treating it as a one, uniform property which all things share. What Aquinas developed was an analogical account of being. He just made an obvious observation that when we call something "a being" we don`t mean it possesses the one "property of existence" which is identical in all things. Existence is an analogical notion, which means every objects has its own mode of it, everyone participates in existence in a different way, otherwise Parmenides would be right, everything would be identical and there could have been only one thing whose nature is to exist (which Aquinas proves there is, but he develops a metaphysics which is based upon the existence of particular things like humans and electrons). And there are a few properties like being, they are called transcendentals (which means omnipresent) - goodness is one of them. God is all-good because He encompasses all modes of goodness.

[@gregkosinski2303]

Crazy that Blaster Girl got to meet Norm MacDonald.

[@eoinoconnell185]

I love the way everyone he tells the Yak joke to completely misses the punchline 🤣

[@jordienp840]

😂

[@soverythirsty8272]

That influential guy Norm was talking about at 13:00 was Harvey Weinstein...

[@joecurmaci5880]

That's fine no appearance with Dave if it doesn't bring tears to your eyes you are not human that was absolutely a moment in American history entertainment it was beautiful Norm was the best

[@richardwoolley7854]

He has a song incorporating various fish of the sea. Clever!

[@richardwoolley7854]

K.A. that is.

[@peterhagan8454]

I can't stop listening to norm

[@LordBeezleDwarf]

Oh boy. Idk what the hell is happening with my algo but i thought i had seen every piece of norm media that exists out there 10 times over and then today i get hit with 3 new ones ive never seen. Miss you norm

[@jackr8039]

The Richard Farnsworth story is eerily similar to the way Norm passed (minus the "Stuntman's Death part)

[@_PEPPER__]

1:18:14 hits a little different now...

[@heps65]

Godspeed Norm. I love you and I miss you.

[@chrispankey4640]

There was never, and will never again be a comic that comes close to Norm! I hope to see new unseen footage soon.

[@Zelig2Cents]

Johnny humor vs. Dave humor: It's a generational thing. You know, you say Andy Williams, I say Andy Warhol.

[@michaeldarcangelis9660]

Jerry Seinfeld has that "protestant work ethic"

[@abdulrahmansaad829]

01:14 onwards explains clearly why Norm didn’t tell anyone about his cancer. 💔

[@HighguyMcfly]

Norm I've got bad news for ya, turns out nothing matters. Good news is you fufilled your purpose.

[@fraa888grindr6]

Today the Kentucky Derby was won by Rich Strike, a three-year old colt, as a last-minute entrant and 80:1 underdog! In related news, famed sports better, Longshot Louie, hit it big with $800,000 in winnings.

[@deejaye2647]

Sounds fixed

[@pennystocklocks]

I always come back for shooooeeeesssss

[@knuckle12356]

Norm drops in around 5:29 😀 enjoy!

[@stevek6518]

Hey this is Chris from Talking Dead. He's great here

[@ransakreject5221]

When he’s just talking… he’s still crazy funny. Ecen with Mundane stories. Weird. Think it has something to do with honesty. Just a theory. He actually says “I wouldn’t talk about if I was dying of cancer, maybe I am.”

[@Arareemote]

There's actually a quote he says that describes it rather perfectly I think. "Comedy is surprises. So If you tell a joke expecting to make someone laugh and they don't. that's funny. " The more you think about it the more Norms comedy makes sense I feel because the content itself isn't necessarily funny by its own but the delivery is so surprising in such a unexpected way that it becomes funny. Many people have made this comment but it's a great irony of being a Norm and yet so diametrically opposed to the Norm.

[@VincentVader]

Skip to 5:25 to skip the commercials.

[@AvidiaNirvana]

Thanks so much Vincent! I was just about to tune out and find something better. Lol