There are a lot of puns and one-liners that people have likely been itching to put out there, and some might have even done so by now, but out of respect for Norm Macdonald and all he managed to do in his life, I’ll gladly refrain. The famed comedian was considered as one of those that still spoke his mind without worrying if what he was saying would be construed as less than PC, and as many know he had plenty to say during his career. Norm passed away recently after a battle with leukemia that he kept on the down-low since he didn’t want anyone thinking any less of him for his condition, or remembering him as infirm during his final days. The thing about this is that anyone who does show this kind of pity has already shown that they’re either a fair-weather fan or someone that hasn’t yet figured out that pitying a person in this instance isn’t going to be the miracle cure that brings them back to good health. That might sound blunt and mean, but it’s also honest and practical.
Everyone that’s born is going to one day die, it’s a part of the human condition that we’re gifted when we take our first breath outside of the womb, and it can be one of the hardest things for a lot of people to expect or come to terms with as they continue to live out their days. It’s happened to many famous names over the last several years and has devastated many people, just as it’s been doing for quite a while. But it’s funny to think of what Norm might have said about such a thing, especially considering that the guy often took on roles that made him less than sensitive but a great deal more honest than many would want to be in such a situation. The thing about being able to laugh at death while still remaining respectful to those that have passed on is that it doesn’t make a person unfeeling, crazy, or even detestable as some might think. It keeps a person moving forward, and lets them realize that there’s more to enjoy until their time comes.
Norm’s career started quite a while back, but his movie career didn’t start until 1995 when he took on the role of Frank in Billy Madison. Frank was a lazy heap of a guy that did nothing but party with Billy and mooch off of him as much as possible, but he wasn’t an evil character either. In fact, Frank was fun because despite being kind of a drunken idiot, he was still Billy’s friend and would be there when he needed him, especially if there was free food and booze. But the thing about this character is that he was honest at least, even if he was a little bit detestable. The thing is that he didn’t hide who he was or try to be anything else. Despite being the kind of guy that people don’t like since he was a leech, Frank was still a fun character for an otherwise goofy movie.
Another fun role for Norm was playing the part of Little Chubby on the show My Name is Earl. The character was a jerk without question, but again he was an honest jerk, kind of, since all the stuff he did and said was never really hidden given that he was nasty because he could be. But Little Chubby was kind of reminiscent of Norm’s Burt Reynolds impression from Saturday Night Live, where he spent a good deal of time before he was let go. The particulars of his removal from SNL are a pretty big debate that would likely create the need for another article, but it’s fair to say that it wasn’t a pleasant parting given that Norm had plenty to say and was ready to tell whoever was going to listen that his removal from the show wasn’t something that needed to happen. But his career did push forward and while he was an extra in a lot of movies and did have fairly popular roles that kept him in the loop, it was evident that he wasn’t quite as big as he’d been.
Maybe I shouldn’t say that, since by the time he’d been let go from SNL he had almost reached the level of fame that he carried with him for so many years until his passing. It could be that Norm was simply understated and at times underrated, but the guy did have a way about him that could attract fans and also repel them depending on a person’s beliefs and their perspective on the world at large. Whatever people thought of him though, Norm was a guy that said what he meant to say. Rest in peace sir, you’ll be missed.
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