Want to know the reason, why Norm Macdonald got fired from SNL? Yes, that’s the NBC sketch comedy show, we all know about. Whereas, Norm’s death is still making headlines and it’s getting harder for his fans to accept. Before getting into hideparturere details, let’s briefly discuss how prominent was Norm Macdonald in the entertainment industry.
Starting from the basics, Norm Macdonald was not just a comedian but also had great acting skills. Hailing from Quebec City, he excelled in observational, deadpan, shaggy dog story, and anti-humor comedy genres. Because of his great communication skills and popularity, of course, Norm was considered the ultimate talk show guest. His 2022 comedy work: “Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special” even earned Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
What about Norm Macdonald’s acting credits? The list includes The Jackie Thomas Show, The Middle, Sunnyside, Girlboss, etc. Little did you know, he also provided his voice for the leading role of Glumshanks in Skylanders Academy.
Coming back to Norm Macdonald’s involvement with SNL, the comedy star joined it back in 1993 and continued till 1999. He didn’t just play various roles but hosted as well. Thereafter, he made a few guest appearances on the show. But, why did he part ways? Did he have any feud with the cast? If you are looking for the reason behind Norm Macdonald’s exit from SNL, here is what we know.
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Reason Behind Norm Macdonald Leaving SNL Revealed: What Happened?
Was it Norm Macdonald who wanted and eventually decided to leave SNL? Or, did he get fired from the show? Norm Macdonald’s absence, was very much felt by his fans. What went wrong?
Norm Macdonald used to serve as the Weekend Update anchor for SNL, for three years. It was Don Ohlmeyer, who removed Norm from the aforesaid position. But, why? Well, the reason was cited as his content quality was getting worse as the days were passing by. In case you dont know, Don is the president of NBC’s West Coast division. That’s how it was showcased to the audience. But, things seemed to be different in reality. What was it?
Norm Macdonald felt like he was removed from SNL after he cracked jokes on O.J. Simpson and the Nicole Brown Simpson trial. Little did you know, O.J Simpson is a very good friend of Don. Norm addressed the former as the “murder” which eventually triggered him. Along with Norm, it was Jim Downey as well, who contributed to the joke and was removed from SNL. Briefly, he just ruffled some feathers with the jokes. Following this event, Norm left the show in 1998, and later made a guest host appearance in 1999, as mentioned earlier. During his comeback, he shared a brief about his firing.
Norm again made people laugh, being sarcastic about his departure. He said, “How did I suddenly get so goddamn funny? It occurred to me, I haven’t gotten funnier. The show has gotten really bad!” Despite getting fired from SNL, the comedian didn’t have a fallout in his career. He started his self-titled show, The Norm Show, which lasted till 2001.
So, it was all because Norm Macdonald feuded with Don Ohlmeyer. Their bad relationship even continued after his exit. The latter even reportedly asked Conan O’Brien not to book Norm Macdonald for his late-night talk show. But, that didn’t happen as he defended him.
Even though Norm Macdonald was associated with SNL for several years, Don, the President didn’t seem to like his humor. It even sparked controversy. Briefly, Don Ohlymeyer is still considered to be The Man Who Fired Norm Macdonald from SNL. That was harsh too. What do you think of this? Best Wishes to Norm! Make sure you follow Norm Macdonald on his Instagram account for more updates.
