He was 61.
Macdonald had been battling most cancers for a number of years however stored his analysis non-public, his buddy and producing associate, Lori Jo Hoekstra, instructed Muricas Information in an announcement.
“He was most pleased with his comedy. He by no means wished the analysis to have an effect on the way in which the viewers or any of his family members noticed him,” Hoekstra stated. “Norm was a pure comedian. He as soon as wrote that ‘a joke ought to catch somebody abruptly, it ought to by no means pander.’ He actually by no means pandered. Norm might be missed terribly.”
Born in Quebec Metropolis, Quebec, Canada, he began in present enterprise as a standup comic who labored the Ottawa membership circuit earlier than branching out to golf equipment throughout Canada.
He shortly grew to become identified for his deadpan and sardonic supply and in 1987 was given the chance to carry out on the “Simply For Laughs” Comedy Pageant in Los Angeles.
That first style of LA made an impression and Macdonald moved to town, intent on breaking into Hollywood. He discovered work writing for the unique “Roseanne” sitcom in 1992.
He joined the forged of “Saturday Evening Reside” the next yr, the place he grew to become identified for his impressions of David Letterman, Larry King, Burt Reynolds, Quentin Tarantino and others.
Nevertheless it was because the anchor for the information sendup phase “Weekend Replace” the place Macdonald hit his stride.
He held the place from 1994 to 1998.
Macdonald was fairly abruptly and unceremoniously dropped because the anchor of “Weekend Replace,” a choice made by then-NBC West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer. Though it was reported that the manager merely did not like Macdonald in that function, there have been reviews that it needed to do jokes that Macdonald had instructed about O.J. Simpson, who was considered one of Ohlmeyer’s longtime pals.
Fellow comedians Jon Stewart, Patton Oswalt, Seth Rogen and extra paid tribute to Macdonald on Tuesday.
