How Late Night's Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert And More Remember Norm Macdonald
The world lost a comedy treasure this week when Norm Macdonald passed away Tuesday at age 61, after having privately battled cancer for the past nine years. And as the fans he’s garnered over the course of his decades-long career in comedy came to terms with the loss, television’s current late-night hosts, like Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, had a lot to say about Macdonald, who knew a thing or two about hosting, himself.
Norm Macdonald served as the “Weekend Update” anchor on Saturday Night Live for three of his five years on the longtime sketch comedy show. Post-SNL, Macdonald hosted a number of shows, including Sports Show with Norm Macdonald on Comedy Central and Netflix’s Norm Macdonald Has a Show. Comedians who were influenced by Macdonald’s brilliant comedic timing and bitingly smart humor quickly took to social media to honor the legendary comedian. Let’s take a look at how the late-night hosts paid homage.
Jimmy Fallon did an entire Norm Macdonald bit on Tuesday's broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, following the news of Macdonald’s death. Fallon, who like Macdonald hosted “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live, said the late comedian was like family, as he recalled videotaping and memorizing the comedian’s acts from the late 1980s:
Stephen Colbert said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Norm Macdonald took him in during Colbert’s short stint as a guest writer on Saturday Night Live. The host said because of that, he ended up writing for “Weekend Update” for the month he was there:
Seth Meyers was yet another Saturday Night Live alum who anchored “Weekend Update” on SNL post-Norm Macdonald. On Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host echoed the sentiments of many who remembered Macdonald for telling the jokes he wanted to tell, regardless of the audience’s reception:
James Cordon and his crew on The Late Late Show with James Corden shared their memories of having worked with Norm Macdonald over the years. He said:
David Letterman, who hosted the Late Show with David Letterman for over 30 years, weighed in on Twitter about Norm Macdonald’s unique style. And like his counterparts, he had nothing but praise for MacDonald:
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Conan O’Brien, another Saturday Night Live alum and former late-night host lamented that he will never laugh as hard again now that Norm Macdonald has passed. O'Briend said:
There’s no denying the impact Norm Macdonald made in the world of comedy over the course of his career, and hearing from those who shared a stage with him or shared some of the same experiences as him on the hosting front proves even further that the world is a little less funny today. Our thoughts at CinemaBlend go out to the family and friends of Norm Macdonald, as well as everyone who is mourning the comedian's death.
Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.