Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald (born October 17, 1963) is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer, producer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years. Early in his career, he wrote for the sitcom Roseanne and made appearances on shows including The Drew Carey Show and NewsRadio. He also starred in The Norm Show from 1999 to 2001. Comedy Central named him #83 on the five-part miniseries 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time. He is noted as one of Conan O'Brien's favorite and most frequent guests on his various talk shows. His brother is Canadian journalist Neil Macdonald, of CBC News' Washington, D.C. bureau.On February 26, 2011, Macdonald became the new host of High Stakes Poker on Game Show Network.He also hosted Sports Show with Norm Macdonald on Comedy Central, which began airing on April 12, 2011. It was announced on June 7, 2011, that the Sports Show would not be renewed for a second season, reportedly due to low ratings.
"Saturday Night Live" (1993-1998), “The Drew Carey Show” (1996), “The Norm Show" (1999-2001), “High Stakes Poker”, “Sports Show with Norm Macdonald” (2011)
Star Sign
Libra
#
Trademark
1
Nasally, Canadian accent
2
Sarcastic, monotone delivery
#
Quote
1
[in response to SNL writers calling Friends actor Matthew Perry a genius] What, is he good at math or something?
2
"I would love to stay at SNL forever. But you can't stay in the same place. People think you're a loser." - to TV Guide magazine in 1997.
3
"I'm not gay, so I don't know much about Broadway musicals." - while a contestant on the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" celebrity episode that aired on August 5, 2001.
4
I was in my peak physical condition when I was about like, uh. . . one. Oh God, I looked good, young and fresh! You wouldn't know me now if you'd seen me when I was one, you know? I even looked good for my age. People would come up to me and go, "what are you, zero?" And I'd go, "no, I'm one over here!"
#
Fact
1
Starring as Stan Hooper in the new Fox sitcom "A Minute with Stan Hooper." [November 2003]
2
As of 2011, the new commentator on GSN's "High Stakes Poker". [February 2011]
3
After making several gay jokes during his March 30, 2011 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Stern asked if he was at all uncomfortable with homosexuality, to which Macdonald clarified that he was not only a supporter of gay rights, but "fascinated" by gay sexual practices, often engaging in long conversations with his "hair cut guy" on the subject.
Attended Dollard-des-Ormeaux School on the Valcartier Military Base near Shannon, Quebec, Canada.
7
Attended Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, where he took the Broadcasting-Television program, and eventually dropped out. During his time there, he became good friends with Randy Dash, who shot, edited and produced a stand-up act Norm had done in the city. The resulting tape was what helped Norm land his gig with Saturday Night Live (1975).
8
Although he is not a U.S. citizen, he has publicly stated his support for Republican politicians George W. Bush and John McCain and has said that he considers Ronald Reagan to be the best President in U.S. history.
9
Despite being fired from Saturday Night Live (1975), he was asked to host the show a year later.
10
Dropped out of high school when he was 15.
11
In early 2002, he and Jon Lovitz were slated to play mismatched roommates for a proposed NBC sitcom entitled "Leave Me Alone," which was to have been produced by Adam Sandler's production company. However, because of a dispute between the network and the producers, the pilot went unfilmed, and the series never came into fruition.
12
He won $500,000 for his charity on the celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1999). He guessed the right answer to the million dollar question but was talked out of answering in case he got it wrong.
13
Chevy Chase has stated that since he left Saturday Night Live (1975), the only person who he believes has done Weekend Update "right" is Norm Macdonald.
14
Middle child of three boys; younger brother Leslie and older brother Neil. Neil is a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcast Corporation.
15
During an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman (1993) a few days after he was fired from Saturday Night Live (1975), he told Dave that the NBC execs fired him because they thought he wasn't funny.
16
NBC received two complaints after he used a curse word live on Saturday Night Live (1975).
17
Has a son, Dylan Lloyd MacDonald born on October 28, 1992 in Los Angeles.