O.J. Simpson’s death was greeted with an outpouring of love… for Norm MacDonald.
Simpson leaves behind a, let’s say, complicated legacy; meanwhile, everyone loves Norm, who passed away in 2021. The connection between the two dates back to the 1990s, when the comedian hosted Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. He made enough (extremely funny) O.J. jokes during “The Trial of the Century” to fill an 11-minute compilation — and to get in trouble with NBC producer Don Ohlmeyer, who was close to Simpson.
Ohlmeyer fired Macdonald from the Weekend Update gig after he continued to joke about Simpson following his acquittal. “Ohlmeyer is best friends with O.J. Simpson,” Norm once said. “If he can like O.J. Simpson, he can like me.”
While appearing on CNN on Thursday to promote his Max series Conan O’Brien Must Go (without chicken grease and hot sauce smeared all over his face), Conan O’Brien praised Macdonald’s constant skewering of Simpson, even at the risk of losing his job. He called it “some of the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that whole period,” according to The Wrap.
After Tapper pointed out that Macdonald was fired from Saturday Night Live for the incessant jokes, O’Brien explained that “the head of the network at the time was tight with O.J… That was a huge moment in history.”
Miss you, Norm.
Hey, OJ, it’s Norm. Listen, be careful about the videos you put out there. I recognize the golf course behind your house I know that exact street and could easily print your address. Of course I never would, but others would. Be careful, Juice. https://t.co/NxKGGGUKCE
— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) June 17, 2019
You can watch a clip from Conan’s CNN interview below.
Conan O’Brien returns to TV with new streaming show. Watch the full video here: https://t.co/r0Prx1tZer pic.twitter.com/rgTL7zG1iL
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) April 11, 2024
(Via The Wrap)