gogo Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Every time there was a list in Forbes or similar magazines about best & worst jobs, he'd quip, "and again, for the 10th year in a row, worst job: crack whore."He did one once about how "crack whore" was no longer the worst job. It was beaten out for the first time, by "assistant crack whore". He also did one of my favorite jokes ever on SNL, something about how breakfasts with 100% of your RDA of Vitamin D are an important part of a healthy diet, but breakfasts with 101% of your RDA of Vitamin D are deadly poison. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marino13 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Classic Norm: Norm MacDonald Hosting The 1998 ESPY Awards The jokes were rampant throughout office parties and the Howard Stern show, but many in the entertainment industry still shied away from poking fun at O.J. Simpson after being acquitted for the 1994 murder of his wife, Nicole, and waiter Ron Goldman. Norm MacDonald, who was making a name for him self as a groan inducing anchor on Saturday Night Live was one of the first. While hosting the 1998 ESPY Awards in front of a roomful of the world's most famous professional athletes, many of whom were Simpson's peers and friends, MacDonald unloaded. After the University of Tennessee's Peyton Manning received the award for college football athlete of the year and stepped away from the podium MacDonald congratulated Manning's on-field success and his Heisman Trophy award to which he quipped that the award was something that could never be taken away from him--unless, of course, Manning "killed his wife and a waiter". The room was silent. The panning shots of the crowd by ESPN revealed unanimous disgust (a close-up of former Dallas Cowboy's running back Emmitt Smith was classic). From then on, the flurry of O.J. jokes that referenced the murder directly began to be commonplace for late night talk show hosts and into the cultural landscape. Praise MacDonald. Blame MacDonald. But what were once considered tasteless, insensitive jokes about O.J. Simpson were never going to be stifled by mainstream performers again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 I wouldn't give Norm credit for making it okay to joke about OJ - especially dating the 'first' OJ joke to 1998. Stern was making fun of OJ the week he was arrested. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 He just told a bunch of corny old jokes from 60s roasts...Well, sure, in terms of the content of the speech. But the jokes were clearly chosen because they were the worst kind of vaudeville puns, and Norm's "conviction" in telling them exposed how his real joke was about form, not content. The real joke was about delivery, expectations, and the meaning of cheesiness. That might not be Andy Kaufman, but it's more than merely recycling some corny old jokes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I wouldn't give Norm credit for making it okay to joke about OJ - especially dating the 'first' OJ joke to 1998. Stern was making fun of OJ the week he was arrested. yeah, but Stern never gets credit for anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marino13 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Yeah, but you have to admit it took some major balls to tell that joke in front of a roomful of OJ's friends and peers. Also the fact that it was on national tv at a mainstream event is why Norm gets credit for making it acceptable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 Absolutely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.