Norm Macdonald
Born 1959 · Age 66
Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, and writer known for deadpan delivery; SNL cast member and Weekend Update anchor, film actor, voice actor, podcaster, author; died of acute leukemia in 2021.
Compare Your Trajectory
See how your career milestones stack up against Norm Macdonald and other industry leaders.
Life & Career Timeline
Born in Quebec City
Norman Gene Macdonald was born in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, to Anglophone teacher parents Percy and Ferne Macdonald.
High school graduation (reported)
Attended Quebec High School; family moved to Ottawa where he attended Gloucester High School. He claimed to have dropped out at 16, but in fact graduated at 14.
Enrolled at Carleton University
Enrolled at Carleton University to study mathematics and philosophy; later dropped out.
Brief enrollment at Algonquin College (journalism/broadcasting)
Briefly enrolled in Algonquin College programs for journalism and broadcasting-television (followed brother Neil's footsteps). Exact year not specified; timing placed after Carleton.
Worked manual-labour jobs (chokerman etc.)
Worked a variety of manual labour jobs between periods of school and before starting comedy, including as a chokerman for a logging company.
First stand-up performances at Yuk Yuk's
Began performing stand-up at amateur nights at Yuk Yuk's in Ottawa; owner Howard Wagman persuaded him to continue after an initial panic exit.
Performed at Just For Laughs Festival
Appeared at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal; praised by Montreal Gazette as 'one of this country's hottest comics'.
Reported stomach cancer recovery
Multiple sources reported he recovered from stomach cancer in 1986 (sources vary); Macdonald later kept health issues private.
Married Connie Vaillancourt
Married Connie Vaillancourt (marriage later ended in 1999).
U.S. network TV debut on The Pat Sajak Show
Made U.S. network television debut on The Pat Sajak Show; made five more appearances over the following seven months.
Appeared on Star Search and Late Night with David Letterman
Performed on Star Search and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman (May 1990), where Letterman became a big fan.
Hired as writer on Roseanne
Worked as a writer (and story editor/consulting producer per filmography) on Roseanne for the 1992–93 season before leaving to join SNL.
Writer for The Dennis Miller Show
Served as a writer on The Dennis Miller Show's only season (1992); worked with a staff of comedians/writers.
Birth of son Dylan
His son Dylan Lloyd Macdonald was born in 1992 (with then-wife Connie Vaillancourt).
Joined Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast and writing staff
Hired by Lorne Michaels as a writer and cast member on NBC's SNL; performed impressions and sketches.
Became Weekend Update anchor
Began anchoring SNL's Weekend Update during the show's twentieth season; would anchor for about 3½ seasons.
O. J. Simpson jokes after acquittal
Made repeated jokes about O. J. Simpson, including 'murder is legal in the state of California' after Simpson's acquittal; material later cited in SNL disputes.
Praised by David Letterman and peers
Late-night host David Letterman called him 'the best' of stand-up comedians; Jon Stewart called him the funniest person he knew (comments around late 1990s/early 2000s).
Controversial Weekend Update joke about John Lotter
On Weekend Update (Feb 24, 1996) joked about John Lotter's sentencing; remark drew protests and NBC response.
Final official Weekend Update episode (approx.)
Macdonald's last Weekend Update hosting run ended late 1997 (IMDb notes last Update Dec 13, 1997); replaced in early 1998.
Co-wrote and starred in Dirty Work (film)
Co-wrote and starred in the revenge comedy Dirty Work (directed by Bob Saget); film released in 1998 and featured Artie Lange and Chris Farley (Farley's last film).
Voiced Lucky in Dr. Dolittle
Provided voice for Lucky in the Eddie Murphy film Dr. Dolittle (reprised in later sequels).
Removed as Weekend Update anchor
Don Ohlmeyer removed Macdonald as Weekend Update anchor; Colin Quinn replaced him beginning Jan 10, 1998. Macdonald believed O. J. Simpson jokes were the reason.
One of last SNL appearances (Who's More Grizzled? sketch)
Appeared Feb 28, 1998 in a sketch 'Who's More Grizzled?' and was dismissed from SNL shortly thereafter.
Ohlmeyer blocks Dirty Work advertising on NBC
Don Ohlmeyer prevented NBC airing of MGM ads for Dirty Work as alleged retaliation; decision later partially overturned.
Appeared in Man on the Moon
Made an appearance in Miloš Forman's Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon (1999); played Michael Richards in a scene.
Divorce finalized
Divorced Connie Vaillancourt in 1999; they had one son together.
Hosted SNL (return) Oct 23, 1999
Returned to host Saturday Night Live on October 23, 1999; used monologue to express resentment at being removed from Weekend Update.
Starred in The Norm Show (TV sitcom premiere)
Headlined The Norm Show (later retitled Norm) on ABC, co-starring Laurie Metcalf, Artie Lange, and Ian Gomez; ran three seasons (1999–2001, 54 episodes).
Separated from Connie Vaillancourt
Separated from wife Connie Vaillancourt in April 1999; divorce finalized later in 1999.
Starred in Screwed (film)
Played a starring role opposite Dave Chappelle in the film Screwed (2000), which performed poorly at box office.
Appeared on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Appeared on the Celebrity Edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, winning $500,000 for Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang charity (he could have won $1,000,000 but was talked out of answering).
Reprised Lucky voice in Dr. Dolittle 2
Reprised role as Lucky in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001).
Starred in A Minute with Stan Hooper (Fox sitcom)
Played title character in A Minute with Stan Hooper; show was cancelled after a single, short season (6–7 episodes reported).
Voiced Norm the Genie on The Fairly OddParents
Provided voice for a genie named Norm on Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents (2005).
Signed deal with Comedy Central for Back to Norm pilot
Signed with Comedy Central to create Back to Norm; pilot (May 2005) featured Rob Schneider but did not become a series.
Bell Mobility advertising campaign (Frank the Beaver)
Voiced Frank the Beaver in commercials for Bell Mobility; campaign extended through 2008 to promote related Bell offerings.
Cash in Bellagio poker tournament
Cashed for $20,915 in the $1,000 Bellagio Weekly Tournament (July 2006).
Released sketch-comedy album 'Ridiculous'
Comedy Central Records released Ridiculous; features Will Ferrell, Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, Molly Shannon, Artie Lange.
2007 World Series of Poker result
Came in 20th place out of 827 entrants in the $3,000 No-Limit Texas Hold 'em event, winning $14,608.
Appeared as celebrity panelist on Match Game (revived)
Appeared as a celebrity panellist on two episodes of Match Game on June 19, 2008.
Roasted Bob Saget at Comedy Central Roast
Participated in the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, performing intentionally tame material to contrast other roasters.
Pitched The Norm Macdonald Reality Show (picked up then cancelled)
With Sam Simon he pitched a fake reality series to FX; Garry Shandling was added but the show was cancelled halfway through filming.
Appeared on Million Dollar Password
Appeared as a contestant on Million Dollar Password (May 31, 2009).
Guest host on Tom Green's House Tonight
Made frequent Internet talk-show appearances and guest-hosted Tom Green's House Tonight on May 20, 2010.
Publicly disclosed gambling losses on Marc Maron podcast
On WTF with Marc Maron (2011) he revealed losing all his money gambling three times; said the largest single loss was $400,000.
Reported to have gone bankrupt twice (press reports)
Press (The Times) reported that Macdonald went bankrupt twice; details/dates not specified in source text.
Co-hosted High Stakes Poker Season 7
Became commentator and co-host, with Kara Scott, of High Stakes Poker's seventh season on Game Show Network.
Comedy Central special 'Me Doing Stand-Up' aired
His first stand-up special, Me Doing Stand-Up, aired on Comedy Central on March 26, 2011.
Sports Show with Norm Macdonald premiered
Sports Show with Norm Macdonald premiered on April 12, 2011 on Comedy Central; nine ordered episodes were broadcast.
Became spokesman for Safe Auto Insurance Company
Named spokesperson for Safe Auto Insurance in June 2012; campaign included TV/radio/web/outdoor ads and web videos.
Diagnosed with multiple myeloma (kept private)
Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2013; he disclosed his diagnosis only to family, agent, and producing partner and kept it private for years.
Became contributor to Grantland
Joined Grantland as a contributor for a short period in early 2013.
Launched Norm Macdonald Live podcast
Premiered Norm Macdonald Live, a weekly live-streamed video podcast with sidekick Adam Eget; later posted to YouTube.
Campaigned to host The Late Late Show
Unsuccessfully campaigned on Twitter to be named new host of The Late Late Show after Craig Ferguson announced departure.
Final stand-up on Late Show with David Letterman
Delivered the final stand-up act on David Letterman's Late Show; emotionally ended set with personal remarks to Letterman.
Became KFC Colonel Sanders spokesman
Succeeded Darrell Hammond as Colonel Sanders in KFC commercials beginning August 2015; role replaced by Jim Gaffigan by Feb 2016.
Norm Macdonald Live third season began
Third season of Norm Macdonald Live began in September 2016 (podcast ran 2013–2017).
Published 'Based on a True Story' (semi-fictional memoir)
Published semi-fictional memoir Based on a True Story (Sep 2016); debuted at #15 on NYT Hardcover Nonfiction and #6 on Humor best-seller list.
Shifted to more reserved, deadpan stage style
From May 2017 moved to a more reserved, minimalist deadpan delivery, claiming to have 'no opinions' on stage.
Controversy over comments on #MeToo; Tonight Show appearance cancelled
After an interview in Sep 2018 in which he appeared to criticize aspects of #MeToo and defend Louis C.K. and Roseanne Barr, his scheduled Tonight Show appearance was cancelled.
Netflix ordered 'Norm Macdonald Has a Show'
Netflix ordered ten episodes of Norm Macdonald Has a Show (a talk show hosted by Macdonald).
Premiere of 'Norm Macdonald Has a Show' (Netflix)
Netflix series Norm Macdonald Has a Show premiered on Sep 14, 2018; Macdonald interviewed comedians and celebrities.
Public remark about O. J. Simpson (claimed softened stance)
Appeared on Lights Out with David Spade and said he'd 'changed his mind' regarding O. J. Simpson's guilt; friend Lori Jo Hoekstra said Simpson thanked Macdonald.
Developed treatment-associated myelodysplastic syndrome
After initial multiple myeloma remission, developed treatment-associated myelodysplastic syndrome in early 2020, which can progress to acute myeloid leukemia.
Prepared final Netflix special (audienceless dry run taped)
Taped an audienceless dry run of a final Netflix stand-up special during summer 2020; intended proper filming with audience later.
Launched Loko dating app (co-created)
Launched Loko, a dating app relying heavily on video for first impressions; Macdonald was a co-creator.
Public tributes from peers and leaders after death
After his death, peers (Conan O'Brien, Dave Chappelle, David Letterman) and public figures (Canadian PM Justin Trudeau) paid tribute; Emmy winners dedicated wins to him.
Cremation and survivors
His remains were cremated; survived by brother Neil, brother Leslie, son Dylan, and mother Ferne.
Final stem cell transplant
Underwent a final stem cell transplant in March 2021 as part of cancer treatment (he had used aliases to avoid attention).
Hospitalized at City of Hope; recorded Orville voice-over
Entered City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California for chemotherapy, developed an infection, and recorded a voice-over role for The Orville while hospitalized.
Died of complications from acute leukemia
Died in Duarte, California on September 14, 2021 from complications of acute leukemia; condition had been kept private.
Posthumous release 'Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special'
An audienceless dry run of his final special was released posthumously on May 30, 2022 to critical acclaim; featured a discussion with several top comedians.
The Orville Season 3 premiered with dedication
The Orville's third season (New Horizons) premiered in June 2022 featuring Macdonald posthumously; season opened with an onscreen dedication to him.
Posthumous Emmy nominations for 'Nothing Special'
On July 12, 2022, Macdonald was posthumously nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), Directing, Writing).
O. J. Simpson joke clips circulate after Simpson's death
Following O. J. Simpson's death on April 10, 2024, Macdonald's recurring SNL jokes about Simpson were widely shared and remembered for their impact.
Key Achievement Ages
Explore what Norm Macdonald and others achieved at these notable ages:
Similar Trajectories
Kamala Harris
Born 1964 · Age 61
American politician and attorney; U.S. Senator (2017–2021); 49th Vice President of the United States (2021–2025); Democratic Party 2024 presidential nominee. First female, first African American, and first Asian American U.S. vice president.
Nick Szabo
Born 1964 · Age 61
American computer scientist, legal scholar, and cryptographer known for originating the concepts of smart contracts and Bit Gold, key precursors to modern cryptocurrency and blockchain systems.
Jeff Bezos
Born 1964 · Age 61
Founder and executive chairman of Amazon, founder of Blue Origin, owner of The Washington Post and Bezos Expeditions; prominent investor and philanthropist.
Melinda French Gates
Born 1964 · Age 61
American philanthropist, former Microsoft product manager, co-founder and former co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, founder of Pivotal Ventures, author and advocate for women and families.
Jack Ma
Born 1964 · Age 61
Chinese entrepreneur, co‑founder of Alibaba Group, founder of the Jack Ma Foundation and Yunfeng Capital; major figure in Chinese e‑commerce and philanthropy.
Paul Graham
Born 1964 · Age 61
English-American computer scientist, programmer, essayist, entrepreneur, investor; co‑founder of Viaweb and Y Combinator; author of On Lisp, ANSI Common Lisp, Hackers & Painters; creator of Arc and Bel and of Hacker News.