• Dankry@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    82
    ·
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    Don Ohlmeyer for one. He’s the NBC executive who had Norm fired as SNL’s Weekend Update anchor because he wouldn’t stop mocking Don’s friend, famous double murderer, O.J. Simpson.

    • LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      32
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      Oh yeah I remember that now, Norm Macdonald was fired from Saturday night live “for not being funny,” and he found it odd when he was invited back a couple years later to give the opening monologue.

    • stewie3128@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      17
      ·
      11 months ago

      It was great when Ohlmeyer went on Colbert Report and got mocked for saying NBC was going to lose money on the Winter Olympics. Colbert did a fund drive to help, and presented him with a giant check for like $5.08

      It’s also great that he’s been dead since 2017. Conan was right when he called him one of the silverback gorillas running TV.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    37
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    11 months ago

    I think the only person offended was that one NBC executive who was buddies with noted double murderer OJ Simpson.

  • howler@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    11 months ago

    Despite his appearance and delivery, i always thought Norm was the most “punk rock” comedian. He actually stood for something, stood by his friends and was true to himself. I did not always agree with his bits… But i never thought he was outright hateful. I think he tried to touch on the humorous or more absurd elements of society, with his commentary. Which was mostly the stuff i liked least… However, i believe that while Norm may not have understood some of these things, he wasn’t intolerant of them.

    Norm was about as big of an anti-celebrity, celebrity as i can think of. He always seemed eager to be silly and to laugh, and to love his small group of friends. I’m fairly cemented as being left of center, and i adored Norm.

    • Facebones@reddthat.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      There’s a comedian I get pushed on YouTube sometimes, and I feel this way about him. I’m not always on board, but he’s at least writing and delivering jokes.

      So many “edgy” comedians just given up and bitch about being canceled for two hours… To a sold out stadium.

  • CarlsIII@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    ·
    11 months ago

    I believe the reason he got fired from SNL was he kept making OJ Simpsons jokes and one of the top NBC execs was friends with OJ. Not quite the same thing as a public outcry, but I’m not sure of any bigger controversy regarding Norm.

  • Fuck Work@slrpnk.net
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    arrow-down
    10
    ·
    11 months ago

    Well unfortunately he used his final special to spew transphonic trash. Basically any time he wandered his way into politics it was never good, but he had some amazing jokes when he didn’t.

  • mommykink@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    11 months ago

    Plenty of people. Probably the most substantial recent controversy I can think of was when he called out a comedian for an anti-Christianity joke while judging Last Comic Standing. I understand his explanation for why he did it but that doesn’t mean it didn’t get misinterpreted. Like most of Norm’s controversies, I think he was a victim of his own intellect and nuance, and for assuming that other people were as capable of critical thinking as him.

  • Magical Thinker@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    11 months ago

    Pretty funny and insightful to me, but I mostly saw him on SNL a long time ago and more recently on Tyson’s Mysteries, where he was hilarious.

  • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    Most of the people I know who seemed offended were more offended that they just didn’t find him funny. I always felt, and still feel, bad for them.

  • Daisyjones@kbin.run
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    9
    ·
    11 months ago

    Although I’ve been a longtime fan of Norm MacDonald, I understand that not everyone like his comedic style. Since comedy is subjective, what one person deems funny may offend someone else. Norm had a distinctive way of pushing the envelope, and I completely see how his jokes could offend certain people. As an aside, has anyone thought of employing Buy Primary Data Collection Service firms to get feedback on comedians such as Norm? Seeing a more methodical approach to comprehending crowd responses could be intriguing.

    • Squizzy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      23
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      I don’t think so, I think unfunny comedy is being highlighted and comedians trying to be Carlin with their commentary but offensive comedy is alive and well.

    • ArumiOrnaught@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      11 months ago

      If comedy is being ruined by anyone it is by the group of people who think it’s patriotic, or morally praiseworthy to be offensive without a point.

      If you’re offensive without a point you’re just an asshole.

      These people have 2 jokes “I identify as” and “let’s go Brandon”.

      Everything else is just going “biden sucks, left sucks, trans people make my pepe hard and I’m confused by it”. It isn’t “funny” unless you already agree with everything they do. And even then I’d say it isn’t a joke just people getting release for being pandered to. Conservative thought porn.

      Most jokes are not funny. Most comedians are not funny. I haven’t seen anyone who advertises themselves as to the right of Biden make any jokes.

      The main problem I think most people have with “conservative humor” isn’t the fact it exists, but how aggressive they are in “advertising”. It’s basically trying to advertise straight porn in a gay night club and then calling everyone there a degenerate and deserve to be killed for not having the same fetish as you. Then after that bad experience they complain that they aren’t allowed back into the club. They aren’t a free speech warrior, they’re pieces of shit complaining that the 1st amendment also means that people don’t have to listen to their hate.

        • ArumiOrnaught@kbin.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          (they removed referencing how Comedy is “being choked out”)Comedy is making more money than ever. you need to be not vague if you want to be impactful. You know…make a point. I feel like I was just complaining about people virtue signaling without making points. Would you like to try again?

          • HootinNHollerin@slrpnk.net
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            3
            ·
            edit-2
            10 months ago

            Norm wasn’t conservative humor, and yes comedy is being chocked out IMO which I am fully entitled to my opinion. Norm was a fucking great comedian. Sorry you don’t have a sense of humor.

        • andyburke@fedia.io
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          11 months ago

          Except it doesn’t.

          The person above outlined how your argument is incorrect, using the example of conservative humor.

          If you think someone making racist jokes is funny, go watch them. Don’t get mad that lots of people think they’re a piece of unfunny shit.

          What is the real issue?

    • HootinNHollerin@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      The downvotes and political tangent replies only confirm my opinion on the matter. Ya don’t have a sense of humor and just want to deflect from that fact by getting offended and it’s lame