Though Norm Macdonald passed away in the fall of 2021, his comedic legacy lives on in the form of a new comedy special now streaming on Netflix. Filmed in his living room in the summer of 2020, Netflix’s Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special is one final hour of stand-up taped by the comedian himself as he headed into a risky medical procedure at the height of the pandemic.
He recorded the unpolished hour intended for a more formal Netflix special down the road (a special that got waylaid for COVID-related reasons) “just in case” he didn’t make it through his procedure. And though that particular procedure was successful, nonetheless, his “just in case” instincts were prescient.
A Special Special
Recorded in his living room, not as a “stand up” but more in the style of a sit-down webcast/Zoom comedy show, the final work from the comedian benefits from the relaxed nature of the recording. Interruptions from his cell phone and a few barking dogs somehow add to the comedy instead of distracting from it.
It makes for a pandemic-era special that is especially strange, but also especially compelling and watchable. It’s made even more unique by the fact that it’s accompanied by a 30-minute postscript featuring fellow comedians David Letterman, Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Molly Shannon, and Conan O’Brien discussing the special and Norm in general. None of his colleagues seemed to know about his illness, and Sandler in particular appears broken up by the memories of his friend.
With the addition of the post-show commentary, the special begins to feel like a wake for the Canadian comedian who came to fame on SNL. O’Brien and Letterman astutely describe Norm’s distinctive style and sensibility. Comparing him to Mark Twain, O’Brien singles out Macdonald’s careful word choices as deliberate and “out of time,” one of the things that sets him apart from other comedians.
New Special, Same Old Norm
Regarding the new material itself, fans’ hearts will be warmed by the characteristic folksiness of Macdonald’s delivery, complete with the comforting and familiar phrases “you know” and “on account of” that Norm is prone to. Adding the to folksy, upolished (in a good way) feel of the special, Macdonald allows himself to ramble a bit occasionally before circling back around to his initial point, a style that’s unpredictable yet effective.
Case in point: Potentially hokey material about airplanes and doctors ends up turning into darker, more morbid (and quite hilarious) thoughts about plane crashes and hospital life support.
Occasionally, Macdonald does veer into questionable and potentially problematic territory. A bit about his father (admittedly from a “different generation”) not understanding the concept of trans people could be taken as the comedian editorializing his own views. But then again, maybe not?
As with a lot of Norm material, his discussion of trans people isn’t exactly mockery. The comedian takes a tone that comes at the topic from multiple angles. From one angle, he’s definitely mocking the brashness of his father and other people of a certain age. Then at the same time he’s commenting on the idea that society should concern itself with holding someone of his father’s age accountable for views that are archaic and backwards, anachronistic views that are actually from their “time.”
But in typical Norm fashion, he moves on quickly to an even better joke, marveling at how progressive his childhood was because his family used a gender-neutral bathroom at home.
Perhaps Macdonald hits his peak in the special when he talks about the emerging characterization of comedians as a “modern philosophers.” It’s an idea he rejects, saying it “makes me feel sad for the actual modern philosopher.”
Norm may be on to something there, but his feelings won’t stop many from idolizing their favorite performers and cherishing each tiny piece of work, work like Nothing Special. This idolization is also often accompanied by fans dissecting each joke down to the word and analyzing it for any and all possible meanings, often imparting their own views onto the creations of their favorite artists and comedians.
But maybe Norm understood that all too well, which is why he was so deliberate with each word, careful with tone and approach, coming at every topic from a dozen twisty angles, leaving each bit open to interpretation by the consumer.
And it’s likely that deliberateness, that wink-and-a-glance delivery that left many feeling included on a private joke that elicited such loyal adulation and adoration from a devoted fanbase.
Norm Macdonald: A Special Farewell
Lori Jo Hoekstra, Macdonald’s long-time producing partner, says that “while this version of Nothing Special was not originally meant to be the final product,” Macdonald’s family and friends wanted to make sure that the hour saw the light of day. Hoekstra says, “He left this gift for us all.”
It was a gift that thankfully Netflix decided to air uncut, as it was shot and produced by Norm himself in his living room that summer day in 2020.
At around the 55 minute mark, Norm signs off for the last time, “Stay safe, folks. I love you.”
We love you too, Norm. Thanks for everything.
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special is streaming now on Netflix.
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