Comedian Norm Macdonald dies following battle with cancer: report

Famed comedian Norm Macdonald has reportedly died after a nine-year battle with cancer. He was 61. 

“He was most proud of his comedy,” Macdonald’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra told Deadline.com, which confirmed Macdonald’s death Tuesday with his management company Brillstein Entertainment.

“He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly,” Hoekstra said. 

Macdonald starred on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, during which he anchored the show’s news satire segment “Weekend Update.” 

The actor and comedian started his career as a writer on Roseanne Barr’s sitcom in 1992 before being hired by NBC as a cast member on SNL. After leaving SNL in 1998, Macdonald had his own sitcom “The Norm Show” from 1991 to 2001, Deadline noted. 

Tributes to Macdonald poured in on social media on Tuesday afternoon following reports of his death. 

Comedy icon Norm MacDonald has passed away at the age of 61 after a long, private battle with cancer.

Rest in peace… pic.twitter.com/fXaSulHtoZ

— Lights, Camera, Pod (@LightsCameraPod) September 14, 2021

One of the funniest men who ever walked the earth. https://t.co/tCVv5lThqN

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 14, 2021

Gutted.

One of the great comedic geniuses, free thinkers, all around true originals of all time. Ben and I were lucky enough to see him perform in Vegas and it was incredible.

Beyond tragic. Condolences to his friends, family and loved ones. https://t.co/ewtpPsAQO9

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) September 14, 2021

Love you, Norm.

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) September 14, 2021

Norm Macdonald was an absolute legend. Brilliant comedian and perhaps the greatest talk show guest in history. I’ve spent so many nights on YouTube just watching his appearances over and over again. RIP. https://t.co/v80bdg6Ojz

— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) September 14, 2021