Kenan Thompson may be the longest-tenured Saturday Night Live cast member, but even he knows someone doesn't have to be there for 23 years to make an impact. After hanging out at 30 Rock for the better part of a quarter-century, the comedian undoubtedly has seen some wild stuff, and he recalled one such memory of the late Norm Macdonald, who blew Thompson’s mind by putting a cigarette out on the carpet at Saturday Night Live.

The Kenan & Kel star talked about the event that “broke the glass menagerie of that place to me” on The Pete Davidson Show (streaming with a Netflix subscription for those who prefer to watch their favorite podcasts). Thompson has a lot of respect for the offices at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and for good reason, despite some “young and dumb” antics. He told his former colleague:

I’m sure that now, after 23 years, Kenan Thompson can get away with pretty much anything, and that was apparently true back then for Norm Macdonald, despite his only being on SNL for five years before getting fired. Thompson witnessed one of Macdonald’s epic returns to SNL afterward, recalling:

Kenan Thompson was floored by the audacity that Norm Macdonald had, especially given that they were in a conference room area, which Thompson said was the first place that he met “literally everybody” from Saturday Night Live. He continued:

That is, indeed, a pretty wild memory to have but not altogether surprising given the brand of humor the former Weekend Update anchor showed in his monologue on Saturday Night Live after being fired, or any of the other hilariously dry quotes Norm Macdonald was known for.

Sadly, Norm Macdonald died in 2021 at age 61 after a long battle with cancer. SNL creator Lorne Michaels was one of many who paid tribute to Macdonald at the time, with Pete Davidson paying homage in his own way on the Weekend Update segment of the sketch comedy show.

There are plenty of shows and movies to watch to remember Norm Macdonald, and you can also catch Kenan Thompson on Saturday Night Live each week at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC or streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Over the five decades that Saturday Night Live has been a staple of late-night television, it has been responsible for some of the funniest impressions of political figures in popular culture. It's invented words, like "strategery," and never failed to get the public talking. Some of the greatest cast members in the show's history have played the most famous and infamous politicians in United States history. This list is hardly exhaustive; that would be impossible, but they are some of the best.

Bill Clinton - Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman was one of the most versatile performers in SNL history and had some amazing moments on the show. He could do it all, including impersonating President Bill Clinton. In 1992, he appeared on one of the true classic skits that sees Clinton on the campaign trail, meeting people at a McDonald's. Most of the time, he's just stealing fries and taking bites of people's food.

George W. Bush - Will Ferrell

Who will ever forget Will Ferrell uttering the word "strategery" during an SNL debate? Ferrell's George W. Bush is a classic. He portrayed the former president as a little dimwitted, but generally affable. While "Dubya" is smarter than he lets on, he is certainly easygoing, just as Ferrall played him. He was so good as Bush that he later played him in a one-man show after leaving SNL and has occasionally returned to the show, as well.

Al Gore - Darrell Hammond

Will Ferrell's George W. Bush is legendary, and like all the best performances, he needed a partner to play the foil, and Darrell Hammond's portrayal of Al Gore, Bush's opponent in 2000, was perfect for the role. Like Gore himself, Hammond's take on the former VP was very dry - but make no mistake, it's pitch perfect and hilarious.

Sean Spicer - Melissa McCarthy

When Melissa McCarthy first appeared on SNL as Donald Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer, she completely stole the show. Though she wasn't a full cast member, the impression was so funny, she returned a number of times to reprise it. It's impossible not to die laughing when she starts shoving gum in her mouth, playing on one of Spicer's own habits.

Gerald Ford - Chevy Chase

The first cast member to send up a president was Chevy Chase, who became legendary for his performances as then-president Gerald Ford. Chase basically played Ford as though the president was a complete idiot, and while that might not be exactly what Ford was like, it didn't matter, because it was hilarious whenever Chase played him. Just don't make him do any math.

Vladimir Putin - Beck Bennett

Occasionally, Saturday Night Live branches out into foreign politics, and in recent years, we've had the pleasure of watching Beck Bennett as a shirtless Vladimir Putin. Is it a spot-on impression? No, but no matter, it perfectly mocks Putin's machismo that is so often on display in Russian propaganda, including his lack of shirt in pretty much every appearance.

Janet Reno - Wll Ferrell

Cast members playing across genders has a long tradition at SNL, and that certainly applies to political impressions on the show. Take, for example, Will Ferrell's hilarious impression of former attorney general Janet Reno. Especially the "Janet Reno's Dance Party" skit. Though Ferrell says he regrets the impression these days, it still should be appreciated for what it was in its time.

Ben Carson - Jay Pharoah

Jay Pharoah is hands down one of the greatest impressionists who has ever graced the SNL studio. He never failed to land just about any impersonation he took on, like former Republican presidential candidate and neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Pharoah perfectly captured Carson's sleepy appearance and gentle manner.

Michael Dukakis - Jon Lovitz

Like Al Gore, former Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis was often criticized for being too dry and too much of a policy wonk. Jon Lovitz nailed the former Massachusetts governor perfectly by playing him in an almost boring manner. It wasn't boring to watch during the 1988 election, however.

Newt Gingrich - Chris Farley

Saturday Night Live legend Chris Farley wasn't known for his impressions, but that doesn't mean when he did them, they weren't top-notch. In fact, his Newt Gingrich was so good, he was even invited by House Republicans to perform as the former Speaker of the House. Right in front of the man himself! Of course, Farley nailed it.

Donald Trump - James Austin Johnson

Everyone and their brother thinks they can nail an impression of Donald Trump, but none do it better than James Austin Johnson on SNL. A ton of cast members (and guest stars) have "done" Trump in the past, including most famously Alec Baldwin, but if we're honest, none of them come close to Johnson's. It's all about the subtleties.

Sarah Palin - Tina Fey

When Sarah Palin first emerged as a vice presidential candidate in 2008, fans of the show and its former head writer and star, Tina Fey, started clamoring for her to come back to do an impression of the Alaskan governor. Fey did, of course, and in the process made the impersonation legendary. She even returned in 2018 to reprise the role.

Bob Dole - Norm Macdonald

The best thing about Norm McDonald's impersonation of Senator Bob Dole was just how little the SNL star did. It was basically just McDonald holding a pen in his hand, as Dole did, and calling himself "Bob Dole" in the third person a lot. It's absolutely hilarious.

Jimmy Carter - Dan Aykroyd

Jimmy Carter, who some would argue might be the best person to ever be president, but none would argue he was particularly effective as a president. That's exactly how Dan Aykroyd played him, too. He was a great man, willing to help out anyone he could, but maybe a little out of his depth as the leader of the free world.

Hillary Clinton - Amy Poehler

You have to wonder just how much Amy Poehler took from her impression of Hillary Clinton into her Parks & Rec character, Leslie Knope. We know Leslie idolized Clinton, just as it seemed Poehler did, especially when they appeared together on the show in 2016.

Joe Biden - Kevin Nealon

Years before Joe Biden became VP, and hence a regular target of SNL, he was a senator from Maryland leading the Senate's investigation into Clarence Thomas when Thomas was nominated for the Supreme Court. The hearings were front-page news, and SNL landed an amazing skit with Kevin Nealon playing the younger Biden.

George H. W. Bush - Dana Carvey

For Gen X, there is no more famous impersonation than Dana Carvey's George H.W. Bush. His version of the 41st president was a little nerdy, but very forthright. He also copied some absolutely classic lines, like "1000 points of light," that have become cultural touchstones. Carvey has done a lot of impressions for SNL, both as a cast member and later as a guest star, but Bush I remains his most famous.

Ted Kennedy - Phil Hartman

The great Phil Hartman may best be remembered for his version of Bill Clinton, but his take on Senator Ted Kennedy in the famous skit about Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court hearing was at least as good and really, really funny. It's always fun to do a Massachusetts accent, even for Hartman.

Bernie Sanders - Larry David

For over a decade now, Saturday Night Live has been great at bringing in guest stars to do the biggest political players these days. One of the most hilarious was when they convinced former SNL writer and Seinfeld co-creator Larry David to play Bernie Sanders. David seemed to enjoy his time playing the independent Senator from Vermont, but he admitted later he would not have wanted Sanders to win and have to play him more than he did.

Ross Perot - Dana Carvey

The 1992 Presidential election was a wild one. George H.W. Bush, was the incumbent, and he was challenged by and young upstart named Bill Clinton. A third candidate, Ross Perot, jumped into the race with a self-funded career as a financial centrist. Dana Carvey was already famous for his Bush, and he added Perot to his repertoire during this election, too.

David Paterson - Fred Armisen

One of the more underrated impressions has to be Fred Armisen's version of the former governor of New York, David Paterson. To some, it was offensive, but Paterson himself seemed to be ok with it, as he joined Armisen for an appearance in one skit.

Donald Trump, Jr - Mikey Day And Alex Moffat - Eric Trump

Sure, usually the kids of Presidents are off-limits for sketch comedy, but when they are such visible members of the campaign, like Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were, they are fair game. Alex Moffat and Mikey Day aren't really perfect impressions, but they are hilarious.

Ronald Reagan - Phil Hartman

Early in his SNL career, Phil Hartman did an amazing impression of Ronald Reagan. The skit shows Reagan as a kindly old man, much like the image he projected to the public, but things changed when the eyes were off Reagan in the script, and he was a ruthless leader with all kinds of schemes.

Elizabeth Warren - Kate McKinnon

Emmy Award winner Kate McKinnon has dozens of amazing sketches in her SNL portfolio. She was legendary in her time on the show for her impressions, including such political luminaries as Hillary Clinton and Kellyanne Conway. One of her best has to be Elizabeth Warren, who McKinnon got to play for a little bit when Warren ran for president in 2020.

Cory Booker - Chris Redd

Cory Booker was an up-and-coming Senator from New Jersey when he through his hat into the presidential ring in 2020. Chris Redd did a very funny impression of the former Newark mayor that emphasized Booker's wide eyes.

Jeanine Pirro - Cecily Strong

Though she was a local politician early in her career, Jeanine Pirro is most famous for her Fox News talk show. On Saturday Night Live, Cecily Strong nailed Pirro's unique speech pattern and made the impression incredibly effective and funny.

Rudy Giuliani - Kate McKinnon

Before he went overboard after Donald Trump's loss in 2020, Rudy Giuliani was one of the most popular politicians in the country. After his wild claims of election interference in 2020, he lost a lot of that respect. That's the version of Giuliani that Kate McKinnon played brilliantly in the aftermath of the election.

Richard Nixon - Joe Piscopo

Early on in SNL's history, Richard Nixon was played by Dan Aykroyd. In the mid-80s, the role was picked up by Joe Piscopo, who, frankly, was even better than Aykroyd. Nixon is one of those celebrities that everyone thinks they can imitate, but it takes real skill to do it as well as Piscopo did on the show.

Barak Obama - Jay Pharoah

Jay Pharoah is one of the most talented mimics in SNL history, and his most famous impression has to be Barack Obama. He crushes the part every time he does it. Though Pharoah had a falling out with the producers on the show, he'll forever be remembered as the show's best Obama.

Paul Simon - Al Franken

We just had to include this one. Even though Paul Simon, a Democrat from Illinois, isn't really remembered by anyone born after 1990, he was a prominent member of the committee that held the Clarence Thomas hearings in '91. For the now-famous skit on SNL, he was portrayed by none other than Al Franken, who himself would later be elected to the Senate.

Michael Bloomberg - Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen's Michael Bloomberg is pretty much pitch-perfect for the smart, but sometimes whiny-sounding former mayor of New York. Armisen captured both sides of Bloomberg perfectly. It's not as famous as "The Californians," but it was still a spot-on impression.

Jeff Sessions - Kate McKinnon

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was one of the most prominent members of Donald Trump's first cabinet, and s,o of course, he had to get his comeuppance on SNL. Kate McKinnon had the hono,r and like all the other impressions she did on the show, she nailed Sessions.

When a performer says goodbye to the Saturday Night Live cast, it does not necessarily mean forever. Often, the sketch comedy TV show will invite an esteemed alum to appear in an episode either as a special guest or as a headliner, sometimes resulting in a hall-of-fame hosting gig. The following are some of our favorite times a former SNL star made a grand impression when they came back to Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy

After leaving SNL in 1984, Eddie Murphy came back to host (actually his second time, having hosted while still on the cast in 1982) for an episode later that year, on which he debuted, arguably, his best SNL sketch, "White Like Me." After being honored at the 40th anniversary special, the Academy Award nominee came back to host a third time, resulting in one of the most acclaimed episodes of Season 45.

Ben Stiller

You might have forgotten that Ben Stiller was a cast member since he only lasted four episodes in 1989, which he acknowledged when he first came back to host in 1998 after becoming a bigger name in comedy. He would return to host again 2011 in, followed by a series of recurring appearances as Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, in 2018.

Norm Macdonald

Famously, Norm Macdonald was fired from the SNL cast in 1998 for, as the NBC executives at the time claimed, not being funny. Just a year and a half later, he came back to host an episode, during which he joked in his monologue that he had not gotten any funnier but the show had gotten "really bad" since his exit.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before becoming one of the most beloved A-list actors in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. was one of the most heavily criticized cast members from one of the most heavily criticized seasons of SNL from 1985 to 1986. He only came back to host once in 1996, during which he proved was the supremely talented performer we know and love and, eventually, became the first former SNL cast member to win an Oscar for Oppenheimer in 2024.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus would not become a comedy icon until after her three-year stint at Studio 8H from 1982 to 1985 when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes. In 2006, fresh off her Emmy win for The New Adventures of Old Christine, she became the first female former SNL cast member to return as a host, which she would follow with two more gigs.

Jimmy Fallon

After a successful six years at SNL from 1998 to 2004, Jimmy Fallon would return for three hosting gigs and countless cameos. Each time the late-night TV host comes back to Studio 8H tends to be a celebrated affair, especially because there is a good chance that his friend, Justin Timberlake, will show up to participate in a new edition of "The Barry Gibb Talk Show" or some other sketch.

John Mulaney

While he was never part of the SNL cast, John Mulaney would perform a few funny segments on "Weekend Update" during his five years on the writing staff. He would later become one of the biggest names in stand-up comedy and such a beloved host that he joined the Five-Timers Club within only four years.

Dan Aykroyd

Sometimes, for a cast veteran, the key to a memorable hosting gig is to wait an exceptionally long time to come back as an SNL host, much like Dan Aykroyd did. The legendary, Canadian-American comedy star, known for sketches like “The Coneheads” and “Super Bass-o-Matic ‘76” from his tenure as a Not Ready for Primetime Player, headlined an episode in 2003, more than two decades after leaving the show.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is actually one of several SNL cast members who only lasted one season but still ended up becoming a huge success in the end. Two decades after she was let go from the series, the acclaimed comedian hosted a funny episode from Season 40.

Martin Short

It is hard to believe that a performer like Martin Short was only an SNL cast member for one season but he has, luckily, continued to demonstrate his dynamic comedic talents through memorable hosting gigs. His first hosting gig from 1986 was shared with his Three Amigos co-stars, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin – the latter of which he would co-host with again in 2022.

Adam Sandler

Surprisingly, despite making a couple of cameos over the years, Adam Sandler would not host SNL until 2019, which resulted in an instant favorite episode in which he sang two memorable songs. The former "SNL Bad Boy's" first tune (including a Chris Rock appearance) was during his monologue and discussed how he was fired after four seasons in 1995 and the other was a tribute to Chris Farley.

Kate McKinnon

After 10 wonderful years at SNL, the great Kate McKinnon would return a year and a half later to host the last episode of 2023, which proved to be a very successful episode, and not just because it featured cameos by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and her Barbie director, Greta Gerwig. Also, in Season 49, she would also come back for one more appearance as alien abduction victim Colleen Rafferty to make host Ryan Gosling laugh uncontrollably once again.

Chevy Chase

Only two weeks after his final episode as an SNL cast member, Chevy Chase made a hilarious, self-mocking cameo in the cold open as himself, performing music for tips outside of 30 Rock. He would continue to return for more cameos and eventually became the first host to join the Five-Timers Club before the idea of it had been suggested by Tom Hanks.

Billy Crystal

In a unique twist on this topic, Billy Crystal was actually meant to appear on the very first episode of SNL in 1975 but was ultimately cut for time, as depicted in the 2024 movie Saturday Night. As his notoriety increased, the comedian was asked to host twice in 1984 before being hired later that year as a cast member, during which he lit up the screen with his impersonation of Fernando Lamas and other notable characters.

Tina Fey

Having served as both "Weekend Update" host and head writer near the end of her nine-year tenure, Tina Fey was a true SNL MVP but some of her most memorable moments on the show occurred after her 2006 exit. Prior to her Five-Timers Club induction, the 30 Rock creator and star made numerous appearances as Sarah Palin that earned rave reviews.

Dana Carvey

A key element to SNL's new golden era from 1986 to 1993 was Dana Carvey and his wonderful talent for impressions, which he would continue to lend to Studio 8H in the years since his exit. The Wayne's World star is one of the most frequent returning cast members, especially in Season 50 as President Joe Biden.

David Spade

Many of David Spade's funniest quotes originate from his six years on SNL in the early-to-mid-1990s. His blunt, sarcastic, and sometimes unapologetically brutal delivery of mockery at other celebrities' expense would serve him well in his hosting gigs – the first of which included a cold open featuring Brad Pitt as his therapist.

Kristen Wiig

The final episode of SNL's 37th Season was the final episode for a few notable cast members but it ended with a grand send-off purely dedicated to Kristen Wiig's esteemed seven years, which included some hilarious quotes. It was not long before the Oscar nominee was asked to bring back her famous characters as a host and her Season 49 episode saw her induction into the Five-Timers Club.

Chris Farley

After becoming one of SNL's most esteemed icons during his five-season run and proving to be a box office draw with movies like Tommy Boy, Chris Farley was at the height of his fame when he came back to host two years after leaving. However, his October 1997 episode is now remembered more somberly because, only two months later, he would pass away from a drug overdose at the age of 33.

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph proved herself as an all-time great during her seven years on SNL in the 2000s. She would return for multiple hosting gigs and an innumerable amount of special guest appearances, most notably as her Emmy-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris.

Pete Davidson

For his clever "Weekend Update" commentaries, fascinating personal life, and title as the youngest SNL cast member on record, Pete Davidson was one of the series' most talked about performers when he left at the end of Season 47. He was initially meant to return as a host for the following season but, due to the Writers' Strike, he instead returned for the Season 49 premiere, which featured a viral pre-filmed bit poking fun at his post-SNL career inspired by Barbie's "I'm Just Ken."

Tracy Morgan

Impersonations of the likes of Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey and hilarious original characters like Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones made Tracy Morgan a force to be reckoned with during his seven years on SNL. As a result, each of the 30 Rock cast member's returns to the Studio 8H stage as a host or guest have been warm celebrations of his best moments as a cast member.

Paul Shaffer

Starting off as a member of Studio 8H's house band, Paul Shaffer later made history as the first person to drop the F-bomb on SNL during his 1979-1980 stint on the cast. Of course, he bounced back from the incident without issue and would make cameos on the show and host an episode from 1987 after being David Letterman's bandleader greatly increased his notoriety.

Damon Wayans

One of the most infamous SNL cast firings is that of Damon Wayans, who changed the nature of a character on the fly in the middle of a broadcast in 1986. The comedian would find even greater success as a member of the In Living Color cast and, in 1995, was asked to come back as a host.

Phil Hartman

It is easy to understand why some argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest SNL cast member of all time and why, just two years after his exit, he was asked to host twice in 1996. We have no doubt we would have seen more of the Emmy winner gracing the Studio 8H stage again if not for his untimely murder in 1998 at the age of 49.

Chris Rock

The first "Bad Boy of SNL" to return as a host was Chris Rock in 1996, which was three years after his departure. At that point, the comedian had found decent subsequent success by making appearances on the show's biggest competitor at the time, In Living Color.

Jason Sudeikis

While he would make several post-exit guest appearances, Jason Sudeikis' first time hosting in 2021 was eight years after he left the show, which was actually a year later than he had intended. The gig was a big moment, given his Emmy-winning success on Ted Lasso at the time and his heartfelt opening monologue celebrating his time as a writer-turned-cast member.

Will Ferrell

Despite a hiccup or two in his early days on the cast, Will Ferrell became one of the most beloved SNL cast members of the 90s and early 2000s. His many appearances since, including five hosting gigs, have resulted in some of the show's most celebrated moments in recent years.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler's impeccable skills of impersonation and arsenal of uproarious characters made her seven years on SNL a one-of-a-kind era. Her many notable appearances since include co-hosting with her friend and one-time "Weekend Update" co-anchor Tina Fey in 2015 and making cameoing as Leslie Knope alongside her fellow former Parks and Recreation cast member, Aubrey Plaza, in 2023.

Darrell Hammond

One of the all-time longest-standing SNL cast members is Darrell Hammond with 14 seasons but his time at Studio 8H would not stop there after all. In addition to making special appearances – most notably in "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketches as Sean Connery – the actor would succeed Don Pardo as the show's announcer when Pardo passed away in 2014.

Molly Shannon

Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon is the driving force behind one of the most iconic SNL characters to earn their own movie, Mary Katherine Gallagher. The misfit Catholic high school student is just one character she has brought back for her numerous appearances on the show since leaving in 2001, including two hosting gigs.

Bill Murray

After Chevy Chase left in 1976, stepping in to join the Not Ready for Primetime Players was Bill Murray, who hilariously acknowledged his struggle to make an impression on SNL early on in a famous sketch. Of course, the Oscar nominee would quickly achieve wild notoriety in the 1980s, which made his subsequent five hosting gigs and additional cameos much-celebrated occasions.

Some have said that tragedy is an important element to comedy but, for some of stand-up’s most acclaimed stars, tragedy saw the end of their career. Far too many of our favorite comedians passed away when they still had so much to offer on the stage and, yet, their jokes continue to make us laugh to this day. These are some of the funniest people we miss the most.

Bill Hicks

At his final stand-up show, Bill Hicks reflected on his career as a comedian whose goal to “illuminate the collective unconscious and help humanity” with his material left him “virtually anonymous” for years. However, since losing his battle with pancreatic cancer at just 32 years old in 1994, his philosophical wit and clever political commentary have made him one of the most influential comics of his time, if not all time.

Patrice O'Neal

His hilarious commentary on the likes of gender politics and race culture made one-time The Office star Patrice O'Neal one of the most respected names in stand-up. In 2011, the same year he released his first and only stand-up special, Elephant in the Room (one of the best stand-up comedy specials on Paramount+), he suffered a fatal stroke, caused by Type 2 diabetes he had suffered from since his 20s, when he was 41.

Mitch Hedberg

Known for his retro fashion sense, boisterous tone of voice, and a memorable appearance on That '70s Show, most of Mitch Hedberg's best jokes were masterful one-liners, such as, "Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something." He was only 37 when he passed away from an overdose of multiple substances in 2005.

Richard Pryor

With all of his achievements, including his acclaimed collaborations with Gene Wilder, his landmark SNL hosting gig, and his many iconic and controversial moments on stage (such as accidentally lighting himself on fire), you could make an argument that Richard Pryor was the best comedian to ever live. He died of a heart attack in 2005 at 65 but his stand-up and acting career had already slowed down by then due to his long-time struggles with MS.

Gilda Radner

As one of the founding Not Ready For Primetime Players, Gilda Radner made a huge impact on SNL in so little time with her high-energy approach and an impeccably unique sense of character. Rarely has the comedy world seen a performer quite like the one-time wife of Gene Wilder since she passed away at 42 in 1989 after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Bernie Mac

Earning his title as one of the "Kings of Comedy" – also the name of the tour he shared with Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, and Steve Harvey – with his blunt approach to risqué topics in an autobiographical style, Bernie Mac became a staple of the Ocean's Eleven movies and starred in his own eponymous hit sitcom on Fox. Despite living with sarcoidosis for years, the disease was not connected to the comedian's death at 50 in 2008, which was caused by cardiac arrest.

Andy Kaufman

As a one-of-a-kind, eccentric comedian who challenged the very idea of what comedy could be with his bizarre performance art, Andy Kaufman became one of stand-up's most revered legends. Unfortunately, the subject of the acclaimed, Jim Carrey-led biopic, Man on the Moon, never made it to 40, succumbing to lung cancer when he was just 35 in 1984.

Phil Hartman

With his diverse arsenal of memorable characters and impeccable showmanship, you could easily argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest Saturday Night Live cast member of all time, which makes his horrific, untimely death at 49 especially heartbreaking. He was still starring on his post-SNL sitcom, NewsRadio, when his then-wife, Brynn, murdered him in his sleep in 1998.

Sam Kinison

Sam Kinison was blessed with a razor-sharp wit and a lung capacity that allowed him to raspily scream his punchlines at a deafening pitch. The Pentecostal preacher-turned-comedian had only just reached the peak of his career at 38 years old when he was killed in a car accident in 1992.

Robin Williams

Academy Award winner Robin Williams was the gift of bringing joy to audiences of all ages with his unbelievable, one-of-a-kind energy and rapid-fire improvisational skills. Unfortunately, behind his zestful demeanor as a comedian, he hid a pain that worsened as he got older and, when he was just 63, he took his own life in 2014.

Norm Macdonald

With a deliriously deadpan delivery and a signature eccentric wordplay, Norm Macdonald crafted some hilarious quotes throughout his career when performing stand-up, as "Weekend Update" host on SNL, etc. Most of the Canadian comedian's fans and adoring peers were unaware of his battle with leukemia until he succumbed to it in 2021 when he was 61 years old.

Lenny Bruce

Lenny Bruce was a comedian decades ahead of his time, boasting a bold, free-wheeling approach to commenting on various risqué topics that would actually get him arrested for obscenity in 1964. Just two years later, he passed away at the age of 40, due to acute morphine poisoning caused by an overdose, and was later portrayed by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman in the 1974 biopic, Lenny.

Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling was one of the most creative comedic minds of his time, as reflected by his unique stand-up bits and acclaimed, meta TV creations It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. He was only 66 when, in 2016, the comedian passed away due to a pulmonary embolism.

Bob Saget

There are two kinds of Bob Saget fans: those who grew up with him as the star of Full House and the host of America's Funniest Home Videos and those who admired his shamelessly raunchy stand-up style. Both sides of fandom were joined together in mourning when an incident of blunt head trauma claimed the life of the 65-year-old comedian.

Gilbert Gottfried

If you did not know him for his stand-up, you undeniably knew Gilbert Gottfried for his unmistakable voice, which he lent to the screen as Iago in 1992's animated Disney movie classic, Aladdin, or as the Aflac duck. The comedian was just 67 when he passed away in 2022 due to ventricular tachycardia, which was worsened by his longtime, private battle with type II myotonic dystrophy.

Flip Wilson

For four years, Flip Wilson hosted his own popular variety, on which he performed as his many now-iconic characters, such as the flirtatious Geraldine. In 1998, the two-time Emmy-winning comedian was just 64 when he passed away from liver cancer.

Richard Jeni

Quick-witted Italian-American Richard Jeni found success as a stand-up comedian and went on to star in one of the best Jim Carrey movies, The Mask, and his own sitcom, Platypus Man. Unfortunately, he also had a history of schizophrenia and severe depression which supposedly led to taking his own life in 2007 when he was just 49.

Greg Giraldo

Greg Giraldo's penchant for insult jokes made him a staple of Comedy Central's most hilarious celebrity roasts for years, with the Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff marking his final appearance as a roaster in 2010. That same year, after falling comatose from a prescription medication overdose, his family chose to remove him from life support and he passed away soon after at 44 years old.

Brody Stevens

Brody Stevens was known for starring in many movies with his friend, Zach Galifianakis (namely The Hangover and Due Date), and for his self-effacing stand-up style. His struggles with bipolar disorder and depression were documented in Comedy Central's 2014 series, Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!, five years before he took his own life at the age of 48.

Ralphie May

Ralphie May's stand-up career began when he won a contest to open for his idol, Sam Kinison, at 17 and when he later finished second in the first season of Last Comic Standing in 2003, his popularity skyrocketed. The comedian, who had wrestled with obesity for most of his life, was 45 when he passed away from cardiac arrest, following weeks of suffering from pneumonia, in 2017.

Freddie Prinze

His clever observational comedy style led to Freddie Prinze becoming the star of the classic blue-collar TV show, Chico and the Man, which also starred Jack Albertson. The Puerto Rican comedian was only 22 when he shot himself in 1977 and is survived by his son, actor Freddie Prinze Jr.

Charlie Murphy

In addition to his stand-up and acting careers, Charlie Murphy's claim to fame was being Eddie Murphy's older brother and telling stories of his bizarre experiences with Prince and Rick James on a classic Chappelle's Show episode. The comedian was only 57 when he passed away in 2017 from leukemia.

The Amazing Johnathan

Better known as The Amazing Johnathan, John Edward Szeles became a hot ticket in Las Vegas for his hilarious combination of stand-up with magic tricks. Hulu's The Amazing Johnathan Documentary from 2019 chronicled his struggles with cardiomyopathy, which later caused him to pass away from heart failure in 2022 when he was 63.

Dustin Diamond

After making a name for himself playing Screech in the Saved by the Bell cast, Dustin Diamond went on to continue working as a stand-up comedian. Sadly, his career was cut short in February 2021 when, just a month after he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he passed away at 44.

John Pinette

Outside of his stand-up career (which largely consisted of material that commented on his eating habits), John Pinette was best known for his major guest appearance in the final episode of Seinfeld in 1998. It was in 2014 when a pulmonary embolism ended the comedian's life when he was just 50 years old.

Robin Harris

Robin Harris became popular for a bit from his episode of HBO's One Night Stand which was later adapted into the underrated animated '90s movie, Bebe's Kids. Unfortunately, he never got to see the 1992 feature because he passed at just 36 years old from a cardiac arrhythmia two years earlier.

Sean Rouse

Fans of raunchy stand-up comedy must have been fans of Sean Rouse, who had a brief acting career with a small role as an MIB agent in 2002's Men in Black II. He was only 43 when, in 2018, he suffered a stroke, which was followed by a heart attack and, unfortunately, he did not recover.

Tim Wilson

Known for his schtick of performing his own humorous country music tunes on stage, Tim Wilson was also a staple of the popular, nationally syndicated radio program, The Bob and Tom Show. He was only 52 when the comedian, husband, and father of two suffered a fatal heart attack in 2014.

Dennis Wolfberg

Dennis Wolfberg worked as a teacher in New York City before pursuing a full-time career as a stand-up comedian, which led to an acting career that included a recurring stint on Quantum Leap. He came very close to having a TV series of his own before he died from melanoma in 1994 when he was 48.

Kevin Barnett

Kevin Barnett was a talented, young comedian known for his appearances in movies like Chris Rock's Top Five and Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk with Me and Don't Think Twice, as well as co-creating the short-lived Fox sitcom Rel with star Lil Rel Howery and Rabinowitz. He was just 32 years old when he suddenly passed away from pancreatitis in 2019.

Jay Leggett

Jay Leggett gained popularity in the 1990s after he joined the In Living Color cast, on which he portrayed characters like The Depressed Irish Singer on the hit sketch comedy TV show. In 2013, the 50-year-old comedian suffered a fatal heart attack after spending a day participating in his other passion, hunting.

Mike DeStefano

Mike DeStefano became relatively known in the comedy world for his candid discussions about his substance addictions in much of his stand-up material. The 44-year-old comedian had just gotten done filming a video for Funny or Die when he suffered a heart attack that ended his life in 2011.

Since the dawn of television, comedians have been around to bring the funny, but comedy greats don’t always have broad appeal. If you’re looking for some of the more divisive or perhaps cutting edge comedy programs out there, this isn’t the list for you. Instead I wanted to put together a list of programs both the critics and audiences can agree on, which means some names like Ricky Gervais – whom critics notably hate but audiences still love – did not make the final roundup. Nor did some who received audience love but not much notice from critics on an aggregator, given critics roundups are still a relatively new concept. (My apologies to Patrice O'Neal and George Carlin!)

I know it doesn’t happen totally often, but here’s a list of comedy specials in the modern era which both critics and audiences can agree are worth throwing on. There’s some greats that came around long before the Rotten Tomatoes era, and plenty more that comedy lovers enjoy but critics often ignore. Regardless, when there’s overlap amidst both groups, you can find some names with broad appeal.

Bo Burnham: Inside

Bo Burnham’s 2021 musical comedy special was filmed and taped during the COVID pandemic, and as such it has a very different feel than most other comedy specials. That’s a good thing, as both audiences and critics are bullish on the Netflix original. It also has one of the most similar audience and critics scores, with critics weighing in at 93% and 95% respectively.

Ramy Youssef: More Feelings

Ramy Youssef may not have brought in the biggest SNL ratings during his stint as host, but Youssef has really started making a name for himself in the industry. A lot of people tuning into his stand-up like what he brings to the table. His 2024 special More Feelings dives into a divided world and other topics that lots of people latched onto, including 100% of critics who reviewed, and a fairly similar 91% of audiences.

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special

Norm Macdonald churned out conceptually hilarious comedy for years before the 2022 release of Nothing Special, taped just before his death at 61 (and originally planned to be recreated in front of a live audience). The run-through was released posthumously, and both critics and audiences latched onto it, with 100% of critics giving a thumbs up and 86% of audience members enjoying the unorthodox platform for joke-telling, too. Norm has plenty of other great content, but this is the standout in the review aggregator era.

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra

A personal favorite of all the recent comedy specials (at least on Netflix), Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra was taped while she was pregnant (and still married to then-partner Justin Hakuta). The comedy special really speaks to women in a particular time in their lives, but it’s also just great enough to be broadly appealing, landing a 100% rating with critics and a still positive 74% from the crowd.

Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel

You really can’t go wrong with Jerrod Carmichael specials. Both critics and audiences really like his bent, and he has multiple specials in this aggregator era that were liked by both. The HBO 2022 original Rothaniel edges out the others with a 100% critics and 84% positive Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time

Jim Gaffigan’s funny in almost any context, and he’s been rolling out comedy specials for more than a decade, many of which have landed him Grammy nominations. His 2019 special Quality Time has hit in the review aggregator era, and landed him 100% from critics and a solid 88% from the fans who watched. Not bad for his seventh at bat.

Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping

We have a tie here, ladies and gentleman. While Talking For Clapping didn’t quite push over the coveted 90% mark, both 86% of critics and 86% of audiences who tuned in enjoyed the actor and comedian’s 2016 Netflix special. Still a strong and notable score.

Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

Wanda Sykes’ 2019 comedy special hit the spot for many. While subsequent standup specials have lower audience scores than critics scores, Not Normal stands out with a high critics score of 100% and a relatively high audience score of 84%. Though I'd still recommend checking out older pre-aggregate era stuff, like I'ma Be Me.

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City

John Mulaney has a lot of must-watch comedy specials, including the outstanding New In Town special, but his later 2018 special Kid Gorgeous At Radio City came late enough that both critics and audience members weighed in on aggregates, and very positively (at 100% and 91% respectively). It's a great follow-up and much better reviewed than his most recent special Baby J.

Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here

Tig Notaro's pace and tone is pretty unique, and her stand-up has not always been for everyone (critics love her but audiences are sometimes less enamored). But her 2018 special Happy To Be Here earned high marks from critics and audiences alike. Though, if you want to get away from just her TV specials, many fans would recommend Live, the viral performance she recorded after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Richard Pryor: Live In Concert

The first full movie to hit theaters that featured a stand-up special, Live in Concert is a notable show from an all-time great comedian. Coming in at a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 92% from audiences, the movie has continued to draw eyeballs since its 1979 release.

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American

Nate Bargatze's first TV special The Tennessee Kid was largely ignored by critics, but they'd caught on by the time The Greatest Average American came out on Netflix in 2021. With a 100% critics score and a 90%, there's no doubt there's a broad audience from the comedian, who often jokes about relatable topics like buying clothing and learning from his kids' homework.

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend

There are very few standup specials that came out more than 10 years ago that have an aggregation score, but Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend has such an interesting theme -- about falling for women dating two men and finding the right priorities in life -- and format that it's been popular for years. With a perfect review from a small pool of critics and an 86% from a large swathe of audiences, it's one to watch.

Chris Rock: Kill The Messenger

Chris Rock's been around long enough that even some of his older specials were heavily watched and have been reviewed by critics and audiences alike. The most popular of these is Kill The Messenger, with a 100% critics score and an 89% audience score. This was Rock's fifth special and it was taped over the course of a few nights in a few different cities. The end result is nothing short of spectacular.

Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts And Prayers

Given Jeselnik's often dark jokes, I actually wasn't sure if the audience and critics would be on the same page, but both seem to have gone in for Thoughts and Prayers, his 2015 standup on Netflix. It was his second special after coming to prominence on Last Comic Standing, and critics and 88% of audiences who watched gave it a thumbs up.

The Original Kings Of Comedy

An all-time comedy classic, Spike Lee's stand-up movie (that also features BTS footage) has an all-time murderers' row of comedy talent. Steve Harvey. D.L. Hughley. Cedric The Entertainer. Bernie Mac. While some of the jokes haven't aged as well, it's still an all-time classic, and it's no wonder 83% of critics and 79% of audiences enjoy it today.

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

While Sandler's amusingly titled 100% Fresh doesn't quite get that perfect aggregation score, it's pretty dang close. Coming in at a very similar 90% critics and 91% audience score, the Netflix special landed the longtime comedian an Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special nomination at the Emmys in 2018. And Dan Bull and his longtime comedy buddy Rob Schneider pop in to boot!

Eddie Murphy Delirious

Oft found on greatest standup comedy show lists of all time, Eddie Murphy's hour-long+ 1983 standup yet features some great jokes and a memorable fashion moment from the comedian. Intriguingly the audience score is a little higher on this one at 90%, but critics come pretty close, with 83% reviewing the special highly.

Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up For The First Time

Many people know Rory Scovel as an actor in shows like Robbie (Comedy Central) and Physical (Apple TV Plus). The funnyman is a good writer, too, and he's put together a slew of standup specials between 2015 and 2024. One of those is Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up for the First Time, a bit of a misnomer given his 2015 comedy special The Charleston Special is also standup. This 2017 one is a little zanier and keeps the audience guessing, ranking in at 89% of critics, and a less stellar but still solid 75% of audiences.

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas

Their first special Nannette won them a Peabody Award and a Primetime Emmy. But Hannah Gadsby's second special Douglas is one they toured extensively for after it blew up, selling out early in many cases. Douglas has a 93% rating from critics, and a 66% rating from audiences.

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger

Bill Burr's been on the standup beat a long time, but it's his pre-Covid comedy special that's drawn recent attention on Netflix. The 2019 special cracks jokes about anger management (and even jokes it's going to be his last comedy special), but he's still going strong. This one's a little higher with audiences, with 96% loving it and only 86% of critics getting down. Still strong scores either way.

Sincerely, Louis C.K.

You may have heard Louis C.K. got canceled, but he's been churning out his own content regardless. His two comeback standup specials Sorry and Sincerely have been well reviewed by both critics and audiences alike and are doubtless not the end for the comedian.

Jerry Before Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld's been doing standup for years, but even his more recent comedy sketches haven't been slouches, either. His 2017 special --and his first with Netflix -- Jerry Before Seinfeld landed him a whopping 95% with critics and a solid 75% with audiences too. It's cool, too, as he takes us back through his childhood and teen years before becoming the Seinfeld, and standup star fans know and love. It even landed him a Grammy nom.

Chris Rock: Bigger And Blacker

Chris Rock's Bigger and Blacker is an all-time classic in the realm of standup. I was actually a little surprised to see it at a similar 86% of critics and 89% of audiences still giving it a thumbs up. It's also worth noting it makes a lot of classic standup lists.

Iliza: Elder Millennial

Known for other Netflix projects like Spenser Confidential, Iliza Shlesinger also has some notable standup routines to her name. Elder Millennial is one with a great name and funny materials, landing both a positive review from critics and audiences.

Hasan Minhaj: The King's Jester

The Daily Show correspondent is known for a lot of TV work, but his stand-up is notable too. The King's Jester is his second Netflix special, memorable for jokes at Starbucks' expense and also just how active Minhaj is onstage. It's no wonder it has an 86% from critics and an 80% from audiences.

Kevin Hart: Laugh At My Pain

Many of Kevin Hart's standup specials seem to be liked by critics more than by audiences, but one exception is Laugh at my Pain, the comedian's 2011 standup film, with special appearances from Taraji P. Henson and RuPaul. Critics were at a reasonable 71%, but more than 5,000 audiences ratings mark this special highly at 84%.

Chris Gethard: Career Suicide

Chris Gethard's Career Suicide is part funny and part sad, exploring themes like depression, alcohol abuse and suicide attempts. HBO filmed a special after he debuted the material at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and critics were all over the material. In fact, it has 100% from them. The audience is at 74%.

Mae Martin: SAP

Mae Martin's comedy special SAP was their first. Hitting in 2023, the title comes from a reference in the special that involves a story about a man facing two beasts, finding an upside in tasting sap from a tree instead. The special nabbed them an 80% from critics, with a still-positive 62% from audiences.

Dave Chappelle: 8:46

Dave Chappelle famously has a no-phone policy at shows, but some of them still get recorded for audiences later. His special in 2020 is notable for being filmed outdoors during the Covid pandemic, and also for featuring a mix of comedy with social comedy, making it a hybrid of sorts. Reviews for both aspects were positive, with the special landing 90% from critics reviews and 85% from audiences.

Katt Williams: Great America

Katt Williams has created a lot of standup specials over the years, but his 2018 switched him from HBO to Netflix and attracted some new notice and fans. A solid 80% with critics, Great America was also 62% with audiences, and if you like what you see here, I totally recommend you go back in his specials list, as he's been churning them out since 2006.

Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning

SNL writer Sam Jay keeps very busy with gigs both writing and producing, but in 2020 she took time to film 3 In The Morning, a comedy special for Netflix. The special earned an 86% from critics and 62% from audiences. The shirt she wore is giving me early aughts vibes too.

Saturday Night Live is moving right along in its current season and continues to bring in a variety of stars. Of course, Season 49 has featured a varied roster of hosts, from Bad Bunny and Timothée Chalamet to Jacob Elordi and Ayo Edebiri. It was recently confirmed that comedian Shane Gillis will be the next person to take the reins as host this year. Gillis was notably hired and fired by the program in 2019 after controversial comments he’d made on a podcast the year before surfaced. Given the situation, a fan compared it to the time that Norm Macdonald returned to SNL to host 18 months after his own firing. 

For context, Norm Macdonald, who passed away at 61 in 2021, was fired from SNL in 1998 after a number of back-and-forths with execs. When MacDonald was removed from his post as Weekend Update host he contended that the powers that be took issue with certain jokes he’s told on air. However, NBC argued that the decision came down to a decline in ratings. This situation – along with a few others – eventually led to the star’s dismissal, though he returned to Studio 8H to host the show in fall of 1999. 

The Dirty Work star’s monologue garnered a lot of attention, as he used the occasion to joke about his firing and tell his side of the story. Not only did he chastise management’s decision to let him go but he also reasoned that he’d been brought back to host because the series had gotten “really bad.” A portion of that monologue was shared on X by @Loughy_D in the aftermath of Shane Gillis being announced as host. You can listen to it down below:

Another user, @DugganSense, agreed with the sentiment that Shane Gillis’ situation mirrors that of Norm Macdonald (who dropped some great quotes over the years). They responded to the video by saying the following: 

However, not everyone seems to agree with the sentiment that the situations are exactly alike. @HoagieBitingMan dropped some arguments as to why they believe the scenarios don’t match up: 

Shane Gillis was hired as a featured player on Saturday Night Live in 2019 alongside Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang ahead of Season 45. Around that same time, the hiring of Gillis ignited backlash due to remarks he made on his online show Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast in 2018. In a variety of clips, Gillis and co-host Matt McCusker made jokes about Asian individuals and used an ethnic slur. Resurfaced footage from the series also showed the pair making quips about the LGBTQ+ community. At the time, Gillis responded to the remarks (as reported by Vanity Fair), admitting that he’s had his share of misses as a comedian and seeks to push boundaries. He also said that he was “happy to apologize to anyone who's actually offended by anything I've said.” Additionally, the comedian later stated that the comments he made were taken out of context.

Though he was fired a short while later, Shane Gillis has since found success in his stand-up career. In 2023, Gillis’ Netflix special, Beautiful Dogs, drew considerable buzz on the streamer. As of right now, the comparisons between his and Norm Macdonald’s firings continue. SNL has also not spoken out on the decision to bring Gillis on as a host. 

His episode of Saturday Night Live will air on February 24 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC as part of the 2024 TV schedule. The installment will subsequently be available to stream with a Peacock subscription. 

In its several decades on air, Saturday Night Live has made icons out of many of its cast members. For some — including some of SNL’s one-season wonders — you might argue that the sketch comedy series is the peak of their careers, until you remember the acclaimed and widely beloved movies and TV shows they would go on to star in. Take a look at our picks for the finest work some of our favorite SNL stars have put out beyond their time at Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop made him a movie star, but Coming to America might be the absolute best Eddie Murphy movie, especially as the first to show just how far the comic’s extraordinary talents extend. He gives his most heartfelt performance as an African prince searching for love in New York City, but that is far from his only role in this dazzling romantic-com from 1988.

Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

Along with her writing partner, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig joined the club of Oscar-nominated SNL stars for penning this 2011 instant classic comedy. She also transcends what made her a Studio 8H all-star by leading the Bridesmaids cast with her most down-to-earth performance yet as a baker suffering an existential crisis after her best friend (played by Maya Rudolph) gets engaged.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

Some argue that an SNL star who should have been nominated for an Oscar is Adam Sandler for his performance in one of the best A24 movies, Uncut Gems. If self-destructive jeweler Howard Rattner had been played by anyone else but the guy behind “The Hanukkah Song” and movies like Happy Gilmore, it might have been tough to root for the protagonist of Josh and Benny Safdie’s anxiety-fueled, 2019 crime drama.

Kate McKinnon (Barbie)

After previously working with Margot Robbie in Bombshell and making the A-lister laugh uncontrollably in an SNL sketch, Kate McKinnon reunited with the Australian actor in the Barbie cast in 2023. The Emmy-winner is perfect as “Weird Barbie” — now a real doll in Mattel’s catalog — in co-writer and director Greta Gerwig’s cleverly satirical and surprisingly moving blockbuster based on the legendary toy.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

We love Will Ferrell in funny movies like Elf and Talladega Nights, but never has he given a performance as tender, reserved, and relatable as his Golden Globe-nominated role in Stranger Than Fiction. That is only one reason director Marc Forster’s inventive 2006 dramedy is his best movie in our eyes.

Molly Shannon (Wet Hot American Summer)

The Wet Hot American Summer cast is full of actors who went on to become superstars, but one of the biggest names among that ensemble at the time was SNL great Molly Shannon. She stars in the 2001 cult-favorite summer comedy classic as camp counselor Gail, who seeks consolation for her second divorce from surprisingly mature adolescent campers.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

To this day, many believe that Bill Murray should have won the Academy Award for his performance in one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation. Also one of the best movies produced by Focus Features, he stars in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning sophomore effort as a disillusioned actor who strikes up a unique bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) who is also struggling to navigate her life after meeting in Japan. 

Tina Fey (Mean Girls)

From her time on SNL as a cast member and head writer to her development of beloved comedies like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tina Fey has had one of the most impressive careers in comedy, let alone show business in general. However, her one credit that has best stood the test of time is her sharply satirical high school movie, Mean Girls, which she adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s book and also stars in as Ms. Norbury.

Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)

Dan Aykroyd may have a Best Picture Oscar winner under his belt (Driving Miss Daisy, for which he also received an acting nomination) and also wrote and starred in one of the beloved Ghostbusters. However, the movie that he will always be best known for is 1980’s The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the all-time best movie based on SNL characters (Ayrkoyd and John Belushi’s brotherly musicians, Jake and Elwood Blues) and one of the most important movies set in Chicago as well.

Gilda Radner (Haunted Honeymoon)

Highlights of Gilda Radner’s post-SNL career included sharing the screen with her husband, Gene Wilder, such as 1986’s Haunted Honeymoon, in which they play a couple staying in a spooky house to cure the groom’s anxieties. Unfortunately, the fun horror-comedy movie would also be her final film before she passed away in 1989.

Chevy Chase (Community)

After making a huge impact in so little time on SNL (not even two full seasons), Chevy Chase had a memorable film career (especially with National Lampoon’s Vacation movies), but it was his return to the small screen in the late 2000s that really had us especially impressed. He starred in the Community cast as Pierce Hawthorne — one of many Greendale Community College students experiencing often strange circumstances and meta pop-culture references in creator Dan Harmon’s inventive sitcom.

Chris Farley (Tommy Boy)

Perhaps the most influential ‘90s SNL actor was the late Chris Farley, whose one-in-a-million, energetic comedic talent made him a legend. He also made an impeccable team with fellow SNL actor David Spade in the hilarious road trip comedy, and one of the funniest and most iconic movies of the ‘90s, Tommy Boy.

Jimmy Fallon (Almost Famous)

Jimmy Fallon has had a stellar career, from his memorable SNL stint to hosting The Tonight Show, but most of his movies did not quite have the same impact — save his Oscar-winning feature-length debut in 2000. Fallon starred in writer and director Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous cast as the touring manager for Stillwater, Dennis Hope.

Amy Poehler (Inside Out)

Amy Poehler is the kind of performer who brings a sense of joy to everything she does, from her SNL days to the Parks and Recreation cast as Leslie Knope. Thus, it only makes sense that she would star as the personification of “Joy” in one of Pixar’s best movies: 2015’s Inside Out.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

We all know and love the masterfully goofy Will Forte from the “MacGruber” sketches and as the star and creator of a show canceled too soon called The Last Man on Earth, but 2013’s Nebraska showed a rare side of the actor we cherished seeing. He gives a somber, yet beautifully endearing, performance in director Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated drama as a man accompanying his estranged father (played by Bruce Dern) on a trip to collect a supposed million-dollar prize.

Maya Rudolph (The Way Way Back)

Maya Rudolph’s career outside SNL has been nothing short of impressive, but we were most impressed by her work in 2013’s The Way Way Back. From the Oscar-winning writing duo behind The Descendants (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), this winning dramedy features Rudolph as Caitlin, a manager at a water park where teen protagonist Duncan (Liam James) works to escape a miserable summer at his mother’s boyfriend’s house.

Bill Hader (Barry)

Bill Hader never failed to surprise audiences with his impeccable impersonations and excellent commitment to character on SNL, but he surprised us in other ways with his first major small-screen follow-up. He played the title role of HBO’s Barry cast (in addition to co-creating the very dark comedy series), who is a hitman trying to reinvent himself as an actor.

Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!)

One of the greatest surprises of John Mulaney’s SNL musical sketches was Cecily Strong’s smashing singing voice. It would also come in handy when she and Keegan-Michael Key led AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon! cast as a couple trapped in a world that looks and sounds like a lavish musical production.

Chris Rock (Nurse Betty)

In 2000, Chris Rock teamed up with Morgan Freeman as hitmen searching for a delusional widow (played by Renée Zellweger) convinced she is engaged to a soap opera character in director Neil LaBute’s sharp, quirky dramedy, Nurse Betty. We will, however, give an honorable mention for one of the best sitcoms starring an SNL vet, Everybody Hates Chris, which the comedian created and narrated.

Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun)

Years after playing an alien in, arguably, her single funniest SNL sketch (“The Coneheads”), Jane Curtin played one of the few human series regulars on a series also about otherworldly visitors trying to blend in. The former “Weekend Update” anchor starred on NBC’s hit sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dr. Mary Albright, a colleague, and later fiancée, of Dick Solomon (John Lithgow) at Pendleton State University.

Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)

There is only so much that we are actually willing to reveal about our pick for Andy Samberg’s best effort outside of SNL, Palm Springs, for anyone who has not seen it yet. What we will say is that the 2020 rom-com — and one of the best movies on Hulu — stars the Lonely Island member and Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who become embroiled in a very strange predicament.

Mike Myers (Shrek)

We love almost all of the characters Mike Myers has created or portrayed, from Wayne Campbell to Austin Powers, but picking his true all-time best work outside of Studio 8H is easy. Myers put on his best Scottish accent to voice the title role of 2001’s Shrek — the first movie to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, for its sharp send-up of fairytale tropes and heartwarming unlikely romance.

Pete Davidson (The King Of Staten Island)

There have been some great Pete Davidson movies and TV shows over the years, but the former SNL star’s best work might also be one of his most personal. The Bupkis cast member based The King of Staten Island (which he co-wrote with director Judd Apatow) on his own life as the son of a firefighter who tragically passed on 9/11. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ time on SNL often goes forgotten, but you cannot say the same about the career she had after the show, which includes Emmy wins for shows like Veep and joining the MCU. However, she really blew up when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes, who was the focus of many classic and hilarious moments on the legendary sitcom.

Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Jason Sudeikis is the kind of SNL performer who could make the Devil himself seem likable, which is why he was the perfect choice for the charming lead of the Ted Lasso cast for Apple TV+. Indeed, his Emmy-winning performance as the titular American football coach hired to manage an English football (a.k.a. soccer) team is key to its jubilant success.

Norm Macdonald (Dirty Work)

In 1998, the same year that the late Norm Macdonald was infamously fired from SNL, the actor came out with one of his best movies, Dirty Work. Also written by Macdonald and directed by Bob Saget, the comedy about a man who literally becomes a specialist in the business of revenge has gained a cult following despite getting bad reviews in the 90s.

Kenan Thompson (D2: The Mighty Ducks)

Before he became one of the longest-running SNL cast members, Kenan Thompson was part of Nickelodeon’s more kid-friendly sketch comedy, All That. However, before then, the Emmy winner made his acting debut in one of the greatest hockey movies, D2: the Mighty Ducks as the inventor of the Knuckle Puck, Russ.

Ana Gasteyer (Happiest Season)

As the creator of beloved sketches like “NPR’s Delicious Dish” and the astonishing ability to hide when sketches don’t go as planned, Ana Gasteyer’s SNL days do not get talked about enough. In 2020, she appeared alongside the Happiest Season cast in a brief, but memorable, role in the acclaimed LGBTQ+ romance dramedy.

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

While he was still on SNL, Fred Armisen was the driving force of a whole different kind of sketch comedy series called Portlandia. In partnership with non-SNL sketch comedy actor Carrie Brownstein, the pair poked fun at life in Portland in a Monty Python-esque style of quirky and bizarre bits.

Tim Meadows (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping)

Despite his impressively long tenure, Tim Meadows is one of the most criminally underrated SNL actors and his big-screen presence is no different. Case in point: even one of his most prominent movie roles is from a vastly underrated, mockumentary-style comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, from 2106 as Harry, manager to conner4real (Andy Samberg).

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock)

How fitting that one of Tracy Morgan’s greatest successes after being a sketch comedy show performer was playing a sketch comedy show performer. The comic stole every scene in creator and star Tina Fey’s brilliantly surreal broadcasting satire, 30 Rock, as over-the-top actor, Tracy Jordan.

Aidy Bryant (Shrill)

Even before she left SNL (a bit later than she anticipated as a result of Covid-19), Aidy Bryant had already ventured on with a series of her own called Shrill. The actor received an Emmy nomination for her performance on the Hulu original comedy (which she also co-created) as an overweight journalist aspiring to change who she is inside without changing who she is outside.

Even if Saturday Night Live is what these actors are remembered best for, that does not mean it will always be the best thing they are remembered for.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

Norm Macdonald was never the most popular guy with audiences. He was fired from Saturday Night Live. His various movies and sitcoms often under-performed. Many of his friends and fellow stand-up comedians were able to book much larger venues and likely make a lot more money than he did, but yet, when he tragically passed away, the outpourings of memories and support from those he touched were as loud as you'd see for some of the most famous celebrities in the world.

I think it's because he saw life in a completely original way, and while his jokes didn't always broadly connect with huge groups of fans, they often had a more profound effect on a smaller group of people. If you didn't catch Norm Macdonald on a TV show or at your local club, you couldn't just go see someone else and get the gist. He was always his own person with his own take on life and his own pace at which he went about things. So, let's celebrate that unique legacy with some of his best quotes...

"When I was in school, I would get infuriated. I would do something in English, and I would get a B or something, and then I’d get so mad because it was just the guy’s opinion. But in math, you could get 100 percent. It was very fair. That’s what I liked about math. You could figure it out, and the teacher couldn’t have a stupid opinion about it."

The best part about the above quote is that it actually was in reference to sports gambling. Norm famously loved to gamble, and during an interview ahead of a show in Las Vegas, he used the above quote to explain why he was so drawn to gambling and so repulsed by other, more subjective activities, which is an outrageous point of view given he chose comedy as his career. 

"Comedy is surprises, so if you're intending to make somebody laugh and they don't laugh, that's funny."

Most comedians do whatever they can to get a laugh from the audience. They cater their style and presentation to what's working. Not Norm. Sometimes he would repeat a joke if it bombed on Weekend Update and make everyone sit in that uncomfortable silence. One time at The Comedy Central Roast Of Bob Saget, he exclusively performed corny jokes from a book on comedy his dad gave him from the '40s. The other comedians loved it. The audience did not. 

"I always told everybody the perfect joke would be where the setup and punch line were identical."

A lot of comedians and people super into comedy connected with Norm because he talked about the artform in a really analytical way. He thought about it how college professors think about the subjects they teach. One time when talking to Howard Stern, he mentioned one of his all-time favorite Weekend Update jokes was one where he simply repeated the same sentence twice in a row with a different inflection. 

"All my life's about is cracking up people and them cracking me up and trying not to think about dying. That doesn't cost very much money."

To paraphrase This Is Spinal Tap, Norm lived in that space between stupid and clever. Sometimes the most profound and funny things he said were so blunt they were like observations a child would make. 

"It's a very odd thing with Hollywood, where you do stand-up, you're good at it, then they go, 'How would you like to be a horrible actor?' Then you say, 'All right, that sounds good. I'll do that.'"

I say this with lots of love in my heart, but even by low the standards of bad comedian actors, Norm was bad at acting. There are times in Dirty Work and Screwed where I'm pretty positive he's being intentionally bad on purpose but in a weird self-aware, winking at the audience kind of way. I love it, but many critics and viewers do not.

"Why do dogs always race to the door when the doorbell rings? It's almost never for them."

If anyone is an expert on dogs, it's Norm Macdonald. He played one in Doctor Doolittle. Also, this is another example of one of those Norm Macdonald jokes that is such an obvious observation it wraps around the other way and feels profound-- like something Forrest Gump would say.

"They say that if you're afraid of homosexuals, it means that deep down inside you're actually a homosexual yourself. That worries me because I'm afraid of dogs."

Sometimes you think you know what direction a Norm joke is going in. Then suddenly, you're laughing about something entirely different and surprised about how you even got there. Also, this jokes hits confusingly for me because I'm afraid of heights. 

He has the disease of alcoholism. And he came to me and he told me, and I'm the kind of guy that likes to look at the bright side of things. So I told him, I said, "Richie, it's true that you have a disease and everything, but I think you got the best one."

There was no topic off-limits for Norm. He liked putting people in weird mental places, and his comedy often mined human failures and discomfort for subject matter. 

In the old days, they'd go, "Hey, that old man died." Now, they go, "Hey, he lost his battle." That's no way to end your life, you know? What a loser that guy was. Last thing he did was lose.

There's not much more important in life than perspective. Norm was all about getting people to question their outlooks and the things they took as accepted facts. In this case, it's an interesting observation about how euphemisms are sometimes a lot more offensive if you really think about them. 

"Being alive is great, you can eat at Denny's, you can wear a hat whenever you want to, it's wonderful."

Life is absolutely fantastic because of the little things, and Norm was absolutely fantastic because he could use these blunt references to ordinary stuff to make us appreciate things in a new way. It is cool that we can all do whatever we want. 

"Women are attracted to funny men, it is often said. This is not true. It only appears this way because women laugh at everything a very handsome man says. So this gives the very handsome men the idea that they are funny."

I like this joke because when it first starts, you think it's going to be targeted at women but instead winds up swinging harder at handsome men. It's also, like many other Norm quotes, an observation about comedy and laughter. 

"I wouldn't call myself a fan of Steampunk. But I will say, it's the healthiest way to prepare punk."

Technically this one was said by comedian Bobby Lee after Norm handed him a card to read, but we'll give Norm the credit, especially because it's a great example of a totally random Norm joke without any set-up needed. 

“I remember a psychiatrist once telling me that I gamble in order to escape the reality of life, and I told him that’s why everyone does everything.”

This is one of those quotes that's funny but also kind of a sad realization. Norm liked living in that space too. He was able to bring comedy out of the sober realities of life and do it in a way that almost made you feel amused by our collective plight. 

In my opinion if you're going to fight the War On Terror, a good place to start would be this nation's haunted houses!

Other comedians might tackle The War On Terror with some political commentary. Not Norm. He knows the real villain is those darn haunted houses. Always will be too.

"Why is taking no pleasure out of things I used to enjoy a sign of depression? Maybe I'm just finally sick of crayoning."

One of the best things about Norm is how carefully his jokes were written. His delivery may have given people the sense he was just winging it, but often times every little word was carefully constructed to be as humorous as possible, which we can see here with 'crayoning.' 

"Well, it is finally official. Murder is legal in the state of California."

It wouldn't be a Norm Macdonald list if we didn't get at least one of his Weekend Update jokes about OJ Simpson in. This is the one he opened his segment with immediately after the ex-NFL player was found not guilty, and it, along with many other OJ jokes, allegedly led to his firing. 

"You ever lie for no reason at all? Just all of sudden, a big lie spills out of your evil head. Like a guy will come up to you, 'Hey, did you ever see that movie with Meryl Streep and a horse?' And you go, 'Yes.' In the back of your head, you're like, 'What in the heck am I lying about over here? I stand to gain nothing by this lie'."

I think we've all been here, where we make a comment almost reflexively and are immediately confused about why we even said it. Leave it to Norm to extract the comedy from lying to people.

"Yeah man, they call gambling a disease, but it’s the only disease where you can win a bunch of money.”

Norm was a big gambler throughout his life, and he was also never shy about poking fun at himself or his own issues. So, he wrote about gambling extensively in his book (which is a really weird read), and made plenty of jokes about other people's thoughts about his gambling. 

"It says here in this history book that luckily, the good guys have won every single time. What are the odds?"

Every time this joke is posted somewhere, it inevitably leads to a bunch of people misunderstanding and trying to explain how good guys haven't always really won, they just wrote the history books. This is inevitably followed by people explaining that's the joke, and somewhere, I know Norm Macdonald is grinning ear to ear.

"That famous guy said it. What's his name? Oh yeah... Jesus."

If you want to know whether or not you like Norm Macdonald, go watch Dirty Work. It's less a real movie and more one hour and twenty-two minutes of Norm saying the most ridiculous things while vaguely attempting to act, like in this case when he credited Jesus with a quote about not getting stomped on. 

"I endorse podiums. That's a product I can stand behind."

People often talk about the Norm Macdonald jokes that are a little more profound or punch a little harder, but he was also a master of wordplay. In fact, he followed this joke on his show up with another about how he was hired to write a slogan for an elevator company, but they didn't like his about never letting people down.

"I would love to stay at SNL forever. But you can’t stay in the same place. People think you’re a loser."

Norm Macdonald was famously fired from Saturday Night Live; so, this joke is a bit of a self-own. That being said, with all due respect to Kenan Thompson, who is a treasure, this is a thoughtful statement about life. It's like you work to find your place, but at some point, as soon as you start to get comfortable, people wonder why you haven't left yet. 

"I signed up for my company's 401K, but I don't think I can run that far."

In fairness to Norm, I'm not even excited about running a 5K, let alone a 401K. Good on him for signing up and giving it a try though. 

"When I was a child, they told me children are our future. Then I grew up and now they're saying it's actually these new children. I know a Ponzi scheme when I see one."

If it's something everyone else takes as an accepted fact, chances are Norm figured out a way to make a joke about it. In this case, it's taking a phrase we've all heard a thousand times and making it seem outrageous. 

"Ever since Trump's new immigration policy came in, the band Foreigner is scared."

Norm wasn't a huge fan of political jokes. He made some observations and didn't run away from the subject, but when he touched on it, a lot of times it was in the form of the above joke--- some kind of funny wordplay with a little commentary mixed in. This ridiculous one he gave to Tim Allen to read during a funny segment of his show.

"A hippo's mouth is wide enough to fit a four foot tall child, unfortunately after measuring the hippo's mouth almost all the children were eaten."

In case you're wondering, I fact checked Norm here, and yes, a hippo's mouth is about four feet wide. Also, a comedy checked him, and this joke is way better because he says almost all of the children were eaten. A few must have survived, but I can't imagine they escaped without injury.

"The Statue of Liberty is setting a bad example for young women. When times get tough, you can't just stand motionless for centuries holding a torch."

Everyone else thinks The Statue Of Liberty is an inspirational beacon of hope? Of course Norm sees things in a different way, and I'm glad. It was well past time someone gave that lady the constructive criticism she needed. 

"I made a bad business decision, started an online business, you know what I sold? Brick & Mortar."

Not every business decision is going to be a winner. In this case, Norm probably should have chosen either online or brick and mortar, not found a way to mix the two together. You live and you learn though. 

"I can't stand stuck-up bodies of water. It's like, 'Get over yourself, Lake Superior'"

This is an area of long-term personal growth and improvement for all the Great Lakes. Also, it's something to work on in the exact opposite way for The Dead Sea. Maybe work on being a little more cheerful. 

"The inside of the human body is more of a miracle than you'd first think since everything goes on in there in total darkness."

People talk a lot about their bodies every time something goes wrong, but how about we be a little more thankful for our organs working twenty-four hours a day without a single light on? Heroes. 

"President Obama continues to shamelessly wage class warfare. Today he announced a steep new tax on shiny top hats."

How are those fat cats controlling the lumber trade supposed to survive when they now have to pay three extra cents on their shiny top hats? That's how they get you.

"A Florida man was arrested for stealing a truck filled with $76,000 worth of Campbell's soup. I, for one, hope this guy goes away for 'Mmm, mmm, good!'"

I identify with this joke, but that's probably because I eat soup every single day for lunch. I wouldn't take $76,000 worth though because my house has a small pantry. 

We could talk forever about our favorite SNL actors and their funniest sketches, but when was the last time we showed our appreciation for the people who were the real brains behind the operation? That is what we intend to do here as we look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s most celebrated bits and characters as we share the stories behind those who wrote them into reality.

NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls (Ana Gasteyer)

The glorious piece of suggestive comedy that is “Schweddy Balls” is just one — let alone, arguably, the funniest — edition of a recurring sketch called “NPR’s Delicious Dish,” which was the brainchild of one of its stars, Ana Gasteyer. The Happiest Season cast member recalled to NPR — of all places — that she was still part of the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, when gastronomic radio shows from LA called “The Splendid Table” and “Good Food” inspired her to write the bit. 

Close Encounter (Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell)

We have SNL actor Mikey Day and writing partner Streeter Seidell to thank for what is widely considered one of Kate McKinnon’s best SNL sketches, “Close Encounter.” According to Day and Seidell’s talk with Vulture, they knew that host Ryan Gosling would not be able to stop laughing at Colleen Rafferty’s horrendous experience with an alien abduction because he wasn’t able to hold it together during any of the rehearsals.

The Olympia Cafe (Don Novello)

Comedian Don Novello is best known for playing Father Guido Scarducci on SNL, but he is also the unsung hero of “The Olympia Cafe,” which some may recognize better as the “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger” sketch. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the bit was inspired by an actual Chicago restaurant called the Billy Goat Tavern, which Novello and the sketch’s star, John Belushi, would frequent.

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River (Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, And Robert Smigel)

After seeing Chris Farley perform at Second City as his character, Matt Foley, Bob Odenkirk was inspired to write the sketch that introduced the motivational speaker to SNL in 1993. However, as the former Breaking Bad cast member revealed on Hot Ones, it was Robert Smigel’s last-minute idea for Farley to fall down onto the table.

More Cowbell (Will Ferrell) 

According to Rolling Stone, the faint sound of the cowbell on Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” inspired Will Ferrell to write a now-classic sketch — that Christopher Walken believes ruined his life — revolving around the one playing the obscure instrument on the 1976 hit. He later discovered from an SNL art department employee whose father worked on the Agents of Fortune album that he had unwittingly captured the characteristics of the song’s real cowbell player… save the low-cut sweater and overzealous gyration.

Church Chat (Dana Carvey And Rosie Shuster)

On an SNL 40th Anniversary retrospective by People, Dana Carvey recalls performing as the Church Lady in his pre-SNL days at clubs, where he spontaneously improvised her famous catchphrase, “Isn’t that special?” He teamed up with writer Rosie Shuster to develop the character’s SNL debut, leading to the creation of “Church Chat” — which Carvey would revive as a host in later years.

Wayne's World (Mike Myers)

According to Primetimer, when Mike Myers showed then-SNL writers Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels his idea for “Wayne’s World,” they politely advised him against pitching it in the writer’s room. Well, the joke is on those nobodies because the sketch — a cable access program filmed in Wayne’s (Myers) basement and co-hosted by Dana Carvey’s Garth — was a huge hit that inspired one of the best SNL movies ever.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell)

Wanting to break free from the political-heavy humor of SNL’s 42nd season, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell — after much trial and error — crafted a sketch for the Halloween show featuring a strange man who would become one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters: David S. Pumpkins. According to Vulture’s oral history, the trio was astonished by the success of “this dumb, dumb thing” that even inspired an animated special on NBC the following year.

Mom Jeans (Tina Fey)

In an interview with Jess Cage for Sirius XM, Tina Fey recalls purchasing a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” at J. Crew, and she decided to use that as fuel on writing night at Studio 8H. The result was one of SNL’s funniest commercial parodies, for which the future 30 Rock cast member and creator wore a prosthetic stomach and rear end.

MacGruber (Jorma Taccone)

Played by Will Forte, easily distracted special forces agent MacGruber was first envisioned by Jorma Taccone — one-third of the Lonely Island — according to Vanity Fair’s oral history. Having later spawned a feature film and a Peacock original series, you could argue that the recurring sketch hit a level of attention that resembled the love for the TV show that inspired it, MacGyver (whose star, Richard Dean Anderson, cameoed in one edition).

Two Wild And Crazy Guys (Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Marilyn Suzanne Miller)

In collaboration with writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller (according to Ultimate Classic Rock), Dan Aykroyd partnered with SNL host hall-of-famer Steve Martin to create the Festrunk Brothers, who are better known as the “wild and crazy guys!” The Czechoslovakian swingers became a staple of the show, and they would return in more recent years alongside another famous duo: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s highly inappropriate R&B singers.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation (Seth Meyers)

One of SNL’s sharpest pieces of political satire sees Sen. Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) struggling to remain civil during a non-partisan appearance alongside Gov. Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) in response to the latter’s Vice Presidential nomination. According to Vulture, then-head writer Seth Meyers penned that legendary SNL cold open, which also featured a few jokes by Poehler and Fey and Palin’s iconic line “I can see Russia from my house,” courtesy of Late Night producer Mike Shoemaker.

Stefon (Bill Hader And John Mulaney)

At The New Yorker Festival in 2014, Bill Hader recalled how a flamboyant barista he frequently bumped into and a strange email John Mulaney received about an aspiring club owner’s bizarre ideas — including “a room full of broken glass” — were the catalysts for Stefon. Hader also mentions that he tested the character in a particularly forgettable sketch opposite host Ben Affleck before making him Weekend Update’s city correspondent. The former Barry cast lead has never been able to play the role without laughing and covering his face, thanks to Mulaney’s last-minute cue card additions and Seth Meyers’ immaculate patience.

Lazy Sunday (The Lonely Island, Chris Parnell)

Chris Parnell was SNL’s resident rap star before the emergence of The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), which is why they asked him to collaborate on a music video about him and Samberg seeing The Chronicles of Narnia. As they recall in Variety’s oral history, “Lazy Sunday” made SNL Digital Shorts a celebrated event, skyrocketed The Lonely Island’s stardom, and, most importantly, dawned a new era of viral comedy.

The Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd)

In the book Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd recalls how he was watching TV in a heightened state of mind, and he noticed that people’s heads rarely hit the top of the screen. This gave him the idea for a sketch about characters with noggins that are several inches taller than the average humans, who eventually became the out-of-this-world family known as The Coneheads. 

Celebrity Jeopardy! (Norm Macdonald)

As the late Norm Macdonald revealed to Howard Stern (via SoundCloud), we have SCTV to thank for "Celebrity Jeopardy!” The comedian — who also played Burt “Turd Ferguson” Reynolds — took inspiration from the Canadian sketch comedy series’ game show parody “Half Wits” when crafting this recurring bit featuring Will Ferrell as an Alex Trebek driven mad by absent-minded famous people and taunting from Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond).

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch And Paula Pell)

Rachel Dratch recalled to Salon that while vacationing she told someone at a communal dining table that she was from New York, to which the stranger replied, “Were you there for 9/11?” That ultimately inspired her to team up with Paula Pell — with whom she later reunited for Wine Country — to create the character Debbie Downer, whose debut SNL sketch did not go as planned, but was all the more memorable for it.

Spelling Bee (Will Forte)

On a Reddit AMA hosted by Will Forte (via AMATranscripts.com), one user asked if the actor’s insanely long misspelling of the word “business” in Season 31’s “Spelling Bee” was recited as written or all spontaneous. The MacGruber cast lead revealed that the bit originated from his days on the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, and that he would have listed off even more random letters in the SNL sketch if he wasn’t being directly followed by musical guest Neil Young.

The Ladies Man (Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, and Andrew Steele)

A character as lewd and crude as Leon Phelps might not be so successful these days, but, then again, it’s hard not to be charmed by any role portrayed by Tim Meadows. While promoting the 2000 movie, The Ladies Man, the Mean Girls cast member revealed to The Crimson that the lispy voice was his biggest contribution to the character, who was initially conceived by Dennis McNicholas and Andrew Steele.

The Californians (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, And James Anderson)

While speaking to Seth Meyers on Late Night, Bill Hader shared how he and Fred Armisen would kill time before table reads by mockingly describing how they would get around in LA while donning over-the-top West Coast accents. Sometime later, Hader learned that Armisen and writer James Anderson took that gag, made it into a soap opera, and, thus, “The Californians” was born.

Girl Watchers (Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, And Greg Daniels) 

Retired late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien actually came up with a few of Tom Hanks’ best SNL sketches, such as “Girl Watchers,” in which the Oscar winner and Jon Lovitz comment on their losing streak with the ladies with contrarian confidence. O’Brien shared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, how he jokingly demonstrated this characteristic on a whim while hanging out with fellow SNL writers Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels, who all worked together to turn into the classic sketch.

Hans And Franz (Kevin Nealon And Dana Carvey)

While Arnold Schwarzenegger has never hosted SNL, he would make a cameo alongside fellow Austrian bodybuilders, Hans and Franz. It probably comes as no surprise that the Terminator star — who was even interested in doing the scrapped Hans and Franz movie — is also the inspiration for the characters. Kevin Nealon told Juice that it all started when he and Dana Carvey caught an interview with the actor on TV that compelled them to talk like him for days.

Diner Lobster (John Mulaney And Colin Jost)

Season 43’s “Diner Lobster” was an instant classic that started a tradition of Broadway-inspired sketches anytime John Mulaney hosts SNL, but its road to success was longer than you may think. The comedian and Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost revealed in a featurette that they actually wrote the sketch eight years earlier, but no one wanted to touch it at the time.

Lunch Lady Land (Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy, And Allen Covert)

One of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s funniest collaborations was a musical sketch set to a song called “Lunch Lady Land,” which the Uncut Gems star did not write himself. According to Uproxx, his co-composers were Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy (father of Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), and Allen Covert.

Weekend Update: The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang And Anna Drezen)

The bit that made Bowen Yang one of SNL’s biggest stars was his viral “Weekend Update” appearance as the Iceberg that sank Titanic, who believes he is the real victim of the tragedy. He spoke to former SNL star-turned-Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon about how writer Anna Drezen texted him about the concept months before they decided to give it a try, despite not having much faith in it at the time.

Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon)

Apparently, an unnamed SNL writer did not believe that Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a chance of making it onto the show, as she told People in 2015. Luckily, the nervous schoolgirl did make it onto air and the White Lotus cast member’s energy and commitment to the role made her a hit. Even Whitney Houston would agree to appear alongside this superstar.

What Up With That? (Kenan Thompson, Bryan Tucker, And Rob Klein)

According to Rolling Stone, Kenan Thompson — the longest-running SNL cast member — came up with an idea in 2009 for a talk show host who becomes obsessively unable to stop singing his own theme song. After bringing the idea to fellow writers Bryan Tucker and Rob Klein and teaming up with musical director Katrees Barnes for the song, the idea eventually made it onto the show as “What Up With That?” which became a recurring hit.

Target Lady (Kristen Wiig)

Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig could be the show’s greatest female cast member, judging purely on the amount of diverse characters she has brought to the table, such as “Target Lady.” She told James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio that the role — originally conceived for The Groundlings — was inspired by an actual Target cashier she met with an “eggy” voice.

Papyrus (Julio Torres)

Ryan Gosling gives one of his funniest performances ever in a pre-taped SNL bit as a man driven insane by the fact that the logo for one of the most popular movies of all time, Avatar, is just a modified version of the common font “Papyrus.” Julio Torres told EW that this was initially a joke he used in stand-up until the Oscar-nominated actor suggested turning it into the hilarious viral hit that even James Cameron responded to.

Super Bass-O-Matic ’76 (Dan Aykroyd)

A 12-year-old Dan Aykroyd once witnessed his aunt — a Canadian cooking show personality — dump a whole fish, bones and all, in a blender for a bouillabaisse. That story, which he revealed to The Food Channel, was his inspiration for one of his funniest faux infomercials, “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.”

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Jimmy Fallon, Steve Higgins, Ken Scarborough)

Out of Jimmy Fallon’s many great collaborations with Justin Timberlake, one of the funniest is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” While having the actual surviving Bee Gees as guests on Late Night, Fallon recalled how he and his future sidekick, Steve Higgins, actually crafted the sketch together with fellow writer Ken Scarborough, who went on to become the head writer of Sesame Street.

Foreign Man: Mighty Mouse (Andy Kaufman)

On the very first episode of SNL, Andy Kaufman appeared, nervously starring at the audience while playing the theme song to Mighty Mouse and only exhibiting a more confidant demeanor to lip-sync the lyric, “Here I come to save the day!” According to Fandom’s SNL wiki page, the very bizarre bit — something totally on brand for the legendary comedian — was a branch of his character known as “Foreign Man,” which was one of his earlier and most iconic acts.

If you have ever found yourself watching one of these classic SNL sketches and wondered who came up with these ideas and how, now you know.

Those in need of a good laugh can usually find exactly what they are looking for with a Netflix subscription. One of the reasons why the platform is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to is its nearly countless number of stand-up comedy specials that have sparked the on-stage revival of various beloved legends or helped skyrocket the careers of comedy’s most promising voices. 

As you might imagine, however, there are almost too many stand-up comedy specials to choose from, so what are the funniest available to stream now? Let us see if we can help you narrow down your choices for your next night of laughs with our picks for the funniest stand-up comedy specials available on Netflix.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023)

In his first special since his stint in rehab, John Mulaney details his struggles with that life-changing occasion, shares other revealing personal anecdotes, and tells some of his best jokes ever, making Baby J some of the comic’s finest work yet.

Stream John Mulaney: Baby J on Netflix

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)

While several months pregnant with her first child, Ali Wong – future Emmy-winning star of one of the best A24 TV shows, Beef – performs what is widely considered to be some of her best and most insightful work in Baby Cobra.

Stream Ali Wong: Baby Cobra on Netflix

Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (2019)

Black-ish star and former Conan writer Deon Cole’s debut Netflix special, Cole Hearted, sees him riff on the true meaning behind the name “Arby’s,” explaining when and why to give thanks to Jesus, and demonstrate why comedy is the last raw form of expression.

Stream Deon Cole: Cole Hearted on Netflix

Little Big Boy may boast the most mature material we have seen yet from Nick Kroll, but don’t be surprised when the Big Mouth co-creator throws in a fart joke.

Stream Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy on Netflix

Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer (2024)

Not to be confused with a certain Oliver Stone film, Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer sees the British comedian continue to deliver his signature, shamelessly crass, but undeniably clever, one-liners, which cover everything from veganism, anti-vaxxers, and how to practice proper consent.

Stream Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer on Netflix

Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life (2018)

Steve Martin and Martin Short are at their best when they are together and the Only Murders in the Building cast members deliver something truly unforgettable in An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life, which consists of witty banter, uproarious sketches, and a few moments of great music.

Stream Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life on Netflix

Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)

Netflix’s very first live special, Selective Outrage, saw Chris Rock reveal his thoughts on Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars, among other topics, in front of a Baltimore audience.

Stream Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Netflix

Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You (2022)

While still in her 20s, Taylor Tomlinson proved herself to be one of the sharpest and boldest comedians working today with her brilliant debut special, Quarter-Life Crisis, in 2020. However, the gold standard of her career might be her second Netflix original, Look at You, for how she cleverly turns her own struggles with family, friends, and romance after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, into one hour of laugh-a-minute delight.

Stream Taylor Tomlinson: Look at You on Netflix

Mike Birbiglia: Thank God For Jokes (2017)

The state of comedy as we know it is a hotly debated topic these days and Mike Birbiglia believes it really all comes down to one thing: it has been ruined by people who are bad at telling them or try to hide behind their own mistakes by vocally claiming they are “just joking.” Well, the recurring Orange is the New Black cast member and three-time interim Jimmy Kimmel Live host is on a mission to preserve the art with his first Netflix special (out of four currently available on the platform), Thank God for Jokes.

Stream Mike Birbigila: Thank God for Jokes on Netflix

Demetri Martin: Live (At The Time) (2015)

I have always thought of Demetri Martin as the Bob Dylan of comedy – mostly because he often wears a harmonica around his neck while playing guitar during musical interludes, but also for his inventive, obscure approach to the art, involving illustrated sight gags or edits to his special that add a wonderfully meta commentary. The former Daily Show correspondent presents what may be the funniest display of his irreverent style with his first Netflix special, Live (At the Time) – a title that is totally on-brand for the comic.  

Stream Demetri Martin: Live (At the Time) on Netflix

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh (2018)

A stand-up icon who always loves to incorporate music into his act is Adam Sandler, the SNL cast member-turned-cinematic comedy superstar-turned-acclaimed dramatic thespian (i.e. his acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems). Before taking that award-winning role, the “Sandman” reignited his stand-up presence with this Netflix special, in which he raps about our over-reliance on technology, pays tribute to the late Chris Farley, and gives us more material that is truly 100% Fresh.

Stream Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh on Netflix

Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill (2020)

Netflix is the ultimate hub for content related to Jerry Seinfeld, as it’s the one place you can stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, his groundbreaking self-titled series from the ‘90s (and one of the all-time best sitcoms), and other titles, including this original special. The comedy icon certainly kills in 23 Hours to Kill by bringing his signature observational style to topics like how similar the words “sucks” and “great” truly are, how different talking and texting are, and more.

Stream Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill on Netflix

Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)

Former The King of Queens cast member and Ratatouille star Patton Oswalt has always had a bold and boisterous on-stage presence, whether he is poking fun at politics or at himself. However, the actor and comedian (who also lends his voice to Netflix’s The Sandman cast) has never been more candid about either topic than in his second special for the platform, Annihilation – half of which is devoted to honoring his late wife, true crime author Michelle McNamara.

Stream Patton Oswalt: Annihilation on Netflix

Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017)

In 2021, we lost beloved comedian and former SNL star Norm Macdonald to a private, nine-year battle with cancer. Remember the joy he brought to the world of comedy with his first Netflix original special, Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery – one of his finest career efforts for brilliant takes on mundane topics like the abbreviation for “identification” and his analysis of Germany’s volatile place in history.

Stream Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery on Netflix

Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)

After taking a hiatus from stand-up, Bo Burham was planning on returning to the stage right as Covid-19 put most public appearances on hold, as he reveals in this bizarre and bitingly funny project he wrote, performed, and shot entirely on his own and in one single room during the pandemic. While this special barely counts as “stand-up” and sometimes veers far from comedy when the Promising Young Woman star makes devastating confessions about his own mental health, no matter what you prefer to call it, Inside is one of the best Netflix movies of 2021 and nothing short of a masterpiece.

Stream Bo Burnham: Inside on Netflix

Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial (2018)

In her third Netflix original stand-up special and one of the best credits of her career, Iliza Shlesinger explains just what it means to be an Elder Millennial and how it informs her opinions of society. She reenacts the typical night of a single thirty-something, explains “landlines,” and shares the not-so-surprising story of how she met her fiancé on a dating app.

Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial on Netflix

Trevor Noah: Afraid Of The Dark (2017)

As a former host of The Daily Show, it is clear Trevor Noah has an eye for politics, but he lightens his commentary on the state of America (a little) to cover a wide range of topics with his signature energy. He talks about his South African upbringing, apologizes to the women in his audience on behalf of male “creeps,” and reveals why he is, as the title of his comedy special teases, afraid of the dark. 

Stream Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark on Netflix

Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018)

While he does not, particularly, exhibit signs of being what the title of this Netflix stand-up special suggests, “disgraceful” would certainly be a proper way of defining the many topics Tom Segura explores – such as a visit to an adult entertainment store, finding humor in mental disabilities, and the satisfaction of letting an elevator door close on a stranger. The 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast host’s brand of observational humor is refreshing in how it trades brutal honesty for off-beat absurdity that often veers on the edge of uncomfortable relatability. 

Stream Tom Segura: Disgraceful on Netflix

Marc Maron: Too Real (2017)

He has found success from starring in the Netflix series GLOW, a brief appearance in the box office smash Joker, and, especially, interviewing Hollywood’s finest as host of the highly rated podcast, WTF. However, Marc Maron got his start as a comic and you can see him at his best in his 2017 Netflix stand-up comedy special, Too Real.

Stream Marc Maron: Too Real on Netflix

Neal Brennan: 3 Mics (2017)

In 2017, Neal Brennan – the secret weapon to Dave Chappelle’s career, from co-creating Chappelle’s Show to co-writing Half Baked – came out of hiding in his remarkably unique Netflix comedy special, 3 Mics, which refers to the three different microphones set up on the stage. Each one is reserved for a different purpose: clever one-liners, traditional stand-up bits, and deeply personal stories, which is where Brennan truly shines in this astounding achievement mixing comedy with tragedy to rewarding effect.

Stream Neal Brennan: 3 Mics on Netflix

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City (2018)

As one of the most exciting names in comedy today, it makes sense that John Mulaney would eventually find himself performing at a prestigious venue like New York’s Radio City Music Hall, but that does not stop him from commenting on the very absurdity of that concept in his Emmy-winning Netflix stand-up comedy special, Kid Gorgeous. The former SNL writer’s classically-trained stand-up style, complemented by his formal wardrobe and choice to carry a wire-attached mic, adds a refreshing, old-fashioned energy to the topics he dares to dissect with his razor-sharp wit in a special that demands repeat viewings. 

Stream John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City on Netflix

Dave Chappelle: The Age Of Spin (2017)

Regardless of how you may feel about his more recent Netflix specials, you have to admit that Dave Chappelle’s intelligent observation, fearless expression, and effortless delivery is unlike anyone or anything seen in the world of comedy – now or before his time – and no better proof of that is in the first of his Netflix stand-up comedy specials, The Age of Spin. Filmed live at the Hollywood Palladium, this Grammy-winning special saw the A Star is Born actor’s triumphant return to the mainstream following his controversial decision to leave his groundbreaking Comedy Central series, which is easily the lightest of topics he touches on before riffing on everything from racism to sexuality and recalling his multiple encounters with O.J. Simpson.

Stream Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin on Netflix

No one’s brand of comedy is the same, so hopefully we have covered everything that fans of stand-up specials might be interested in streaming on Netflix in the list above.

Before we lost legendary comedian Bob Saget to a head trauma in January, the comedy world was already in mourning over the unexpected death of Norm Macdonald in September 2021. Saget himself struggled to accept the fact that his friend was gone, and that we’d never again witness the deadpan humor the Saturday Night Live veteran was known for. However, eight months after Macdonald passed, his fandom has learned that’s not the case at all, as a new comedy special that he recorded before his death is coming to Netflix.

Norm Macdonald died at the age of 61 after a long and secret battle with cancer. However, not all of the comedian’s secrets were as tragic, as his sister-in-law Joyce Napier revealed in a piece for CTV News that Macdonald recorded some new material alone in his living room during the pandemic, and Netflix revealed that Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special will premiere on May 30. 

According to Joyce Napier:

The title Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special is a clear misnomer, as fans of the longtime SNL Weekend Update anchor (myself included) are certainly thrilled at the opportunity for one more taste of Norm Macdonald’s dry and often dark humor. Knowing it will be the last, however, is astoundingly bittersweet, and the intimacy of the “set” being performed in his living room without an audience will make for an interesting dynamic. 

Lori Jo Hoekstra, the actor’s longtime producing partner, said (via ET Canada) that this is a gift to the fans from the comedian, who wasn't able to bring this particular act to the masses at large.

A bonus segment will reportedly follow the comedy special, which will feature Adam Sandler, Conan O’Brien, Dave Chappelle, David Letterman, David Spade and Molly Shannon remembering their late friend. Chapelle will also be featured on another upcoming Netflix tribute special, honoring Bob Saget.

Following Bob Saget’s funeral early in 2022, friends and family gathered together at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood for what was then dubbed a “punk rock shiva,” with comedians such as Jim Carrey, Dave Chappelle and more on hand to share stories in celebration of Saget’s life and career. It was later revealed that Netflix would be releasing the filmed event as a tribute special, and now we know it’ll make its debut on June 10, less than two weeks after the premiere of Norm Macdonald’s final set.

Netflix subscribers will also have access to a lot more standup comedy as the summer kicks off, which seems particularly important in a year that’s also seen the losses of Louie Anderson and Gilbert Gottfried. The streaming service has curated sets and specials from its Netflix Is a Joke festival, with many debuting throughout June. First, though, The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up will premiere May 19, and will feature current-day stars — yes, Dave Chappelle is in this one, too — sharing their love for some more comedy trailblazers in Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Joan Rivers and George Carlin.

In the meantime you can always remember Norm Macdonald by checking out his funniest movies and shows, and be sure to take a look at the best shows available now on Netflix.

Over 25 years ago, Adam Sandler gifted moviegoers with one of his most iconic comedies -- Billy Madison. While the movie didn’t quite strike a chord with critics, audiences enjoyed the comedic tale of a 27-year-old who returns to grade school to prove he can manage his father’s company. Today, the movie is still enjoyed by plenty of fans, including Sander himself. The actor, who tends to get nostalgic once in a while, recently discovered a throwback from the production that he shared on social media. And it’s enough to get any fan emotional. 

Though the star has paid tribute to his past features before, this may be his best callback yet. The Happy Madison Productions founder took to Twitter to share that he’d found the call sheet for the first day of work on Billy Madison. Marked with the date June 26, 1994, it features a rundown of the scenes being done on that particular day. Check out the cool piece of movie history and the actor’s brief caption for yourself down below:

Fans may not have actually been on set when the movie was actually in the midst of production, but seeing this tidbit could make anyone nostalgic. It’s a sweet keepsake and one that any fans of the Sandman would love to get their hands on. But I’m certain the comedian has no intention of giving up that nugget of history. 

Based on the stories that have been revealed from the production of the film, the atmosphere on set was “interesting,” to say the least. Adam Sandler actually drew the ire of some of the parents on set, during the film’s hilarious dodgeball scene. The sequence sees Sandler’s Billy get a little too rough while playing against his much younger classmates, and apparently, the actor actually hit one child too hard. Though Sander later contended that it was in the script. 

Another memorable tale involves the late great comedian Norm Macdonald, who made his movie debut in the project. According to Adam Sandler, Macdonald fell asleep while the two of them were filming a scene. And actually, there’s a chance the star may have done a little “method acting” and taken a cue from his character, who was supposed to be drunk at the time. 

But for all the craziness and head-scratching moments in front of and behind the camera, Billy Madison is still a comedy treasure. Not only did it deliver a quirky (and over-the-top) story, but it also introduced some hilarious characters, including a nice villainous turn from Bradley Whitford.

With the nostalgia Adam Sandler feels for the movie, one can’t help but wonder if he’d ever consider making a sequel to the movie. Such a film may be a long shot, but I think a number of fans would be interested to see if Sandler’s Madison did indeed end up becoming a teacher. 

Billy Madison is currently available to stream on Peacock.

Recently departed comedian Norm Macdonald did a lot of things during his brilliant, strange and groundbreaking career, but he’ll always be best known by most people for his time as the Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live. The funnyman ran the segment from 1994 to 1997 until he was unceremoniously fired by an NBC executive, allegedly for his repeated jokes about OJ Simpson murdering people. As such, it only makes sense that Saturday Night Live would feature some Norm Macdonald tributes during its opening episode this season.

Those tributes came primarily in two forms. First, Pete Davidson, who also has a long history of saying whatever he wants, rocked an all-time classic Norm Macdonald shirt during his segment. I mean check this beauty out. It’s like something you’d buy at one of those make your own t-shirt shops. Just tremendous. You can check out Pete Davidson rocking it in all its glory below…

There has been an outpouring of admiration for Norm Macdonald since the former Saturday Night Live star’s tragic death. Many of the remembrances and tributes have been loudest from his fellow comedians, many of whom have expressed appreciation for his originality, willingness to push buttons and the unexpected direction he took many of his jokes. He was never concerned about bombing or crowd reaction, often lingering on jokes and sticking with the same material if the audience wasn’t enjoying it. 

There have been numerous popular comedians who have spoken about how much Norm Macdonald shaped their perspectives on comedy. Seth Rogen said all his early acting performances were basically him doing a Norm impression, as an example. During Weekend update, longtime anchor Colin Jost said Macdonald was the only reason he ever wanted the gig. Fittingly, he and co-anchor Michael Che aired some Norm jokes to end the segment. You can check them out below…

Some comedians are able to use Saturday Night Live as a springboard for huge movie careers or their own late night gigs on major networks. Other comedians simply move on to doing other things. That was Norm Macdonald. He made some movies. He had a few TV shows and specials. He made a lot of late night appearances. Mostly he just did comedy his own way. 

Sometimes that meant doing legendary sets to the roar of audiences. Sometimes that meant bombing because he was trying to do something weird.  It may not have made him as famous or as rich as many of his fellow SNL alums, but it certainly earned him a lot of respect.

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I recently pulled out my trusty old copy of Live From New York by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller, who fed my fan appreciation for Saturday Night Live. The pages are dog-eared and yellow from use and age at this point -- as is often the SNL criticism “not what it used to be” -- but this time I brought it out following the death of Norm Macdonald after a private battle with cancer at age 61.

His fellow SNL co-stars and other people whose lives he touched already weighed in after the actor and comedian's passing, but just in case you haven’t been able to read Live From New York yet, I did want to share some stories from Norm himself.

Norm Macdonald On Why SNL And ‘Weekend Update’ Was A Good Job For Him

The thing about Norm is that he was always coming at jokes or even everyday concepts from his own perspective. An old-fashioned way of describing that trait might be something like a “true original” though that makes me think of art or sassy older ladies. When Norm got the job at Saturday Night Live, it was actually Adam Sandler who “liked” Macdonald and was a key person in helping him land the role. But was he nervous? No.

Norm Macdonald on Dropping An F-Bomb Live From New York On Saturday Night

Over the years a variety of celebrities and cast members have accidentally said things they shouldn’t have on the air on SNL. I remember one memorable episode Live From New York in which paired "Weekend Update" chairs Michael Che and Colin Jost managed to drop both an f-bomb and the word "shithole" in one broadcast. So, it happens. Norm was no exception, and recalled in Live From New York that he did once drop an f-bomb on the air.

On Getting Fired From SNL Right After Chris Farley Died

Norm Macdonald famously was replaced with Colin Quinn on ‘Weekend Update.’ There was an awkward transitional period that happened on the show after he broke the news during a Letterman appearance, and Macdonald stills seems bummed to recount what happened with his ultimate exit from the NBC late night show. He recalled to Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller that he found out he was being fired three hours after finding out his co-worker and pal on the show Chris Farley had died. He later said he actually had to call Ohlmeyer to ask if he was being replaced, since no one would tell him.

David Letterman would later call Norm Macdonald one of the three funniest comedians he'd ever encountered.

So, Did Norm Macdonald Regret His Time On SNL?

Norm Macdonald’s the guy who can get away with moth jokes and get away with monologues about being fired from SNL after you get fired. He also had no regrets about his time on the show, noting he “was never bitter” about how things ultimately played out.

Saturday Night Live will return on October 2 for Season 47 with Michael Che and Colin Jost in the ‘Weekend Update’ chairs and a slew of planned guests already in the works. If you haven’t picked up the 2002 behemoth Live From New York: An Uncensored History Of Saturday Night Live yet, you can and should do so.

Comedy legend Norm Macdonald passed away on September 14 after a long battle with cancer, just days before the 2021 Emmy Awards. His presence still loomed large in the room thanks to the acceptance speeches of some of the winners, with Saturday Night Live creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels and Last Week Tonight's John Oliver both specifically taking time out to mention Macdonald.

John Oliver was the first of the two to have the chance to honor Norm Macdonald on the Emmy stage after his passing, and he actually was on the stage twice in a row. Last Week Tonight initially won the trophy for Writing For A Variety Series, but Oliver stepped back and let his coworkers do the talking and thanking for that category. When he took the stage again moments later, it was to collect the Emmy for Variety Talk Series, and he seized the chance then to mention Macdonald. Take a look at the full announcement and speech:

John Oliver saved the tribute to Norm Macdonald for the end of the speech to pack a real emotional punch, noting that "nobody was funnier in the last twenty years than Norm Macdonald on late night comedy," so it really was an ideal category for Macdonald to get a mention. He also recommended that viewers follow his example and hit up YouTube to watch clips of Macdonald, because it doesn't get any better than that.

And it's only fitting that it was only minutes later that Saturday Night Live got the spotlight at the Emmys. SNL is how many people have experienced Norm Macdonald's comedy, and certainly his daring Weekend Update segments are a good way to start a YouTube binge-watch of Macdonald highlights. While Macdonald was actually fired from SNL for sticking to his guns about making a certain kind of jokes, his legacy as a Saturday Night Live player isn't fading away anytime soon.

Lorne Michaels took the Emmy stage with some current SNL stars, including nominees Kenan Thompson and Aidy Bryant, and also saved the Norm Macdonald mention for last. Take a look:

It's hard to imagine higher public praise from Lorne Michaels for Norm Macdonald than referring to Macdonald as "one of the best we ever had" after reminding everybody that Weekend Update has been part of SNL for 46 seasons. It was a somber moment, but there was no delay in applause breaking out as soon as Michaels finished his tribute to Macdonald. There were clearly a lot of Norm Macdonald fans in the room at the 2021 Emmys, and it was nice to see that he received the accolades that he so deserved after his passing.

Plenty of other big names in the comedy sphere have also shared their own messages in honor of Norm Macdonald over the days since his death, ranging from movie stars Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen to late night stars like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon. Even Bob Saget recently shared the story behind Macdonald bombing at a Comedy Central roast, and anybody familiar with Macdonald's comedy knows that him bombing is still funnier than just about anybody else. Kudos to John Oliver and Lorne Michaels for using the Emmy stage to honor him once more.

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A good laugh is always needed at a time of great loss and, unfortunately, the world recently lost one of the best in the business of laughter. Canadian actor and comedian Norm Macdonald passed away at the age of 61 on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, after a private nine-year battle with cancer, leaving behind an influential legacy of subversive, deadpan humor that made him a standout in some of the best comedy movies (or the best part of his movies, at least). Following the countless tributes that have poured out from fans and his celebrity peers online, we pay our respects with our favorite Norm Macdonald movies and TV shows with a tip of how fans can watch in his honor, starting with the legendary series that made him a legend.

Saturday Night Live (Peacock)

Some of the most influential, controversial, and unforgettable moments in the history of comedy TV shows came from this long, long-running sketch comedy series from creator Lorne Michaels that jumpstarted many of the greatest careers in entertainment.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: One such person whose career took off during his time as a ‘90s Saturday Night Live cast member (Seasons 19-23) was Norm Macdonald - who might be the best “Weekend Update” host ever, especially for his merciless roasting of O.J. Simpson, which is said to be a reason he was fired, only to see him come back as host a year later where he roasted the decision.

Stream Saturday Night Live on Peacock.

Billy Madison (Amazon Rental)

In order to prove to his wealthy father that he is worthy of inheriting his hotel empire, a drunken, lazy man-child (co-writer and star Adam Sandler) must go back to school and repeat grades 1-12 two weeks at a time.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: In his feature film debut, Norm Macdonald starred alongside his Saturday Night Live co-star Adam Sandler in the 1995 cult favorite comedy Billy Madison, in which he occasionally steals the show as the title character’s equally childish friend, Frank.

Rent/Buy Billy Madison on Amazon.

Funny People (Starz)

A famous comedian turned actor (Adam Sandler) takes a deli employee struggling to make it as a stand-up (Seth Rogen) under his wing and hires him as a personal assistant after learning he has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Norm Macdonald would share the screen with his friend Adam Sandler in several more movies, with 2009’s Funny People - writer and director Judd Apatow’s insightful and emotional meta commentary on the entertainment industry told from the perspective of humorists - being one of the few times he played himself in his brief appearance.

Stream Funny People on Starz.

Rent/Buy Funny People on Amazon.

Dirty Work (HBO Max)

Desperate to keep a job and an even more desperate for money, an aimless, immure man (co-writer and star Norm Macdonald) and his best friend (Artie Lange) come up with an idea to start a business that specializes in the one thing they know best: revenge.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: In his first leading role in a feature film, Norm Macdonald was the key as to why director Bob Saget’s otherwise crass and childish 1998 comedy Dirty Work is remembered today as a charming cult classic that was actually released just a few months after his infamous SNL exit.

Stream Dirty Work on HBO Max. *

Rent/Buy Dirty Work on Amazon.*

Screwed (Amazon Rental)

Sick of his job and desperate for money, a clueless chauffeur (Norm Macdonald) and his best friend (Dave Chappelle) come up with an idea to turn the tables on his horrid employer (Elaine Stritch) by kidnapping her dog, only to see the scheme inevitably blow up in their faces.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Norm Macdonald’s next big leading role was in another crass, childish, but still somewhat charming 2000 comedy about revenge called Screwed, in which he also had the honor of working with fellow stand-up legend Dave Chappelle and award-winning actor Danny DeVito as an eccentric mortician who also gets wrapped up in their dognapping plot gone wrong.

Rent/Buy Screwed on Amazon.

Dr. Dolittle (HBO Max)

An esteemed medical doctor and family man (Eddie Murphy) rediscovers his ability to communicate with animals and becomes their personal physician.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: In the same year that Dirty Work came out, Norm Macdonald (sort of) shared the screen with fellow Saturday Night Live cast legend Eddie Murphy in his fun, modernized reimagining of Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Dolittle stories, in which he hilariously lent his unmistakable voice to Lucky - a stray who eventually becomes the title character’s family dog.

Stream Dr. Dolittle on HBO Max.

Rent/Buy Dr. Dolittle on Amazon.

Mike Tyson Mysteries (Hulu)

With the help of his intelligent adoptive daughter (Rachel Ramras), a foul-mouthed, mean spirited pigeon (Norm Macdonald), and the flamboyant ghost of John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (former Community cast member Jim Rash), retired boxing champion Mike Tyson attempts to investigate very strange phenomena.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Many years after Dr. Dolittle, Norm Macdonald would also lend his voice to the role of the aptly named Pigeon from 2014-2020 on Mike Tyson Mysteries - Adult Swim’s extremely bizarre and surprisingly funny Scooby-Doo send-up that also really stars co-creator Mike Tyson as himself.

Stream Mike Tyson Mysteries on Hulu.

Buy Mike Tyson Mysteries on Amazon.

The Orville (Amazon Purchase)

An aspiring space explorer (Seth MacFarlane) finally achieves his dream of leading an intergalactic expedition on a high-tech ship, only to butt heads with his second-in-command (Adrianne Palicki), who also happens to be his ex-wife.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Many years after casting him as the voice of the Grim Reaper on Family Guy Season 2, star and creator Seth MacFarlane cast Norm Macdonald on The Orville in the recurring voice role of a sentient blob called Yaphit, who would later take human form in Macdonald’s first onscreen appearance on the acclaimed sci-fi comedy series.

Buy The Orville on Amazon.

Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup (Amazon Rental)

The comedian riffs on everything from alcoholism, Tiger Woods, and his all-time favorite topic to poke fun at (O.J. Simpson) in front of a live audience at The Fillmore theater in San Francisco, California.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Directed by former Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm writer David Steinberg, 2011’s Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup is (believe it or not) the comedian’s own first-ever, feature-length stand-up comedy special after decades already in the game.

Rent/Buy Norm Macdonald: Me Doing Standup on Amazon.

Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (Netflix)

The comedian provides more blunt, subversive commentary on topics that range from his experience with psychedelics, how strange an abbreviation “ID” really is when you think about it, and why he is afraid of Germany to a live audience in Boston, Massachusetts.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: Directed by Liz Plonka (known for helming Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale, and other similar programs), 2017’s Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery is the comedian’s first-ever Netflix original stand-up comedy special and one of the first of his many collaborations with the streaming platform.

Stream Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery on Netflix.

Norm Macdonald Has A Show (Netflix)

Accompanied by his co-host Adam Eget (former manager of the Improv comedy club in Tempe, Arizona), the comedian shares jokes, stories, and philosophies with a rotation of diverse guests, including David Letterman, Michael Keaton, and filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: From 2013-2017, Norm Macdonald found success and a new audience with a visual podcast called Norm Macdonald Live, which would later evolve into his own Netflix original talk show aptly titled Norm Macdonald has a Show, which would last one 10-episode season in 2018.

Stream Norm Macdonald Has A Show on Netflix.

Sports Show With Norm Macdonald (Amazon Purchase)

The comedian brings his signature deadpan delivery and unique point of view to his own weekly updates from the world of sports entertainment.

Why it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of Norm Macdonald: One of the first times that Norm Macdonald hosted a non-fiction series was in 2011 on Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, which would last one, 9-episode season on Comedy Central and also featured a young, pre-Saturday Night Live Kyle Mooney as Norm’s fake “Nephew Kyle” on a few episodes.

Buy Sports Show With Norm Macdonald on Amazon.

Whenever this binge is over, if you are still itching for more of Norm Macdonald’s comedic brilliance, I recommend getting lost in the hours of footage from his legendary late night talk show appearances on YouTube. It never fails to put a smile on your face, even if this time you may also shed a tear.

Comedy Central Roasts are known for their raunchiness, where the gutter is the starting point for the A-through-D-list roasters, so when Comedy Central took aim at former Full House dad Bob Saget, the gloves were off. But it was Norm Macdonald’s set that became the most infamous, as he took the stage in front of his longtime friend and told squeaky clean, completely cornball jokes, absolutely bombing in the most hilarious way. In the wake of the beloved comedian's death at age 61 of cancer, Bob Saget shared the heartwarming story behind that particular performance.

Norm Macdonald was just 17 years old when he first met Bob Saget. The two became friends while doing standup and went on to work together on the cult classic Dirty Work in 1998. Saget posted an emotional tribute to his friend, who died September 14 after a long, private battle with cancer. The comedian got choked up as he shared the story behind Macdonald’s hilarious fail at The Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget in 2008, which was so objectively — and intentionally — bad that it’s now remembered as one of the funniest moments of Macdonald’s lauded career. According to Saget:

Norm Macdonald’s jokes that night may have come straight from a book, but it was the deadpan delivery and perfect comedic timing that drove home the hilarity. From making fun of Cloris Leachmann’s car to saying Greg Giraldo was “for the birds,” Macdonald went on for about 20 minutes to a mostly silent room, Bob Saget said in his tribute. Comedy Central cut Macdonald’s set down to around 7 minutes for the telecast, which is all anyone outside of that venue got to see. But Bob Saget loved that on a night that was full of “horrible dick jokes" and "really wrong stuff,” Macdonald “chose the path of dignity.”

In his candid 37-minute tribute to Norm Macdonald, Bob Saget struggled to use the past tense when talking about his friend, chastising himself for slipping back into present tense and not being able to accept reality.

Norm Macdonald’s set on The Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget remains my favorite moment of all of the Comedy Central roasts. Macdonald didn’t go over the top or try to out-raunch the other comedians; he did something unexpected that has aged far better than a lot of those dick jokes have. Hearing Saget give the story behind that night makes it even more special. Our thoughts go out to all who are mourning Norm Macdonald’s passing, and our hopes go to Comedy Central releasing the entire 20-minute set.

The world lost a comedy treasure this week when Norm Macdonald passed away Tuesday at age 61, after having privately battled cancer for the past nine years. And as the fans he’s garnered over the course of his decades-long career in comedy came to terms with the loss, television’s current late-night hosts, like Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert, had a lot to say about Macdonald, who knew a thing or two about hosting, himself.

Norm Macdonald served as the “Weekend Update” anchor on Saturday Night Live for three of his five years on the longtime sketch comedy show. Post-SNL, Macdonald hosted a number of shows, including Sports Show with Norm Macdonald on Comedy Central and Netflix’s Norm Macdonald Has a Show. Comedians who were influenced by Macdonald’s brilliant comedic timing and bitingly smart humor quickly took to social media to honor the legendary comedian. Let’s take a look at how the late-night hosts paid homage.

Jimmy Fallon did an entire Norm Macdonald bit on Tuesday's broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, following the news of Macdonald’s death. Fallon, who like Macdonald hosted “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live, said the late comedian was like family, as he recalled videotaping and memorizing the comedian’s acts from the late 1980s:

Stephen Colbert said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Norm Macdonald took him in during Colbert’s short stint as a guest writer on Saturday Night Live. The host said because of that, he ended up writing for “Weekend Update” for the month he was there:

Seth Meyers was yet another Saturday Night Live alum who anchored “Weekend Update” on SNL post-Norm Macdonald. On Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host echoed the sentiments of many who remembered Macdonald for telling the jokes he wanted to tell, regardless of the audience’s reception:

James Cordon and his crew on The Late Late Show with James Corden shared their memories of having worked with Norm Macdonald over the years. He said:

David Letterman, who hosted the Late Show with David Letterman for over 30 years, weighed in on Twitter about Norm Macdonald’s unique style. And like his counterparts, he had nothing but praise for MacDonald:

Conan O’Brien, another Saturday Night Live alum and former late-night host lamented that he will never laugh as hard again now that Norm Macdonald has passed. O'Briend said:

There’s no denying the impact Norm Macdonald made in the world of comedy over the course of his career, and hearing from those who shared a stage with him or shared some of the same experiences as him on the hosting front proves even further that the world is a little less funny today. Our thoughts at CinemaBlend go out to the family and friends of Norm Macdonald, as well as everyone who is mourning the comedian's death.

Norm Macdonald had a way of half-laughing to himself. It was like a little kid who knew he probably shouldn’t say something but was about to anyway. Sometimes it was because the joke he was about to make was inappropriate or ill-timed. Sometimes it was because he knew the audience wasn’t into the bit he was doing so he was excited to keep going with it. And one time it was because he was delivering a monologue on Saturday Night Live a year after he’d gotten fired and used the opportunity to talk out the ridiculousness of his situation.

That’s the thing about Norm Macdonald. He was never afraid to go there because he was utterly unconcerned with crowd response. In fact, he seemed to get a strange kind of energy and excitement from bad receptions. Check out the audio from his monologue and you’ll see what I mean…

Most comedians chase the high of positive feedback. The better ones are able to alter routines on the fly and lean into what’s playing well with the specific room they’re working. Norm Macdonald was, of course, capable of doing that, but many times he decided not to. Sometimes he chased negative feedback, especially if he thought a joke was good and the audience wasn’t giving it its due. Sometimes he brought up uncomfortable subjects… like say getting fired and wondering why a show that fired you would ask you to return.

In another’s hands, a lot of this would have come off as disingenuous or bitter, but there was something that always felt so genuine about Norm. With his little half-laugh and goofy, overly obvious statements, he was able to do the comedy he wanted without coming across as arrogant. He did things his way. He talked about what he wanted, and that’s likely why he was so beloved among other comedians. It's also probably why he never became a mega-star.

The tributes have been pouring in since Macdonald’s passing was announced earlier today. Many have shared stories and moments of kindness. Many have shared how his work inspired them, and of course, many posts have been accompanied with a favorite bit, joke or observation. For a lot of people, it’s the utterly absurd moth joke. For others it’s his work on Weekend Update or in the Adam Sandler movies or the highly underrated Dirty Work. I love all of it, but for me, when I remember Norm MacDonald, it’s him standing on the Saturday Night Live stage, talking about being fired, plowing forward amidst a nervous crowd reception because he was going to do comedy on his terms. Norm is an absolute legend. He deserves every bit of praise he’s getting today, and he will truly be missed.

The comedy world lost a legend this week with the death of Saturday Night Live star Norm Macdonald, who made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian as well as a TV and movie star. Macdonald passed away on September 14 after a nine-year battle with cancer, at the age of only 61. He cast a long shadow in the entertainment scene, so it's heartwarming but not surprising to see some of the biggest names in comedy sharing messages to honor him in the wake of his passing.

Among the comedians who took to social media with tributes to Norm Macdonald are those he shared the screen with as well as some who just wanted to credit him for inspiring them. And it's no shock that Macdonald was an inspiration within comedy, as he was notoriously unafraid to drop jokes about subjects that were otherwise considered taboo, often on the Weekend Update platform of Saturday Night Live. Adam Sandler, who worked with Macdonald on SNL, wasted no time in taking to Twitter with a message about the late comedian:

Adam Sandler crediting Norm MacDonald with some of "the hardest laughs" of his laugh is a big compliment, as Sandler has of course been incredibly successful in comedy in his own right. Sandler went for an image of MacDonald in his Weekend Update mode for Saturday Night Live as well as a shot of both of them sharing the screen in the fan-favorite comedy Billy Madison.

Seth Rogen also hit Twitter with a post that acknowledged Norm MacDonald as an all-time great in comedy, and credited him with delivering laughs as a talk show guest. MacDonald is most known for his work on stage as well as in a variety of TV shows and movies rather than talk shows, but his guest appearances there evidently affected Rogen. And considering Rogen's success, it's clear that MacDonald's influence was a positive one.

Jon Stewart, best known for his long run as host of The Daily Show, honored Norm Macdonald's ability to make others break their straight faces in a way unlike any other, and I think plenty of Macdonald's fans will second Stewart's sentiment of "Fuck Cancer." Patton Oswalt also took to Twitter with a message that plenty of people will undoubtedly be able to relate to, considering the suddenness of the news of MacDonald's death. Oswalt wrote:

Conan O'Brien, who hosted Norm Macdonald a number of times on his talk show, was another to make note of the late comedian's unique ability to deliver his own brand of comedy. He shared:

Sarah Silverman had a message that not only paid tribute to Norm Macdonald, but also included some advice to others when it comes to his material, much of which is available on YouTube. Silverman said:

Steve Martin had a message that was short, but no less sweet than what others posted in the overall sentiment. If anything, his Twitter post seemingly summed up the emotional responses that many comedians were trying to convey on social media:

Bob Odenkirk, who is arguably best known nowadays for his dramatic work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has his showbiz roots in comedy, and even worked on Saturday Night Live for a time in the late '80s and '90s. He had nothing but good things to say about Norm Macdonald, including a specific compliment for his set during the roast of Bob Saget:

Stand-up comic Tim Dillon expressed his Twitter thoughts on Norm Macdonald that prove that Macdonald was held in very high estimation for some who rank him among the best of the best in comedy history:

Laurie Kilmartin, who is a stand-up comic who formerly wrote for Conan before that series wrapped, had her own sentiments in honor of Norm MacDonald. She even shared a personal story to prove that there were many layers to the late comedian, even beyond his legendary ability to deliver laughs.

Even Mark Hamill, who is a legend himself thanks to both Star Wars and his decades of voice acting work, hit social media to post about Norm Macdonald and admit to something that probably rings true for plenty of people: spending a lot of time watching Macdonald videos on YouTube. Here's how Hamill put it:

And Mark Hamill certainly isn't alone in admitting to sitting down for lengths of time and just watching Norm MacDonald videos, as Edgar Wright hit social media to say something similar while also expressing his sadness:

Norm Macdonald is certainly gone too soon at the age of only 61, but at least it's very clear that his legacy will live on with those who knew him, appreciated his comedy, and will continue to revisit his work even now that he has passed away. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Norm Macdonald.

Comedian and television personality Norm Macdonald, a razor-sharp stand up who reached his widest audience from the Weekend Update desk on Saturday Night Live, died today following a nine-year battle with cancer. Macdonald was 61.

Norm Macdonald was a Canadian comic who had honed a dry and deadpan delivery style for his jokes. He was unafraid to go after any topic, and often put subjects that other comedians were afraid to touch in his crosshairs. Macdonald famously spent months of his stint on the Weekend Update desk of Saturday Night Live ridiculing former NFL legend O.J. Simpson while the athlete was on trial for murder. This despite the fact that NBC’s President of its West Coast Division, Don Ohlmeyer, was close friends with Simpson.

Confirming Norm Macdonald’s death, the comedian's longtime producing partner Lori Jo Hoekstra said to Deadline:

Before joining Saturday Night Live as the host of the segment he lovingly referred to as “the fake news,” Norm Macdonald worked the Canadian comedy club circuit and eventually landed a gig writing for Roseanne Barr’s short-lived sitcom, Roseanne. If and when Macdonald dabbled in film work, it often was to collaborate with his Saturday Night Live friends, from Adam Sandler (Billy Madison, Grown Ups) to Rob Schneider (the two Deuce Bigalow movies). His team up with Artie Lang, 1998’s Dirty Work, became a beloved cult classic over the years.

Norm Macdonald enjoyed other successes in television over the course of his career. He was the lead of the sitcom Norm from 1999-2001. He frequently appeared in The Middle, and lent his voice to The Orville and Mike Tyson Mysteries. But his most popular on-screen character likely will be the exaggerated impersonation of Burt Reynolds, breaking Alex Trebek’s (Will Ferrell) balls on the SNL skit Celebrity Jeopardy. This comedy was vintage Norm Macdonald.

Tributes to Norm Macdonald already are flooding across social media. There’s no question that his comedic timing and unique delivery influenced so many stand-up comedians and actors working in the industry today. Very few would be able to replicate Macdonald’s line of thinking. Like so many that came before him, Macdonald saw the world through a different lens, and his commentary helped him stand apart. We send our thoughts and support to those deeply affected by Macdonald’s loss, and lament the years of humor and insight that would have come from this genius mind, had cancer not taken him from us too soon.

Almost nothing spreads faster on the Internet than rumors of a popular movie possibly getting a sequel. Unfortunately, Dirty Work is not a particularly popular movie; so, it took until this morning for me, Dirty Work’s biggest fan, to find out that apparently director Bob Saget and company have approval from some “big cheeses” to explore making a sequel. They’re not there yet, but forward progress is being made. So, if everyone involved could stop uhhhh lifting weights and start writing the script, that would be great.

The off-handed comment was made this summer during Bob Saget’s appearance on The Bill Bert Podcast with Bill Burr and Bert Kreischer. The two hosts wanted to talk about SNL's Norm Macdonald because he’s a genius and an absolute legend, and the subject of Dirty Work came up. That’s when Saget dropped this little nugget that I just got around to hearing…

When Dirty Work was first released, the initial reception did not go as anyone would have hoped. The movie only made $10M at the box office (off a $13M budget), and it received almost universally negative reviews. In the time since, however, it has built up a small but very loyal cult following that proudly includes both myself and my co-worker here at CinemaBlend Cody Beck. I can’t speak to what anyone else likes about it, but for me, it’s the tone.

Throughout its runtime, Dirty Work has this weird tone that almost undermines the plot of the movie itself. A lot if it is Norm Macdonald refusing to take anything seriously and delivering most of his lines with a smirk, but everyone else involved participates to some extent too. They all follow the beats and move forward the plot, but they don’t let you forget that they’re in a stupid movie with a stupid plot.

Take one scene where Norm and his sidekick Artie Lange, who is great in the movie, get revenge on some bros they hate by telling them fake cops are robbing frat houses. They then call the real cops to report a robbery and direct address them as “real cops.” Or take the homeless characters played by veteran comedy writers Jim Downey and Fred Wolf. The movie repeatedly begins giving them breakthrough moments with sweet music where they philosophize about where they’re at in life, each of which is abruptly ruined by Norm interrupting. It’s like they’re undercutting the emotional beats of their own movie, and for a certain type of viewer (me), it’s hilarious to see.

I have no idea if the Dirty Work sequel will actually happen, but for those of us who love it, it’s really fun to think about. I’d love to see what all the characters are up to. I only wish Chris Farley was still around to bring back his fake nose.

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Everyone has a preferred era of Saturday Night Live, which typically stems from whatever generation the viewer grew up in. For instance, if an SNL fan reached adolescence in the ‘90s, they probably have cherished memories of Adam Sandler, David Spade, or Mike Myers, to name a few, inventing some of the long-running sketch comedy series’ most iconic characters and moments.

Indeed, even after it had aired long enough to dangerously brush against saturation, the ‘90s proved to be kind to Saturday Night Live, and remains one of its more fondly remembered decades for sketches you immediately know by name. From “Schweddy Balls” to Saturday TV Funhouse’s “The Ambiguously Gay Duo,” it was truly a great time to be an SNL fan.

Unfortunately, some of our favorite ‘90s era cast members are no longer with us, such as Chris Farley, Jan Hooks, and Phil Hartman, but those who have survived are still leading career to make their fans, peers, and Lorne Michaels proud. This is what the following eleven ‘90s SNL veterans have been up to since their last Saturday night in Studio 8H.

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler’s winning streak as a writer, actor, and producer since leaving SNL in 1995 is undeniable, despite some bumps (i.e. Pixels, for one). Sandman went from singing about holidays on “Weekend Update” to rapping about his pockets' contents on his Netflix special 100% Fresh, while creating iconic cinematic characters (Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, etc.) in between. Recently, Sandler received Oscar buzz (to no avail, unfortunately) for 2019 thriller Uncut Gems and has a couple of spooky features coming, including creepy Netflix comedy Hubie Halloween and a fourth installment of the animated Hotel Transylvania franchise, for which he is expected to reprise Count Dracula.

Molly Shannon

Following her sketch comedy debut on In Living Color, Molly Shannon became an SNL “superstar” from 1995 to 2001, especially as quirky Catholic school student Mary Katherine Gallagher, who earned her own 1999 movie. The comedian has since stolen scenes on many films and TV series (some that star fellow SNL vets), including Wet Hot American Summer and the Hotel Transylvania franchise, but has also taken a few dramatic turns, such as playing a terminally ill teenager’s mother in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and a co-worker of a mentally disturbed Alison Brie in 2019’s Horse Girl. Shannon will next be seen with SNL alum Vanessa Bayer for her upcoming TV pilot Big Deal.

David Spade

In addition to playing a Total Bastard Airlines steward or Dick Clark’s insufferable receptionist, David Spade’s 1990-1996 SNL stint is probably remembered best for infamous ribbing (to put it lightly) at former cast member Eddie Murphy. Otherwise, co-starring with Chris Farley in Tommy Boy, voicing Kuzco in The Emperor’s New Groove, and even playing the title character of Joe Dirt are just some roles that have kept him a relevant voice in comedy. In addition to leading top-rated Netflix rom-com The Wrong Missy in 2020, taking shots at pop culture is still Spade’s bread and butter, which he still does as host of Comedy Central’s nightly discussion program Lights Out.

Ana Gasteyer

Ana Gasteyer's Martha Stewart impersonation may be the best in the show's history, which is why she has reprised it on SNL outside her 1996-2002 run and, among other sketches, is key to her welcomed presence in the various, eclectic roles she has landed in TV and movies since, from playing a judge on The Good Wife to an alien abductee on TBS' People of Earth. The year 2019 saw Gasteyer disguised as a tree on The Masked Singer, reunite with many other SNL alumni in Netflix's Wine Country, and release a Christmas music album called Sugar & Booze. Her forthcoming projects include satirical rom-com Happiest Season and animated series Magical Girlfriend Friendship Squad.

Chris Rock

Despite lasting just three years, Chris Rock's satirical brilliance on SNL defined him as one of the most (literally) recognizable voices in comedy today, as further evident by his hit semi-autobiographical sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, voicing Marty the Zebra in the Madagascar series, his three feature-length directorial efforts thus far, and much more. However, it seems the stand-up icon is turning over a new leaf lately, playing a 1950s mafia leader in Fargo's fourth season, producing and starring in upcoming Saw reboot Spiral, and appearing in announced sports biopic I Am Maurice. Yet, one who is far from abandoning comedy is Rock, who will be seen in Robert Zemeckis' The Witches remake and was tapped to direct the pilot of Kenan Thompson's upcoming sitcom The Kenan Show.

Julia Sweeney

If you didn't realize Julia Sweeney played Pat on SNL, the 1990-1994 cast member would probably be happy to know that as the ambiguity of her most famous character's gender was the joke. You might more easily recognize the actress and author as a teacher from Stuart Little's orphanage, her 2019 appearance on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or from Sweeney's award-winning 1998 documentary God Said, "Ha!", chronicling her and her brother's struggles with cancer, which her Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino helped produce. Currently, Sweeney can be seen on fellow SNL lady Aidy Bryant's Hulu comedy Shrill and comedian Abby McEnany's Showtime series Work in Progress, which Sweeney also produces.

Mike Myers

Another great post-SNL success story is that of Mike Myers, who popularized "schwing" with "Wayne's World" and its two cinematic spin-offs years before popularizing "swing" with his Austin Powers trilogy, but the success of either is nothing compared to the four Shrek movies in which he voiced the titular ogre. The Vancouver native's film and TV appearances grew increasingly mysterious, from his unrecognizable cameo in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds to hosting the 2017 Gong Show revival under heavy makeup as Tommy Maitland. However, he looks to be returning to more familiar territory by playing multiple characters in a recently announced Netflix series and there has been talk about bringing back Dr. Evil for a spin-off movie.

Dana Carvey

We cannot mention "Wayne's World" without Garth, played by Dana Carvey, who has made a recent return SNL for no other reason than to bask in his flawless skills of impersonation and bring back his most famous characters, especially The Church Lady. Carvey's 1986-1993 run might be the peak of his career, however, considering his following efforts include variety program The Dana Carvey Show, whose abrupt failure was the subject of a 2017 documentary, or the 2002 Razzie-nominee The Master of Disguise. Still, nowadays, every brief moment the comedian is back into the mainstream, such as for his 2016 Netflix stand-up special or voicing a dog in The Secret Life of Pets movies, it is always met with celebration.

Cheri Oteri

If you don't remember Cheri Oteri by name, you might as one-half of an enthusiastic cheerleading duo with Will Ferrell or for her spot-on Barbara Walters impression during her 1995-2000 SNL. Additionally, you might recognize her as Gail Hailstorm in Scary Movie, the voice of Sleeping Beauty in Shrek the Third, or from her 2016 Scream Queens appearance. Among her forthcoming roles from in front of the camera or within the recording studio, Oteri is part of a voice cast including Katherine McNamara and Steve Gutenberg for The Adventures of Bunny Bravo and will share the screen with Jeremy Piven and Taryn Manning in the indie comedy Crabs in a Bucket.

Norm MacDonald

An incomparably dry, shamelessly blunt delivery made Norm MacDonald one of the most brilliantly savage "Weekend Update" anchors in SNL's history. The celebrated comedian got his own self-titled sitcom a year after his firing from the sketch comedy, but it would be the first of several short-lived attempts at his own series, including 2011's non-scripted Sports Show on Comedy Central, which would later pave the way for his popular interview podcast Norm MacDonald Live which was picked up after four years as Netflix series Norm MacDonald Has a Show in 2018, but only lasted one season. His most recent successes have been in voice work, such as a recurring role as a gelatinous alien on The Orville and a starring role as a talking pigeon on Adult Swim's Mike Tyson Mysteries.

Rob Schneider

Norm MacDonald has the struggle to lead a successful TV show in common with fellow '90s-era SNL veteran Rob Schneider, who showed much promise with his impressive variety of characters, most famously the nickname-spewing office employee Richard Laymer. The father of rock star Elle King also proved to be an effective comic relief in 1993's futuristic Sylvester Stallone thriller Demolition Man, but as a leading man, his most notable roles include a desperate male prostitute, a half-man, half-animal, a thief who switches bodies with Rachel McAdams, and himself in two self-titled, short-lived sitcoms. However, it is always a treat to see him show-up for his obligatory cameo in just about all of his buddy Adam Sandler's movies.

What do you think? Do these 12 funny people prove that the ‘90s had the best cast on Saturday Night Live, or are you still faithful to the Not-Ready-for-Primetime Players? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for more updates on your favorite SNL veterans, or alumni of other movies and TV shows and their current whereabouts, here on CinemaBlend.

It's kind of weird to think back to just two years ago, when ABC was riding high on the successful revival of the classic sitcom Roseanne, which dominated in the ratings and earned its share of critical backing. Everything imploded not much later, however, when the already Twitter-controversial Roseanne Barr posted the social media message that got her fired and led to one of that year's biggest TV cancellations. Now, the flagship series' Roseanne-free spinoff The Conners continues reaping smaller-scale rewards, and it sounds like the vocal comedian is not only still angry, but may be seeking financial retribution.

Having largely avoided becoming headline fodder in recently months, Roseanne Barr returned to form as a guest on Norm Macdonald's upstart web show Quarantined with Norm Macdonald. The conversation touched upon a variety of topics, with the subject of self-quarantining coming up several times. Macdonald made the statement that people who have the luxury of being able to stay at home during this time can't make the mistake of dismissing how valuable it is, which is when Roseanne went hard on the notion that she'll soon get litigious on Hollywood. In her words:

The conversation shift seemed to take Norm Macdonald by surprise, as he thought she was talking about having problems with her own personal studio. But no, she confirmed in no certain terms that she was referring to getting fired from the show that shared her first name and serves as her TV legacy. Roseanne only uses the loosest terminology when talking about that situation, throwing it all into the "Hollywood" bucket.

Another good reason to generalize her wording there is to avoid bringing up names in a way that might cause legal blowback while she's still in planning mode. It's not clear if she's actually speaking with lawyers about any of this, or if she's handling the situation on her own for the moment. It will be interesting, to say the least, if she ever does take her former studio bosses to court over Roseanne's cancellation.

Roseanne Barr then brought up the time she sued the National Enquirer under the RICO act, referring to the lawsuit that she and then-husband Tom Arnold brought against the Enquirer and other tabloids for publishing the couple's pre-marriage love letters. The RICO element came in part through accusations that the Enquirer caused celebrities distress by conspiratorially using others to illegally obtain celebs' personal property. Roseanne's translation of those details to Norm Macdonald sounded just a bit more convoluted:

Norm Macdonald has released five episodes so far of the Quarantined side project, though it's not exactly on a strict schedule for future releases, so check back to see when new ones will be added. In the meantime, while waiting to see if Roseanne Barr takes down Hollywood with a perfect lawsuit, head to our Summer TV schedule and our TV finale rundown for an idea of everything that's coming and going.

With 17 seasons on television and well over 300 episodes under its stretched belt, Family Guy has become one of the longest-running sitcoms on TV, animated or otherwise. As a risqué show that thrives on pop culture, over-the-top reoccurring gags and shocking bits of humor, Family Guy tries to find different ways to surprise the viewer. More often than not, one of the most surprising aspects of the extended series is the onslaught of celebrity guest stars and cameos that the producers/show-runners have found during the provocative animated Fox series' long-standing run on network TV.

Whether it's Alex Trebek, Johnny Depp, Bob Barker, Simon Cowell, Liam Neeson, the cast of The Simpsons, Ryan Reynolds, Mike Judge's Hank Hill, Bryan Cranston or any of the other high-profile celebrity voices the producers have found in their recording booth, Family Guy has prided itself on its big-name cameos. Here, we aim to celebrate a mere ten standouts from the incredibly long list of short-form star turns on the Seth MacFarlane-created animated sitcom.

First, though, some clarifications. It would be tempting to include some all-time great supporting appearances from Patrick Stewart, the late Carrie Fisher and, of course, the late Adam West. However, these icons were recurring characters as opposed to guest stars. The same goes for Drew Barrymore in the fabulously ditzy role of Jillian. And Conway Twitty?Alas, that's merely archival footage, and not technically a guest star appearance. It's difficult to call someone a guest when they died before the show itself was hard to say that someone made a guest appearance on a hit show if they died years before the show was even in its earliest development stages. And now, let's kick things off!

Cate Blanchett

When one thinks of two-time Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett, Family Guy likely isn't the first reference. Yet, the widely-acclaimed actress did make a guest star appearance on the show, and it wasn't merely a walk-on (or one-line) gag. The thespian played Penelope, the one-time girlfriend of Stewie Griffin (Seth MacFarlane), in the Season 10 episode entitled "Mr. And Mrs. Stewie." Not only that, but in another Season 10 episode, "Family Guy Viewer Mail No. 2," the Australian actress briefly voiced none other than Queen Elizabeth II.

A number of celebrities often make guest appearances to provide a warped perception of their public persona. But it's still rare to see an actress of this caliber lending her voice to the role of a vengeful, chaos-loving toddler who finds herself in a loving relationship with our similarly twisted kiddo, Stewie. It's not something you'd expect, but knowing that Cate Blanchett had a good enough sense of humor to play this role makes her even more lovable and endearing as a high-caliber actress. And she helps to sell what could've easily been a disposable character arc into something that's consistently funny and more emotionally resonant.

Betty White

Betty White is a treasure. The veteran of the stage and screen has been making people laugh for generations, and we will hopefully enjoy Ms. White's company for years to come, Lord willing. While there are countless places where Betty White has delighted the viewing public-at-large, one of the most noteworthy contemporary sources of laughter came from her memorable turn on Family Guy back in Season 4, where the actress played a version of herself reading Peter's erotic fiction in the episode titled, fittingly enough, "Peterotica."

Betty White made an earlier cameo in the Season 2 episode "If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'," showing up on Hollywood Squares, as well as in Season 3's "Mr. Saturday Knight." But it was White's Season 4 appearance that cemented her status in the show's legacy (and this list). Having the sweet, gingerly voice of Ms. White read the crude erotic fiction of the sexually bogged patriarch is a combination that's both very wrong and very right. The delightful manner in which she delivers her crude dialogue makes it a stitch, especially when Betty White gets to play herself, outside of reading what Peter wrote on the page. Indeed, it would be hard to top this appearance.

Robert Loggia

Many viewers may not have been so familiar with Robert Loggia until Family Guy made its odd-yet-endearing cutaway joke about his name. The premise was that Peter Griffin once found himself behind the veteran actor while trying to board a plane, but he had no qualms about letting the world know that he is, indeed, Robert Loggia. Can you believe it? It's Robert Loggia. Alas, this appearance was not provided by Loggia himself, despite what some might think. Producer John Viener provided the pipes for the Big actor this time around, but the popularity of the joke turned Loggia back into a regular household name of sorts, even for folks who weren't familiar with the character actor's extensive work.

Possibly in a show of respect for getting his name back out there in a major way, Robert Loggia did eventually make an official cameo appearance on Family Guy. This time around, he was able to play himself without anyone else filling in for Season 9's "Brothers & Sisters." While the unexpected live-action appearance was only one line, it was a delightful, welcomed surprise for long-time Family Guy fans to see the late character actor popping up. And that wasn't even the end of Loggia on the show, as he also came back for a more foul-mouthed appearance in season 11's "Call Girl."

Carol Channing

A legend of Broadway and musical theater, Carol Channing remains one of the biggest figures in musical history. Her squeaky voice and radiant smile were easy to parody, too. (I, myself, particularly enjoyed Ryan Stiles' running impersonation on Whose Line Is It Anyway?). It is hard to top the woman herself, though, especially when she's willing to get in on the joke and have a laugh at her own expense, as she did in the early days of Family Guy.

Carol Channing only made one appearance on Family Guy, but it was certainly a memorable one. The actress appeared in Season 4's "Patriot Games," where the Broadway legend squared off against none other than professional boxer Mike Tyson. As you would expect, things don't necessarily go as planned. While Tyson gets more punches in, Channing is a tough cookie. Anyone who excels on Broadway is certainly a fighter. Sure enough, the actress wins out when Tyson forfeits, resulting in Channing becoming the unexpected winner of the fight.

Norm Macdonald

Often among the more under-appreciated stars of the '90s Saturday Night Live crew, one-time "Weekend Update" correspondent Norm Macdonald hasn't earned the same notoriety as Adam Sandler, Chris Farley or Mike Myers, but he's still one of the funniest sumbitches in the comedy business. It only makes sense that he would find himself on Family Guy, though the role the dry and positive-minded actor played was, perhaps, an unexpected one: specifically, Macdonald portrayed Death.

In the Season 2 episode "Death Is A Bitch," Norm Macdonald found himself playing an unusual, if highly amusing, take on the Grim Reaper. As it turns out, the cloaked figure accidentally twisted his ankle when trying to put Peter Griffin in his eternal sleep, and found himself taking a much-needed vacation. Death being waylaid thus made everyone immortal, which obviously became a problem. Sure enough, Peter Griffin unwittingly has to help Death get back on his feet, which is far from an easy task. Death came back for future episodes, but Macdonald was unable to return, and the role was given to Adam Carolla instead. But Macdonald did came back to read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" as himself during an episode in Season 16.

James Woods

While James Woods is a controversial figure in his personal life these days, it's hard to deny how funny he could be during his extended guest star appearances on Family Guy. Similar to Adam West and Patrick Stewart, he has appeared on the show enough times that he verges on becoming a fully supporting cast member on the series. But the creative team has always been pretty good about how the semi-annual James Woods appearances get used. Even more thankfully, James Woods was always willing to dig into every absurd idea thrown his way.

James Woods has been a part of Family Guy lore from the get go. His Quahog roots resulted in the local public school being named James Woods Regional High School. But it wasn't long before James Woods became an actual character in the animated series, starting in Season 4 episode, "Peter Gots Woods." From there, much like Sideshow Bob in The Simpsons, the animated Woods has become more bonkers and absurd with each passing year. But the actor was always able to roll with the punches on Family Guy, which resulted in the writers creating very goofy and often enjoyable bits.

Luke Perry

Tragically and very unfortunately, Luke Perry passed away earlier this year. By many accounts, the former Beverly Hills 90210 actor was a very loving and generous man, and he will be missed by many. His lengthy acting career provided him the opportunity for a memorable performance playing himself in Family Guy for the Season 2 episode "The Story On Page One." In it, the actor came into contact with Quahog after Peter Griffin used Meg's name to publish a high school newspaper article claiming that Luke Perry was a closeted gay man. Soon enough, Perry gave Peter Griffin a visit, and lots of celebrity shenanigans ensued.

As we have mentioned in this list, there have been quite a few celebrities who created laughs at their own expense on the crude animated series. But Luke Perry was able to flesh his Family Guy persona out more than simply a walk-on appearance, making this version of Perry his own in the process. It shows that the actor had a good sense of humor, and that he didn't take himself as seriously as his 90210 character, which only makes his death that much harder to take.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before Robert Downey Jr. became a major blockbuster superstar through his career-revitalizing role in 2008's Iron Man, he was certainly trying for a rebound. He starred in a variety of projects, many of which he probably wouldn't find the time to do today, and one of those projects was Family Guy. Downey Jr.'s guest appearance in Family Guy didn't have him playing himself, however, but instead the role of Patrick Pewterschmidt, Lois' long-lost brother.

As it turns out, the producers didn't have to reach out to Robert Downey Jr. Rather, the future Iron Man actor reached out to them, since his son was a big fan of the show. This led to the creation of the Patrick Pewterschmidt character, a handsome and charismatic sibling to Lois Griffin in the Season 4 episode "The Fat Guy Strangler." As you'd expect from that title, things don't go well between Peter Griffin and his malicious long-lost brother-in-law.

Will Ferrell

In the early days of Family Guy, when the animated show had more of a cult following instead of the adoring fandom that it found after its post-cancellation resurrection on Fox, it was a very big deal to land Will Ferrell for a guest star appearance. The actor was well on the rise in the comedy scene as a scene-stealing wild man on Saturday Night Live, and he was only a few years away from becoming a bigger name via Old School and Anchorman.

Will Ferrell first appeared on Family Guy through some bit roles Season 2, it was his memorable turn in the Season Three episode "Mr. Saturday Knight" that helped to cement the actor's high place in the animated show's annals. In the role of The Black Knight, an imposing medieval figure who gives Peter Griffin a hard time about joining the Medieval fair, Will Ferrell was not his usual warm and cuddly self. Indeed, he was an outright antagonistic figure, and it was an interesting turn for early-ish Farrell.

The Cast Of Star Trek: The Next Generation

Seth MacFarlane has made it no secret that he's a big fan of Star Trek, particularly Star Trek: The Next Generation. His newest show, The Orville, is basically a love letter to the franchise, and shows off his lifelong love of sci-fi. Therefore, he has often squeezed in appearances from the Star Trek cast whenever possible, most notably working with Patrick Stewart on numerous occasions, including a supporting role on American Dad and the short-lived Starz comedy Blunt Talk. But it was when he got to reunite the Next Generation cast on Family Guy that he really lived out his fantasy.

While there are several mentions of Star Trek throughout the show, it was in the Season 7 episode "Not All Dogs Go To Heaven" that brought the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation to animated glory. This was a huge get and a huge honor for the show creator, so he clearly wanted to make the most of this opportunity. Sure enough, it resulted in a humorous and memorable episode, and it wasn't the last time they made memorable guest appearances.

Like we said earlier, these are only a handful of the sensational guest star appearances found on Family Guy, and there are are hundreds more (slightly less great) cameos to be found throughout the extended run of the popular and provocative comedy. We're sure you have your own personal favorites from the hit sitcom. Please let us know your own personal favorites. Hopefully, you'll give your reasons why you think they deserve a place on here more than the ones we listed.

Stay tuned for more of the show, too, as Family Guy Season 17 will debut on Fox on Sunday, September 29, at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Norm Macdonald is only days away from debuting his brand new Netflix talk show, but the buzz he's currently generating has him in some hot water. In a recent interview, Macdonald dropped some controversial comments about the #MeToo movement as well as actors Roseanne Barr and Louis C.K. that resulted in a backlash that got him cancelled from an appearance on The Tonight Show. The big question became how Netflix would react to the controversial comments and whether Norm Macdonald Has a Show would be impacted. Although Netflix hasn't released an official statement just yet, Macdonald shared the streaming giant's response, saying this:

According to Norm Macdonald in comments on The Howard Stern Show, Netflix boss Ted Sarandos didn't tell him how he had to phrase his apology on social media. Rather than choosing how and when Macdonald reached out in the aftermath of his controversial comments, Netflix evidently allowed Macdonald to share his own response in his own words. Given that the uproar was not what the streaming giant probably wanted ahead of Macdonald's show's premiere, the leeway regarding his public statement may surprise some.

On the one hand, a statement clearly written by Norm Macdonald himself could have the sort of genuine phrasing that convinces potential viewers that they should tune in to his new series despite how they do or do not feel about the controversial comments. On the other hand, a statement penned by folks at Netflix would cover all the bases the streaming service would want covered. Netflix ultimately went with allowing Macdonald to go with his own message.

Norm Macdonald addressed the comments that struck many as sympathetic to Roseanne Barr and Louis C.K. despite their very public falls from grace via a Twitter post:

Only time will tell if Norm Macdonald's Twitter apology will win folks on social media over to give his show a shot. The apology itself is diplomatic and not nearly as controversial as his previous comments. That said, more of what he said in his chat with Howard Stern may result in even more backlash. While he asserted his support for the #MeToo movement to Stern, he went on to state that a person would "have to have Down syndrome" not to feel sorry for the victims who have spoken out as part of the movement.

This is hardly the first time Netflix has faced controversy regarding one of its shows. This summer's decision to renew 13 Reasons Why after a deeply divisive second season didn't go over well with everybody, and a huge number of people felt that one of the streaming service's new shows was fat-shaming. Netflix stood by Insatiable, and Netflix may continue to stand by Norm Macdonald Has a Show, which is set to premiere in Netflix's lineup on Friday, September 14 at 12:01 a.m. PT.

Norm Macdonald has worn many hats throughout his career (some literal), and now he's popping on yet another as he becomes the latest celebrity to get a Netflix series. In addition to being a series that all fans of Macdonald's work should appreciate, the title of the series is just A+ material in terms of his humor. Get ready for fun with celebrities and a look at Norm's life, as Norm Macdonald has a Show gears up for a Netflix release.

Fans of Norm Macdonald who enjoy the comic's web series Norm Macdonald Live are in luck as Norm Macdonald has a Show sounds quite similar. The series will feature Macdonald and sidekick Adam Eget interviewing one celebrity guest per episode about jokes, their life, and whatever else pops in Macdonald's head at the time. Additionally, the series will also give viewers a look behind-the-scenes at Macdonald's life, which is bound to have some hilarity in it. Netflix hasn't announced a release date for the series but mentioned the show has been given an order of 10 episodes. Fans might also notice that Norm Macdonald has wiped his YouTube page of all episodes of Norm Macdonald Live which could mean they're making the jump over with the new show, although Netflix gave no indication that episodes from that series would appear on its platform.

Norm Macdonald will executive produce in addition to hosting Norm Macdonald has a Show, and will share showrunner responsibilities with Lori Jo Hoekstra. Hoekstra has collaborated with Macdonald on Norm, Sports Show With Norm Macdonald, Norm Macdonald Live, and various stand-up specials for the comedian so its safe to say he doesn't mind sharing control of the show's direction with her. Another interesting addition to the behind-the-scenes team is David Letterman, who is on the crew as a location scout. Letterman got a shoutout in Macdonald's reveal of the series on Twitter, in a conversation he claimed went down with Netflix top brass Ted Sarandos.

Norm Macdonald had hinted prior to the official announcement of Norm Macdonald has a Show that he'd get a TV talk show a couple sooner rather than later. Macdonald noted in a Reddit AMA that a television deal was the endgame in hosting Norm Macdonald Live, and it looks like Netflix took the bait and is ready to unleash him on its followers worldwide. Whether or not giving Norm Mcdonald worldwide exposure will be a good thing remains to be seen.

Norm Macdonald has a Show is headed to Netflix, but no release date has been given at this time. For some information on television shows that will be making a premiere soon, head on over to our midseason premiere guide. For some more Norm, check out what he had to say about the current state of Saturday Night Live a while back.

Netflix has made a concerted effort to diversify its programming in recent years, and that decision has included exploring talk show formats. One of the most recent prominent examples of this development is David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, and now it looks like Norm Macdonald's recent podcasting exploits could potentially lead to him getting a talk show of his own on the streaming platform. During a recent Reddit AMA session, Macdonald explained:

So if you are a fan of Norm Macdonald Live, then there's quite a bit to get excited about for the comedian's potential future projects. The podcast was a way of proving his ability to host a talk-oriented show, and the success of that endeavor seems to have opened up the possibility fo a full-blown Netflix-based talk show.

Now, before we all get too excited about the potential of a Norm Macdonald-fronted talk show on Netflix, it's worth mentioning that this is all very preliminary stuff that we're discussing. Elsewhere in the comedian's Reddit AMA session, he made a point to note that he is currently only in negotiations for the project. The show could indeed happen, but there are no guarantees at this stage of the game.

The idea of Norm Macdonald hosting a talk show makes quite a bit of sense when we look at some of the highlights of his career. In addition to his resume as an actor and a stand-up comedian, the Saturday Night Live alum also worked the Weekend Update desk for a number of years. Moreover, he has conducted numerous professional interviews over the years, including an instance last year in which he interviewed late night icon, David Letterman.

CinemaBlend will keep you up-to-date with more information related to the possibility of Norm Macdonald getting his talk show on Netflix as new details about the story become available to us. For now, you can take a look at our midseason premiere guide to see what shows are premiering over the next few months, and you can also listen to the most recent episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast to hear what we have to say about the world of streaming content.

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David Letterman was a big name on the small screen for decades thanks to his role as host of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC and Late Show on CBS. He made a name for himself interviewing celebrities, and not always being especially nice to them. Comedian and actor Norm Macdonald appeared relatively frequently on Late Night. Letterman and Macdonald's roles were reversed when Letterman dropped by Norm Macdonald Live to get interviewed by Macdonald. Check the role reversal out!

It looks like Norm Macdonald was set on being the interviewer rather than the interviewee! David Letterman did manage to get a few questions in. Sill, Macdonald remained firmly in the host chair. Without seeing the whole conversation that will presumably air when Norm Macdonald Live returns for Season 3 on July 25, we can't say what led to this particular exchange, but it resulted in Letterman saying some very nice things about Macdonald while also making it clear that he doesn't really want to do another version of Late Night. Letterman even encouraged Macdonald to seize more opportunities because he is one of the most entertaining people in showbiz, which actually echoes Letterman's statement back in March that Macdonald is one of the three funniest comedians today.

Norm Macdonald and David Letterman have shared the small screen with each other a number of times in years passed. Macdonald appeared on Letterman's late night shows no fewer than 12 times. In fact, Macdonald appeared on Late Night way back in 1990 to do standup comedy. The two men have a long history in comedy together, and it's nice to see them together on screen again even after Letterman left the late night sphere.

This wasn't even the first time that Norm Macdonald found himself getting emotional while working with David Letterman. Macdonald was the second guest on Letterman's very last episode of Late Show in 2015. While he delivered most of his standup routine with plenty of laughs, Macdonald got a little choked up by the end after he revealed that he was inspired by Letterman's standup when he was just a 13-year-old boy. Take a look!

You can catch new episodes of Norm Macdonald Live every week on YouTube and Amazon when it returns for a third season on July 25. Take a gander at our summer TV guide and our Netflix premiere schedule to discover your other streaming options, and swing by our breakdown of all the biggest and most exciting reboots and revivals that are currently in the works for the small screen.

After a brief glimpse into the post-retirement life of David Letterman, I'm convinced of two things. First, that dude really knows how to grow a beard that will put Santa Claus to shame. Second, Letterman knows comedy. In an interview that ranged everywhere from retirement to politics, Letterman revealed who he thought were the funniest comedians out there, and it just so happens one is a politician. According to Letterman, the funniest comedians out there are Al Franken, Norm Macdonald, and Jim Downey.

The selection of names, judging from the interview, appear to be at least somewhat politically based. Al Franken, of course, represents the Democratic party as a Senator in Minnesota, and Letterman mentioned in his interview to Vulture that the two had spoken about Texas senator Ted Cruz prior to the election. As for Jim Downey, one of his biggest claims to fame as an SNL writer was coming up with the "strategery" bit made iconic by Will Ferrell during the presidency of George W. Bush. Downey would also write for David Letterman for two years in the 80s as well, so they have a personal connection. The only real exception to this is Norm Macdonald, who is self-described "apolitical," so how does he fit into all this?

While politics may not play into David Letterman's love of Norm MacDonald, mutual respect does. It's no secret that Letterman has had a love for the comedian, and often had him on the show because he could legitimately make him laugh, which I'm sure Norm appreciated. In fact, Norm has credited Letterman to his love of stand-up. In his final appearance on Letterman, MacDonald recalled a joke he first heard Letterman tell when he was 13 and how it inspired his current career path. Check out the clip and a choked up Norm around 6:40 in the video below:

These three also share another connection, which could be random, but a connection nonetheless. All three of the men mentioned have, at one point, worked on Saturday Night Live. Al Franken was on the show for 15 years spaced between two stints in the 70s to the late 80s and mid 90s. Norm Macdonald was on the show for five years and shared one of his years alongside Al Franken's second run on the sketch series. Jim Downey wrote for the series when both Franken and Macdonald were a part of it and beyond. It would appear that David Letterman may love humor that gears itself to SNL, or at least loves the comedians and writers on it. I wonder what he thinks of the current series?

It's clear David Letterman a unique guy. I think you could ask 1,000 people their top three favorite comedians and no one would replicate this list. That's what made Letterman a household name for 33 years of television, and possibly how his beard is so damn terrific. David Letterman is out of the TV business, but that doesn't mean you have to stop watching! Jump on over to our midseason premiere guide and find something to fill the void his presence left behind.

A veteran of Saturday Night Live that has never been shy or quiet or unfunny in front of an audience, Norm Macdonald has been a wealth of info about the long-running sketch series over the years. Just recently he dropped an info-bomb that was shared with him by the late Chris Farley upon the two meeting for the first time. If you don't mind everything you knew about early 1990s SNL going up in flames, read on.

Somebody call the spoiler police, because Norm Macdonald needs to be locked up for that one, and maybe Chris Farley should have something posthumously applied to his permanent record. Well, not exactly.

Fans will recall Pat O'Neill Riley, the office worker whose androgynous appearance was the entire crux of every sketch the character appeared in, as well as It's Pat: The Movie. Played by actress Julia Sweeney, Pat showed up on Saturday Night Live between 1990 and 1994 , the year the film was made, and not once during that point nor any other has there been an official stance on whether Pat was a man or a woman. And Chris Farley telling Norm Macdonald is hardly unbreakable proof, but it's something.

Norm Macdonald told this story on Thursday night's episode of Conan for an interview segment that also included Adam Sandler, Tim Meadows, David Spade and more. And Chris Farley apparently shared this secret with him as the cast was watching Conan O'Brien's first night as the host of Late Night on NBC, which is a nice touch. And for what it's worth, Conan and everyone else on stage laughed quite loudly when Macdonald was finished, which usually happens after the comedian's stories, but here there was the addition of "this might all just be a bunch of bullshit."

When you have a bunch of comedians on a stage, it's always going to be hard to tell when someone's words are genuine in spirit, and Macdonald has built up a career on stretching the line between serious and sarcastic. As such, that can be used as a reasonable defense for anyone out there who wants to cling to the idea that Pat could possibly still be a man or someone genderless entirely. After all, it's Pat!

Coming off of a highly rated post-election episode with Dave Chappelle as the host, SNL airs every Saturday night on NBC. Check out our updated list of hosts while you wait.

Making movies is a serious business, most of the time. Apparently, the filming of Billy Madison was just about as ridiculous as the events that made the film, because Norm MacDonald couldn't be bothered to remain conscious during filming. In a recent interview, that brought together several classic Saturday Night Live cast members, Adam Sandler told a story about the fist time he and MacDonald shot a scene together.

Except it's possible he wasn't just sleeping. When Conan O'Brien asked Norm MacDonald about the incident the comedian responded that his character was supposed to be a drunk, so he asked the production team for booze. It would appear that they were provided. As Yahoo points out, this is what you call "method acting."

Did we really expect anything less from these folks? Billy Madison was one of a line of films, mostly starring Adam Sandler, that also co-starred numerous members of the Saturday Night Live cast, they were all utterly ridiculous, though there were some undeniable laughs, but you sort of got the impression hat making those films was something more on par with an old fraternity getting back together than it was a bunch of grown ups doing a job. Norm MacDonald's entire role in the film is pretty much to just sit by the pool and be drunk. He doesn't impact the story in any necessary way. Would it really be that shocking if he viewed the entire thing as a vacation and just drank a lot? He was probably getting paid pretty well for his handful of scenes. Sounds like a party to me.

Billy Madison has probably survived the test of time a bit better than other Adam Sandler films. While it's difficult to call it a "good" movie in the traditional sense. It's the sort of thing that you can throw on the TV and certainly find laughs in. Which is your go to Adam Sandler movie? Let us know in the comments below.

While Stephen Colbert has been a huge TV personality for the last several years thanks to his work on Comedy Central and now The Late Show on CBS, it's a slightly lesser known fact that he was also a guest writer on Saturday Night Live back in the day, notably doing voice work for "The Ambiguously Gay Duo" sketches. Recently, actor and former SNL intern Wyatt Cenac joined Stephen Colbert on The Late Show and the two reminisced about the time Stephen Colbert was forced to break up a fight between Cenac and Norm MacDonald.

Apparently, back in the day, Stephen Colbert and Wyatt Cenac used to hang out on the set of SNL after hours, mostly because it was cool to simply be on the set of the iconic late night show. During some of these late night sessions, pick-up soccer games would sometimes commence in the hallway, and during one particularly heated session, Cenac and Norm MacDonald got into a fight. Here's what Stephen Colbert had to say:

Wyatt Cenac also contributes to this story, adding details about his memory of the hallway fight, noting that he was 19 and an intern, and definitely "didn't understand stations of power." Norm was also having a bad night because he had just quit smoking. Cenac accidentally clipped Norm in the soccer game and set him off, and the two ended up in a shoving match in the hallway. It was up to Stephen Colbert, and Colin Quinn---who was also in on the soccer game---to pull them apart.

You can take a look at the full story, below.

Hilariously, Stephen Colbert and Wyatt Cenac met again years later, and Colbert told him the story of the hallway soccer fight without realizing that Wyatt Cenac was the young intern who was actually involved. The two officially re-met while doing some work on The Daily Show, and now both have successful individual careers. Stephen Colbert's the face of CBS' late night, and Wyatt Cenac is set to head up the new comedy People of Earth, which hits TBS' schedule on Monday, October 31 at 9 p.m. ET. You can check out other premiere dates with our fall TV premiere schedule.

Burt Reynolds has cultivated the image of being a man's man, with a film career so diverse and bad-assed that even animated super spies look up to him as a symbol of virility and action. Part of the reason he's so revered as a legend is because of his commitment to his craft, which sometimes included doing his own stunts. Nowhere was this clearer than in his performance in the thriller Deliverance, and Reynolds' biggest impersonator, Norm MacDonald, recounted an interesting story that involved a waterfall, some rough rapids, and total nudity.

Burt Reynolds apparently used to do his own stunts, and a scene calling for a ride over a waterfall in Deliverance put him at odds with director John Frankenheimer. The argument for Reynolds to do the stunt was recounted by MacDonald during his interview on The Howard Stern Show, and the basic gist involves Reynolds' ego not allowing a stuntman or a dummy to take his place on the 25 ft. plunge. The back and forth between director and actor was recounted as follows:

With an actual waterfall in play, and the young Burt Reynolds still in the thick of his career, you can pretty much feel how nervous John Frankenheimer was to use one of Hollywood's bigger stars in such a harrowing stunt. If anything had gone wrong, Reynolds could have left behind a production without a leading man, as well as a grieving compliment of family and friends. Yet while using a stunt dummy is the more practical way to get things done, it didn't sound like it'd look like the real thing to the Smokey and The Bandit actor.

Of course, knowing the type of man Burt Reynolds was in the 1970's, he wasn't going to let the director win out on the fight. Sure enough, Reynolds went to bat for his right to get into a canoe, and ride it out down the waterfall scene you see in the film today. Unfortunately for him, that hubris cost him a trip to the emergency room, as after executing the stunt in question, Reynolds was a little more worse for the wear. Norm MacDonald continued with the story about the infamous stunt, as he recounted Burt Reynolds' retelling of the aftermath thusly:

Needless to say, Burt Reynolds emerged with some injuries, but nothing some rest and recuperation couldn't handle. While the shot really didn't benefit from his death defying stunt work, Reynolds did walk away with one more story to tell people as a charming example of his nerves of steel. Which, by proxy, gives Norm MacDonald further grist to fuel his mill of Burt Reynolds impressions, which lead to interviews like the one we've just discussed.

If you're interested in more Burt Reynolds' history, told by the man himself, then you can pick up a copy of his autobiography, But Enough About Me, which is currently available.

One of the most consistently hilarious running sketches in SNL history has to be Celebrity Jeopardy. The bits would pit Will Ferrell's Alex Trebek against panels of infuriatingly clueless celebrities. Darrell Hammond's bizarrely belligerent Sean Connery was worth a laugh every time, and Norm Macdonald was always fabulous as 1970s Burt Reynolds. Macdonald - who also wrote the sketches - has now come out and revealed just how SNL's version of Celebrity Jeopardy was born.

As it turns out, we have Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and young Norm Macdonald's love of Canadian sketch comedy to thank for SNL's Celebrity Jeopardy. It's a testament to Macdonald's integrity as a writer that he wanted to reach out to theSCTV comedy icons that inspired him to write Celebrity Jeopardy, and we should all count ourselves lucky that Short and Levy were so accommodating. Faux Sean Connery is as quotable in 2016 as he was back in the late 1990s.

Of course, anybody who has actually seen one of the SCTV sketches will know that Norm Macdonald didn't change much about Eugene Levy's original premise from the Half-Wits bit. All he really did for SNL was add the name Celebrity Jeopardy and make actual famous folks the frustrating contestants. Check out one of the Half-Wits sketches from SCTV to compare.

Norm Macdonald went on in his chat on The Howard Stern Show to admit that he was partially motivated to go to the lengths that he did for Celebrity Jeopardy just because he wanted to play 1970s Burt Reynolds. The character of Burt was always one of the most irritating for poor Alex. Burt may not have buzzed in every question to make sexual remarks about Alex's mother a la Sean Connery, but changing his podium name to Turd Ferguson and bringing out a giant foam sombrero definitely did not endear him to the host. Only Sean Connery could fluster Alex more than Burt Reynolds.

Unfortunately, Norm Macdonald has moved on from Saturday Night Live, as have Will Ferrell and Darrell Hammond. Short of another big episode bringing SNL alums back for another round, we probably won't get any more Celebrity Jeopardy sketches, as it's hard to imagine that SNL would dare try to recreate Celebrity Jeopardy with different actors playing the lead parts. Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you can catch on the small screen in the near future.

Watch the full Celebrity Jeopardy sketch from SNL's 40th Anniversary episode next...

Catch one of the classic Celebrity Jeopardy sketches next...

Earlier this year, the world was re-introduced to one of the most iconic brand identities in history, as Colonel Sanders stepped out of his white stretch limo and popped back onto our TVs to tell us just how great KFC chicken still is. And when he did, it was Saturday Night Live veteran Darrell Hammond inside the signature white suit. But now, just three months later, Hammond has been replaced by another comedian and SNL star: Norm Macdonald. What the what?

Macdonald is the second actor to bring the “real” Colonel Sanders back into our lives for a new run of ads promoting the restaurant’s $5 Fill Up and $20 Family Fill Up meals. It isn’t exactly clear through KFC’s press release why Hammond is no longer rocking the white locks and facial hair, and we’re not quite sure if there was a problem involved or if this was the marketing strategy all along. It seems to be the latter case, as Macdonald’s first ads are a silly form of smear campaign where he calls out Hammond’s earlier Colonel for being an imposter. It’s odd, to say the least.

Check out one of those ads below.

Tying into the strangeness of everything is the statement from KFC’s chief marketing officer Kevin Hochman.

You’re never going to find me saying that Norm Macdonald isn’t great n whatever gig he gets, so I’m perfectly happy to hear his unmistakable voice coming out of the Colonel’s face, even though the actor isn’t exactly someone who has embraced corporate America in the past. It’s all part of KFC’s “Make the Colonel Proud” campaign, which is a multi-year effort and could possibly take the commercials in new directions in the future. But will Macdonald be the one with the ribbon around his neck, or will the company continue to bring in former Saturday Night Live stars every so often? This seems like a gig that Dana Carvey and Chris Parnell would be all over, and my fingers are crossed that Dennis Miller or Al Franken gets the offer.

Check out another one of the new ads below.

We’re still not sure whether to give KFC a thumbs up here, or if we should be throwing gravy at them. Either way, it’s always good to see Norm Macdonald on TV.

The past couple of weeks have been pretty amazing for fans of The Late Show with David Letterman, as his impending retirement has offered all of his final guests the chance to pay tribute to the late night stalwart in ways that are both touching – such as Ray Romano’s photo session – and hilarious – such as Adam Sandler’s goodbye song. And now we know for sure what celebrities will be appearing on Letterman’s final episodes, and it includes the man who served as Letterman’s very first guest: Bill Murray.

But before that…

Tonight, Oprah Winfrey will make her third in-person guest appearance on Late Show, following spots in 2005 and 2013. (She also took part in a phone call for an episode in 2014.) Winfrey was also on Letterman’s previous NBC show Late Night. The second guest for this episode will be Saturday Night Live vet Norm MacDonald, who will make his twelfth appearance on Late Show, having last been seen in March. I can’t wait to see how these two choose to honor the host.

On Monday, May 18, Tom Hanks will stop by Late Show with David Letterman for a whopping 27th guest appearance, to go with his four spots on Late Night. These guys should have teamed up for a talk show years ago. The musical guest that night will be Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, who has performed on the show five times previously. Fingers crossed he plays a version of “Better Man” that takes shots at Jay Leno.

For the penultimate episode on Tuesday, Bill Murray will indeed return to Late Show for the 22nd time, bringing the show full circle, as he was the first guest when Letterman made his CBS debut back in 1993. He was also on Late Night nearly a dozen times, making him one of Letterman’s most frequent guests. And making a rare appearance on the late-night scene will be the legendary Bob Dylan for his second Late Show performance. He was also a part of Letterman’s first Late Show season.

Oddly, no guests have been announced for Letterman’s final episode on Wednesday, May 20. Should we expect to see the revered host taking an hour to personally reflect on his 33-year late night career, the same way Johnny Carson did when he left The Tonight Show? Or should we expect a smorgasbord of people stopping by to surprise Letterman during his farewell?

Don’t expect to see a new episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that night, as the host has already stated he would be airing a repeat to honor Letterman’s last show. Fellow late night host Conan O’Brien said on Charlie Rose that he doesn’t expect anyone to watch Conan that night, so he might just show up naked. Will you guys be watching the final Late Show with David Letterman?

Following NBC’s epic SNL 40 special, some stories emerged from behind-the-scenes on the set. One of these stories came from former “Weekend Update” host Norm MacDonald, and discussed how Eddie Murphy was initially going to be a part of the “Celebrity Jeopardy” sketch, but backed out as he was uncomfortable with doing a Bill Cosby impression. The story went viral, but not everyone involved with SNL 40 feels that Norm MacDonald should have told the story. Here’s how other former “Weekend Update” anchor Seth Meyers put it in a recent interview.

Meyers recently popped up on Howard Stern to talk about his late night show, SNL 40 and much, much more. While on the show Stern asked how Meyers felt about Norm’s big reveal. Here’s how Meyers answered.

Norm did reveal the Eddie Murphy backstage story in a pretty weird manner. He took to Twitter to share the lengthy story with the world, giving the fine folks on social media intimate details about what exactly happened backstage at SNL 40, including how Murphy was pitched the “Celebrity Jeopardy” idea and then waffled on it closer to show time (Kenan Thompson filled in for the comedian). His closing tweet mentioned that Eddie Murphy could really have been the perfect Bill Cosby, adding a poignant note to an otherwise juicy behind-the-scene tale.

It’s not like the Eddie Murphy story was the only tale running around the internet after SNL 40 aired. Jimmy Fallon notably talked about a ton of experiences on the set, and Meyers himself has openly talked about turning his studio into a party room during the special (he also briefly mentions Eddie Murphy showed up early to rehearse in the Howard Stern interview). However, the Eddie Murphy story was a different case for a couple of reasons. On the positive side, Norm MacDonald’s big reveal explains what Murphy initially had in the works and why we ended up getting a pretty somber and deflated performance on the stage during the actual special while other SNL veterans were busy singing love themes to Jaws and other silly shenanigans.

On the other hand, the story also caused a media sensation, resulting in Eddie Murphy getting connected to the negative press surrounding the Bill Cosby rape allegations. In fact, Bill Cosby even made a statement thanking Murphy for not getting involved in the sketch, which is probably what Murphy was hoping to avoid by not signing on for the impression. Whether or not Norm should have told the story, it’s already out there, but it’s interesting to think about the multiple viewpoints related to telling the story versus keeping it under wraps.

Saturday Night Live drew a lot of laughs and viewers for SNL 40 last weekend, and the Internet had much to discuss. Part of the conversation was about Eddie Murphy’s return for the first time in over 30 years, and the lack of pizazz exhibited by the energetic entertainer. Fellow guest and SNL alum Norm Macdonald revealed that he attempted to get Murphy involved in the Celebrity Jeopardy sketch for the Bill Cosby gag, but it just didn’t come together.

Macdonald told an epic 2-hour-long Twitter story, complete with tangents, that started out explaining the origins and thought process behind he and Steve Higgins writing Celebrity Jeopardy, and then shifted to an ode to Eddie Murphy and the attempt made to get him to use the game show sketch as his point of return. For all intents and purposes, it would have been the same Video Daily Double concept that was done during the show, just with Eddie Murphy in the sweater rather than Kenan Thompson. Of course, that changes the entire dynamic of the bit. I mean, this was funny, but…

It wouldn’t be as immediately obvious that Murphy was doing Cosby, assuming the sweater wasn’t extravagant, and he would take his time mixing a drink as the audience is assumedly still cheering his presence. And then…

That would have been an extremely surreal moment in TV history, rather than just a normal SNL impression. Macdonald said Murphy was contacted while with director Brett Ratner, and wasn’t comfortable with it but thought it might be fine since it would be an impression predating all of the rape allegations. But there was still work to be done.

After talking with Lorne Michael, who told him just to ask Murphy in person, Macdonald finally sat with Murphy in his dressing room “a good hour.” After the talk was done, Macdonald was convinced Murphy will do the bit, but obviously it didn’t happen at all. Macdonald wasn’t upset, though, and understands that even though Murphy was aware of how huge a moment it would be, it wasn’t his moment to make.

In the end, it isn’t as if some big part of our lives is worse for only seeing Eddie Murphy standing rather calmly on stage for a couple of minutes rather than getting into sketch mode. But Macdonald’s story-weaving makes it seem like pop culture missed out on the alternative.

There are a lot of recurring sketches people remember fondly from the mid to late 90s and early 00s. To be honest, some of them were done to death to please the fans, but one sketch that never wore out its welcome is Celebrity Jeopardy. The hilarious take on the popular game show featuring an annoyed and frustrated Alex Trebek has made it to air fifteen times, the most recent of which went down last night on SNL 40. Watch its greatness below…

It works just as well as it did the first time it aired all the way back in 1996. Even better, it’s nice to see a great combination of both the classic characters we’ve come to love watching on the sketches (Sean Connery and Burt Reynolds) and new celebrities that are worthy additions (Tony Bennett, Matthew McConaughey, Justin Bieber and Christoph Waltz). All of them are able to piss off and frustrate Alex Trebek in their own way and God bless them for it. His frazzled expression is the world’s gain.

A special shout-out also needs to go to Norm MacDonald and Darrell Hammond. Some of the performers on last night’s Saturday Night Live 40 clearly seemed a little past their prime. No complaints. It was great seeing them, but it didn’t seem like they could still be cast members today. Not Norm and Darrell. They were comfortable and seemed like they could have appeared in 5 sketches over the course of the evening without missing a beat.

No doubt the takeaway most will have from the new Celebrity Jeopardy is “Whore Ads”, which is among the better Sean Connery misreads in the history of the sketch. Beyond that, serious props need to go out to guests Jim Carrey and Alec Baldwin who both crushed their impressions of McConaughey and Bennett, respectfully. Watching the confused Bennett try to remember Tom Sawyer’s black friend whose name starts with an “n” got one of the night’s biggest laughs.

Fortunately for all of us, Will Ferrell is still cranking out hilarious movies with high box office takes; so, there’s an extremely good chance we’ll see him host Saturday Night Live again at some point in the future. If we’re lucky, Norm and Darrell will show up too.

During its almost four decade history, Saturday Night Live has featured more than one hundred cast members. Some have been stars, some have been bit players and more than a dozen have been both. More often than not, new hires begin at the bottom of the barrel. They fight for screen time, play thankless, laughless roles for bigger names, and if all goes well, begin slowly generating more screen time and more sketches specifically designed to showcase their talent.

It’s a slow evolution, and it’s the reason why SNL works. For the show to change, it must have new voices. For new voices to get noticed, old voices either need to be fired or willingly depart. Often, these exits are extremely sad. They make us wonder how the show could possibly go on without such an integral face, but it always does. SNL is constantly changing, even if slowly, and for as long as it’s on the air, it will continue changing, making new stars and replacing the old ones.

Both Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig have announced they will not return to Saturday Night Live. Common sense would tell us that’s a bad thing, but the history of the show tells us it will not be. It tells us we’re about to start appreciating a few people a whole lot more and about to start experiencing a whole new brand of comedy.

What follows is a list of the 10 most important Saturday Night Live cast departures. At the time, we were sad to see each go, but their exits were ultimately what gave rise to new favorites.

10) Kristen Wiig/ Andy Samberg (2005-2012)

Why They Were Important: More than any other cast member, Andy Samberg pushed SNL into the new media age. His Digital Shorts became hugely popular and raced around the Internet the day after. They appealed to a younger, very wide-ranging audience and brought plenty of eyeballs that likely wouldn’t have seen the show. Kristen Wiig, on the other hand, eventually became a sort of jack-of-all-trades for the show. Over the years, she appeared in more and more sketches, ultimately becoming SNL’s biggest contributor during her last few seasons.

What Happened After: We’ll find out.

9) Phil Hartman (1986-1994)

Why He Was Important: Nicknamed “The Glue”, few SNL performers have ever carried as big of a load as Phil Hartman. For years, he appeared in a majority of sketches, some which he carried and some which he did his best in supporting roles. His impression of sitting US President Bill Clinton was spot on, and many of his characters such as Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer remain beloved.

What Happened After: Darrell Hammond picked up Phil Hartman’s impression where he left off, and a grouping of cast members shouldered the sketch-to-sketch load. Within a few years, Will Ferrell was established as the show’s biggest star, and that freedom was directly related to Hartman’s absence. Sadly, the comedian was murdered by his wife in 1998, a strange end for a man who, by all accounts, was one of the more easy-going and professional ever to work on SNL.

8) Norm Macdonald (1993-1998)

Why He Was Important: Norm took over the Weekend Update chair from Kevin Nealon, and his tenure was marked by a far more aggressive and cynical tone than most of his predecessors. He repeatedly took aim at Michael Jackson for being a pedophile and bashed OJ Simpson every chance he got. Many observers, including Chevy Chase, have called his time in the chair among the funniest and well-written of all the Weekend Update stints, but many viewers found him overly hostile and mean-spirited including NBC Executive Don Ohlmeyer who demanded he be fired. He eventually got his wish.

What Happened After: For the first time, many viewers realized Saturday Night Live was no longer above censorship. For years, the show attempted to get away with as much as possible and generally operated at least somewhat apart from network standards. Norm’s firing made it clear money is sometimes more important than comedy. Colin Quinn took over Update, and Norm was later welcomed back to do his spot-on Burt Reynolds impression.

7) Will Ferrell (1995-2002)

Why He Was Important: Few cast members have ever made as big of an impact on the show their first few years as Will. A good portion of the cast departed immediately prior to his arrival. Without any large influences, other than David Spade who had a dramatically reduced role, Ferrell was able to quickly take the helm and become a fan favorite. By the time he departed in 2002, he was the highest paid cast member of all-time, and his impressions of George W. Bush, Robert Goulet and Harry Carey were among SNL’s most beloved.

What Happened After: Ferrell was gone for a portion of his final season in order to film Old School, and his absence helped ease the transition to a new generation of cast members just coming into their own. Fred Armisen and Will Forte both made their first appearances the following year, and Amy Poehler began turning into a star. The rest of the cast members benefitted from the increased screentime. Ferrell, of course, went on to huge success in Hollywood and has returned several times to make appearances/ host.

6) Christopher Guest/ Billy Crystal/ Martin Short (1984-1985)

Why They Were Important: Harry Shearer should probably be included in this list too, but since he left midseason, we’ll go ahead and leave him out. 1984 was an exceptionally important year for SNL. Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscapo had just left, and no one was quite sure if the show could last without either. Headman Dick Ebersol decided to revamp the cast, and to do so, he brought in seasoned performers Guest, Crystal, Short and Shearer and paired them alongside a few holdovers like Jim Belushi and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The season produced a few of the all-time memorable characters such as Crystal’s Fernando Lamas and Ed Grimley (who was borrowed from Short’s SCTV days) and was pretty well received by fans.

What Happened After: Guest and Short both decided the schedule was too much of a burden to continue. Unsure of what to do, Ebersol toyed with showing more taped material or even switching to a permanent rotation of hosts. Ultimately, the network decided to hire back Lorne Michaels, and he completely revamped the entire cast. The following year was largely a disaster save Jon Lovitz and Dennis Miller, but the show eventually found its legs again. Guest, Crystal and Short all became even more famous. How much their one-year stints on SNL played a role can’t possibly be known since each had found some success prior.

5) Tina Fey (1997-2006)

Why She Was Important: Tina Fey was hired as a writer in 1997. By 2000, she was the show’s first female head writer and was hosting Weekend Update alongside Jimmy Fallon. The two had an instant chemistry, and years later, Amy Poehler took over Jimmy’s chair without any issues. Her wordy writing style and clever wit affected the show’s overall tone in a very positive way, and her time in charge was looked upon very favorably by critics.

What Happened After: Seth Meyers took over for Tina Fey both as head writer and Weekend Update host. Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig were all promoted to full cast members, and the show actually improved its ratings. Fey later made regular guest appearances as Sarah Palin, and she went on to create the award-winning 30 Rock. Because she never appeared in an overwhelming majority of sketches, the show didn’t hire any new performers, and the transition was relatively smooth.

4) Dan Aykroyd/ John Belushi (1975-1979)

Why They Were Important: Few cast members have ever been more important to the show than John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. Belushi was like an animal during sketches, doing whatever it took to get a laugh. His impression of Joe Cocker became so incredibly popular he was asked to perform it at Paul McCartney’s house. Aykroyd was a supremely skilled writer and incredibly diverse performer. Following Chevy Chase’s exit, they appeared in a bulk of sketches and were widely regarded as breakout stars.

What Happened After: Lorne Michaels promoted most of the writing staff to fulltime cast members, and nearly everyone involved got burned out, both from doing it for five seasons and from trying to replace Belushi and Aykroyd. Longtime writer and current US Senator Al Franken was originally pitched as the future producer and showrunner, but he blew his opportunity by tearing network head Fred Silverman to shreds during one of the greatest and most mean-spirited Weekend Update sketches of all-time. Eventually, everyone quit, and NBC continued on with totally new personnel.

3) Chris Farley (1990-1995)/ Adam Sandler (1991-1995)

Why They Were Important: Saturday Night Live has always been filled with its share of sophomoric comedians and sophomoric sketches. At the show’s best however, it combines the goofy with the pointed social commentaries to offer a product that balances dick jokes and Senate hearings. Chris Farley and Adam Sandler were both all-stars at finding comedy in sweatshirts and fat strippers, but neither was particularly highbrow. As their fame rose in the mid-90s, their voice began to overpower the show a bit, pushing it too far toward the dick-joke direction. Critics complained, viewership decreased, and the show was on the verge of cancellation.

What Happened After: Both Farley and Sandler were fired in 1995. The former tragically died a few years after starring in a few movies, and the latter became one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Only five cast members returned the following season, and both Will Ferrell and Darrell Hammond emerged as wonderful replacements. The humor began skewing a bit more toward the political, and the vibe became far more grown up. Farley and Sandler’s so-stupid-it’s-funny moments were definitely missed, but their shadow no longer was seen in most sketches.

2) Eddie Murphy (1980-1984)

Why He Was Important: Eddie Murphy was a star from the moment he was hired on Saturday Night Live. He was brash. He was arrogant, and he was hilarious. By the time he left the show, he was on his way to being a movie star. Along with Joe Piscopo, he was the only cast member to survive the disastrous first season without Lorne Michaels, and he later became the only one to ever host an episode while regularly performing on the show. By the end of his run, he was such a big draw, Dick Ebersol overtly stated it was the job of the writers to showcase his talents.

What Happened After: Murphy left midway through the ’83-84 season, leaving doubts as to whether the show could possibly continue. Ultimately, Ebersol decided to hire ringers like Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Martin Short, which reinvigorated the slumping brand for one season. The humor became perhaps a bit less edgy, but it still worked and drew a large audience. Murphy improved on his already A-list status almost immediately and churned out box office hits for years.

1) Chevy Chase (1975-1976)

Why He Was Important: SNL was a media sensation by the end of its first season. It had incredible buzz and even better credibility. As host of Weekend Update, Chevy Chase became the program’s biggest star. He also wrote many sketches for both himself and other cast members and attracted the majority of attention. With the show in its infancy, some observers briefly assumed it would morph into (basically) the Chevy Chase Show, but with a one-year contract and plenty of movie offers, he decided to bail a few episodes into the second season.

What Happened After: For the first time in Saturday Night Live’s history, it picked up the pieces and moved on. Bill Murray was hired as a replacement, and after some initial hostility from fans, he too became a huge star. Belushi and Aykroyd took on larger roles, and the women began to break out in big ways. Within a few episodes, SNL was just as good as ever, and the formula for future success was written. With departure comes opportunity, and by God, the other cast members took it.

Norm MacDonald's career has always been a bit hard to predict. He's ranged from movie appearances to stand-up to indescribable appearances on Comedy Central's roasts to his current gig as the host of the appropriately titled Sports Show with Norm MacDonald. And let's not forget his genre-defining performance in Dirty Work. If ever there was a career turn I never would have seen coming, however, it could be summed up in five words: The Norm MacDonald Book Club.

Yes, Norm has taken to Twitter to begin an ongoing discussion of literature with his nearly 4,000 followers. First up: Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men. I know, this is where I was expecting the punchline, too. But so far, at least, MacDonald seems to be playing this straight. The first post to the NormsBookClub account went up last Thursday, and since then Norm and his followers have been hashing out how the club will work and tossing out questions like "Best opening line to a book ever?"

Knowing MacDonald, this could all be some sort of elaborate, surreal performance art, but until such time as he pulls the rug out, it looks like Norm and his followers will continue unleashing their inner English majors. If you're interested, the discussion of All the King's Men is set to kick off on June 23, and until then Norm and company will be talking about "all things literary."