CNN
,
The context is more important than the content of “Norm McDonald: Nothing Special”, an additional one-person comedy show that the former “Weekend Update” anchor, knowing he was ill, wrote and performed in a single take at home alone. . before his death in September. The posthumous release provides an apt and deeply personal tribute, as well as a primer on the art of stand-up.
Netflix has packed Macdonald’s performance, which runs a little over 50 minutes, with a half-hour discussion involving six of his friends: Dave Chappelle, David Letterman, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Conan O’Brien and Molly Shannon, who spends another 30 minutes or so reminiscing about what the audience just saw.
Chappelle called the Stark setting “too sweet,” while Letterman noted that without an audience to respond to the material, “we weren’t watching standup comedy. Without that audience, you don’t get the full measure of Norm.” ”
What you get is a clear reminder of McDonald’s peculiar sense of humour as he wanders from topic to topic, sometimes engaging in strange digressions and enduring the kind of interruptions that during the Covid Common to work experiences, from their dog barking to responding. Phone call and sorry, but she is in the middle of taping a comedy special.
While Macdonald knew his time might be short, there’s nothing morbid or crazy about the presentation, which essentially trains a camera in his face and rips it. The comic mentions living wills and a few other matters that touch on mortality, but this doesn’t detract from his routine about prioritizing gambling at Native-American casinos (“I see this as reenactment”). ) or strategize about cannibalism should ever happen on a plane that crashes in the Andes.
Like the controversies surrounding Netflix’s recent special that featured high-profile comics (the above chapel and recently Ricky Gervais Among them), McDonald opposes the restrictions currently considered acceptable for comedians and references that “words have changed” that could lead to offense. If this has become a kind of generational rift and an ongoing debate, Macdonald wanted to tell the world where he stood.
In addition, McDonald’s performance and ensuing dialogue/analysis (taped during Netflix’s recent Netflix Is a Joke comedy showcase) benefit from a relaxed quality, taking viewers behind the scenes where they process the comics and can hear thoughts.
Macdonald mentions remembering the thrill of being able to perform live, but a comforting note is that he is well aware that he is both doing something he loves and, for the last time, Doing it on a bigger platform and on its own terms. As their producing partner, Lori Jo Hoekstra, described it“He left this gift for all of us.”
However one responds to various jokes, there is something sweeter than sad about him. Macdonald is gone, but he was able to arrange his own curtain call, saying goodbye with a little help from his friends.
“Norm McDonald: Nothing Special” premieres on Netflix on May 30.