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:
It turns out Norm left an hour of new material behind, recorded in his apartment during the lockdown. It’ll be a Netflix comedy special soon. So, we have that. Which is precisely what Norm wanted.
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.
Norm worked so hard on a new hour of material and wanted it to be seen. While this version of Nothing Special was not originally meant to be the final product, Covid restrictions prevented him from filming in front of an audience. We want to make sure his fans see this very funny hour. He left this gift for all of us.
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.
