Legendary comedian Norm Macdonald has died following a lengthy private battle with cancer, according to a report from Deadline magazine. He was 61.
The “Saturday Night Live” superstar’s management firm Brillstein Entertainment shared news of his death with Deadline magazine in a piece published Tuesday. There has been no official cause of death released.
“He [Macdonald] was most proud of his comedy,” the comedian’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra shared with the outlet following news of his death. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him.” (RELATED: 28-Year-Old ‘Wicked Tuna’ Star Dies Suddenly. Read The Details)
The legendary comic passed away Tuesday after battling cancer for nearly a decade. https://t.co/XmUqAfedLt
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 14, 2021
“Norm was a pure comic,” she added. “He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.” (RELATED: ‘The Office’ Star Mark York Dead At 55)
The comedian was part of the “SNL” family between 1993 and 1998 and his work on the “Weekend Update” desk for three seasons is probably what he’s best known for on the show.
After leaving the late-night sketch comedy series, Macdonald appeared on his own comedy show titled simply “The Norm Show” from 1999 to 2001.
He also hosted a talk show for Netflix in 2018 for one season titled, “Norm Macdonald Has a Show.”
The superstar comedian not only appeared on the small screen and did work as a stand-up comedian, but also had several memorable roles in comedies on the big screen such as “Billy Madison,” “Dirty Work” and “Doctor Dolittle.”