Norm Macdonald once described the allure of gambling as not being in the winning or losing. He wrote, “It is when the dice are in the air, and as long as they are there, time stops.” He went on: “As long as the red dice are in the air, the gambler has hope. And hope is a wonderful thing to be addicted to.” That’s from Based on a True Story, his book which he touted as “not a memoir.”
Norm Macdonald was an original in the way he would set up his yarns on stage. Norm had a folksy delivery and an affinity for these long buildups. He once told me on Twitter that he’d like to “write a one million page short story.” He seemed to savor those moments before the jokes landed. When they didn’t hit, well, it was all a part of the game for Norm. He’d get them next time. Just as in gambling, I wonder if he was addicted to the hope.
Nothing Special is the last comedy special of Norm Macdonald
I was in the midst of watching his talk show Norm Macdonald Has a Show when I heard there may be one last comedy special of his, the posthumous Nothing Special. Watching his talk show with guests ranging from Drew Barrymore to country singer Billy Joe Shaver, left me wondering if he was parodying the format. Or maybe Norm was onto something new and was simply doing it his way. Whatever the case, I figured Norm Macdonald Has a Show would be the last we’d see of Norm.
In the summer of 2020, the lockdowns had shut down any chance of entertainers performing in front of a crowd. Norm had more than enough new material that he hoped to get out there. A scheduled procedure prompted him to create a self-shot video of what would be his final special. He said he “didn’t want to leave anything on the table in case things went south.”
The comedy special was recorded simply, without audience
If you stream Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special on Netflix, you’ll see that it’s all done in one take, with nary a fumble. The video is self-shot and with an audience of only one. His assistant Lori Jo Hoekstra can be heard at the beginning helping to get the sound levels right.
If there was ever a comedian who could get laughs and also create warmth in such gloomy circumstances, it’s Norm Macdonald. It takes a moment to get used to not seeing or hearing a reaction from the audience. But, it speaks of Norm’s ability as a comedian that in no time you’re right there with him. Look at his eyes and facial expression, it was almost as if he was imagining being on stage. That impressed and touched me.
The post-show discussions were heartfelt
There’s a post-show discussion after the comedy, and it’s David Letterman, Dave Chappelle, Molly Shannon, Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler, and David Spade discussing what they just saw and some of their recollections about Norm Macdonald. Letterman remarked, “It’s fun to watch him acknowledge what would have been silence.” Dave Chappelle responded: “In his mind, there was a crowd there.” I think this speaks to Norm’s love of the art form.
Nothing Special was Norm Macdonald coming to terms with mortality
There’s a lot of gold in Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special. He touched on the controversy du jour, political correctness and he makes hysterical and clever commentaries on life, death, and perspective all delivered with his trademark wry smile. It’s funny and of course, because Norm is not with us, there are moments of sadness. But it’s never maudlin on account of Norm Macdonald.
I hope you watch it, folks. If you do, pay attention to those moments before the jokes land. There’s something in the silence, before the dice fall.
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special
Directors: Norm Macdonald, Jeff Tomsic
Writer: Norm Macdonald
Production Companies: Anchor Spud Productions & Irwin Entertainment
Executive Producers: Marc Gurvitz, Lori Jo Hoekstra, John Irwin, Norm MacDonald
Co-Executive Producer: Casey Spira
Release Date: May 30, 2022
Streaming Service: Netflix
Total Length: 1 hour, 26 minutes
