Norm Macdonald's 'Clean' Roast of Bob Saget Is a Bittersweet Treat Following Their Deaths

By Andrew Roberts

Nobody likely felt the loss of Norm Macdonald back in September more than his close friend, Bob Saget. Both stand-ups, the pair teamed for the film Dirty Work and let their friendship shine through during Macdonald's set at the Roast of Bob Saget on Comedy Central.

With Saget's death on Sunday, many quickly pointed to the special moment as a memorable interaction between two comedic geniuses and good friends. Saget had a chance to say goodbye to Macdonald and look back on their friendship through an episode of his podcast in September, also taking a moment to discuss the memorable roast appearance in detail.

"I talked to him a week before the roast and he said, 'I can't say mean things about you because you're my friend,'" Saget said, according to Deadline. Macdonald revealed that he planned to "read jokes from a '40s joke book" at the show. What followed was a "clean" roast of the Full House star, with a few curses dropped in to keep folks at Comedy Central from having a stress fit.

And while it was awkward at times, with some confusion from those on the dais, it turned out to be one of the more memorable segments across the network's many roasts. It also features one of the most touching moments between two true friends to close out the segment.

"In all seriousness, Bob was the first comedian that I ever saw perform, when I was boy, live, and I loved him. But one thing that bonds us as comedians is we're bitter and jealous, and we hate everyone else that has any success," Macdonald says to close out the segment. "But Bob, honestly, has never had an unkind word for anybody, and I love him, and I hope everyone else does, so I just wanna say that. Thank you."

Saget was unaware of Macdonald's condition near the end of his life, though he knew something was wrong with his friend. Their final interaction is simple and devastating at the same time. "Last week, I got a text and it just said 'I love you.' And I didn't say much back. I just said, 'I love you, Norm.' And that was my [final] communication with him," Saget said on his podcast. "One of the gifts of my life is that he loved me and that I loved him."

Saget's death is still fresh and many are coming to terms with yet another loss. With Macdonald only passing months ago, it's surreal for many fans of both.

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