‘SNL’: Norm Macdonald Honored on ‘Weekend Update’ After His Death

Comedy legend Norm MacDonald passed away on Sept. 14, and Saturday Night Live took time out of their premiere to honor the former host of The Weekend Update. Pete Davidson stopped by the famed desk to talk to hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che to talk about attending the Met Gala and during that scene, the comedian wore a tie-dye t-shirt featuring MacDonald’s face. 

Not only that but Jost and Che took some time at the end of the segment to honor MacDonald’s legacy. “Well, guys, it is a bittersweet night for us tonight,” Jost explained before Che reminded the audience of MacDonald’s recent death. “Tonight, we thought we’d turn the last few jokes of Update over to Norm,” Jost said. 

The footage contained a montage of MacDonald’s greatest hits, including a classic Bill Clinton joke. “At the White House this week, President Clinton officially came out against same-sex marriages,” Macdonald joked in the vintage footage. “What’s more, the president said he is not too crazy about opposite-sex marriages either.”

MacDonald was born in 1959 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. As his fans know, he made a name for himself in the comedy world. While pursuing stand-up, he also served as a writer on shows such as Roseanne and The Dennis Miller Show. Thanks to his work on Roseanne, MacDonald caught the attention of SNL creator Lorne Michaels. He worked on SNL from 1993 to 1998 and is, perhaps, most well-known for being the anchor of the show’s Weekend Update segment. 

The late comedian would go on to appear in a number of shows, including his own comedy series, The Norm MacDonald Show, which aired from 1999 to 2001. Over the years, MacDonald made appearances in shows such as The Middle and made frequent guest appearances on late-night television programs. He is survived by a son, Dylan, whom he welcomed with his ex-wife, Connie Vaillancourt.