This was not a normal day. People think youre a loser, " Norm told TV Guide in 1997. Her French bulldog, Aggie, let out a few barks. Lori Jo Hoekstra ('Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special'): 'I never would have ever released it if he didn't want it shown' [Exclusive Video Interview] 13 August 2022 by Matt Noble Gold Derby "We didn't expect it to be seen," reveals Lori Jo Hoekstra about Emmy nominee " Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special " for Netflix. eventAction: 'view' Its also why he wasnt always just being flaky when he bailed on social commitments. I wasnt sure which cameras we were going to use or where it would be shot, she says now. Audiences would view him differently. And this is my comedy special. Thats when he somehow got an infection. It was a joke from this period that caught the attention of fellow Saturday Night Live alum Dennis Miller. He never explained his reasoning, but those closest to him think he kept his illness secret because he believed it would be bad for his comedy. There was even an article written about the first time he live-tweeted the Oscars, it came out the next day, with people saying, Norm Macdonald, he was busy on Twitter. He rarely repeats jokes. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. This time, the procedure would take place closer to home. Based on the outpouring from celebrities and fans alike, Lori Jo Hoekstra was correct in saying hed be missed. Norm was a pure comic. We were sitting with Lori Jo Hoekstra Macdonald's producing partner for the last 20 years and a representative from Netflix. Paul Mooney, Art Metrano, Phil Jerrod and Sean Lockare to name a few. (CBS). But professionally and in life, it was all about the comedy. Find your friends on Facebook. },false) And sometimes it would build to that. I thought about it quite a bit, and believe me, there are just so many. Norm just didnt do things the normal way. Norm Macdonald, the brilliant comedian known for his work on "Saturday Night Live" and movies such as "Billy Madison," has died. It always made you look at the world in a different way. Based on a True Story: A Memoir is a driving, wild and hilarious ramble what might have happened had Hunter S. Thompson embedded himself in a network studio. At almost the same time, Macdonald's monthly visit to the hospital revealed that the original cancer, multiple myeloma, had metastasized into myelodysplastic syndrome, which can often lead to acute leukemia. Is Todd Lowe related to Rob Lowe? She went on to produce Norm Macdonald Live and Norm Macdonald Has a Show, two TV movies based on Macdonald. Your email address will not be published. hitType: 'event', He chose his words very carefully and he didnt just take things at face value. and our Lori Jo Hoekstra, executive producer of Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special and longtime friend of the comedian, discusses his posthumously released, Emmy-nominated special. Theres part of his intelligence that he never shared. Lori Jo. But I do feel like he had a philosophical bent to his comedy. I never saw him do the same show twice, ever. The diagnosis left Macdonald and Hoekstra spinning and unsure of the next steps. Comedian and actor dies at 41, family mourns tragic and sudden loss, How did Fuquan Johnson die? So, how much is Lori Jo Hendrix worth at the age of 53 years old? reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. But thats not the Macdonald on Nothing Special., He looks fantastic, OBrien says. Former Saturday Night Live cast member Norm Macdonald kept his cancer diagnosis out of the spotlight for years. The only thing that would happen is I would destroy which leads to nothing, he says. He had a great use of timing and sometimes I would watch him and think, Oh gosh, Norm, you should maybe abort the joke. Lori Jo. Casinos, yes; New London, no. How long would you say?LJH: I met him in 93. Its how, the night before a stem cell transplant, Macdonald was able to reel off almost an hour of material without looking at a single note. He tells everyone he was born in 1963, but he was really born in 1959. They set up in her condo. Hey, I cant wait to do the gig. Sitting in the same location where Macdonald filmed his now three-time Emmy nominated special, Hoekstra lovingly recalled her time with Macdonald. We encountered an issue signing you up. Which, of course, is what a pro is supposed to do, says Lorne Michaels, the SNL creator. Now, after handing in the final cut, she struggles with how to talk about it. While Im reporting this story, we exchange more than 250 messages. One look at her IMDb, and its clear just how intertwined Lori Jo Hoekstra and Norm Macdonald were. }); The late Norm Macdonald has a final gift to deliver to the world as the beloved comedian taped a secret one-hour stand-up comedy special before his passing last September. See Photos. Norm was a pure comic. Like many young people of a certain era, Jaime Duquette was happily obsessed with horror movies as a kid. Renee Sloan's wiki biography, cancer. Macdonald got his start in television writing for shows like Roseanne and The Dennis Miller Show. About 250 people were in the room, including Dylan, Neil, Hoekstra, Bill Murray, Bob Odenkirk, Kevin Nealon and Judd Apatow. In 1997, when he was anchor of "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live," a top NBC executive told him to stop telling jokes about former football star O.J. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Aslo Read:Earlier a famous child actor Ty Wesley Miller Biography. He competed in the early reality TV competition series 'Star Search' in 1990. As per the USA today news, the total net worth of Lori Jo Hoekstra was assessed at 11 million dollar as of 2021 due to her tv shows. So I was there with the writers; if they were there, I was there. Yikes. And then we decided to move, for lighting and just to get closer. Hoekstra may have rolled her eyes or groaned when Macdonald told her he wanted to film that night before his transplant. He thought the ultimate Update joke would be where truth and punch line were one. Lori Jo Hoekstra is known for Dirty Work (1998), Wayne's World 2 (1993)and Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (2022). She wrestles with whether the celebrity panel takes away from Macdonald's performance. But after his cancer diagnosis, he had to go on dexamethasone, a powerful steroid that caused his face to swell. He loved the idea of stripping material to its bare essentials. I bet she's probably mourning pretty bad, but once that's over, it could be a nice gesture for Norm. The diagnosis left Macdonald and Hoekstra spinning and unsure of the next steps. "Lojo" is Lori Jo Hoekstra, his best friend, neighbor they lived in the same condo complex in Los Angeles and producing partner for more than two decades. Simpson, who had been acquitted in a high-profile murder trial. },false) Also Read:Literary Editor Julie Barer Biography, Career and Family. Lori Jo Hoekstra - Norm Macdonald's Longtime Friend 65,482 views Dec 10, 2021 1.7K Dislike Share Save I'm not Norm 497K subscribers Do you own a doghouse? He was 61 years old. Then there was his physical appearance. A decade later, he arrived at a profane roast of comedian Bob Saget with a set of corny, G-rated Dad jokes that were so terrible, they were perfect. He wasnt cutesy. But I mean, he greatly, greatly, greatly cared about his audience. If anyone wants it, DM me and I'll email you a copy for your coloring delight this weekend. Net Worth, Husban Who is 'House Of Cards' Star - Elizabeth Marvel? Selfishly, I dont feel badly for Norm, he said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But he was always ahead of certain things, too. 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Norm MACdonald. : French Stewart, Burt Reynolds, & Sean Connery SNL (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEghu90QJH4). And I was saying he was generous; he was also incredibly smart. I mean, you knew each other for a long time, right? }); Simpson, who had been acquitted in a high-profile murder trial. Im saying that, on any night, I could do material thats super strong, and Id probably be better than Rocks material for the Oscars. He was always so true to the comedy. As funny and ridiculous as it is, the book is also quite moving in spots. }); Former 'Saturday Night Live' anchor and comedian, Norm Macdonald passed away. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' The way its shot, it really features his secret weapon, those eyes and those dimples. Norm MacDonald was a Canadian stand up comedian, writer and actor who was known for his deadpan style and poetic, sometimes old-fashioned turns of phrases. Norm Macdonald is going to have a last laugh. I think what it wouldve meant to him, if he had recorded it live, is the same as what it would mean to him, what we ended up showing; it was important to him that his material was out there and not lost.And for you, what does it mean that Norm was nominated for an Emmy for the first time and for three Emmy Awards?LJH: I know. Yeah, the dog bark and the phone call because somebody asked if it was real were 100% real. The next morning, he would have a stem cell transplant at the City of Hope Medical Center just east of Los Angeles. Yeah. To try to bring our history down to a memory or two wouldnt even be possible. In the months after the Oscars, Macdonald finished his first book, Based on a True Story: A Memoir, being released by Spiegel & Grau on Sept. 20. Miranda Tsang: Can you talk a little bit about how you met Norm, and how you started working with him?Lori Jo Hoekstra: I actually met him at Saturday Night Live. "Obviously, he had serious things in his life he was also dealing with, meaning the illness. He had the best word choice of any comedian Ive ever seen. Lori Jo Hoekstra, she is a very famous producer, friend and loyal business partner of Norm MacDonald. And when Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special was released nearly a year after his death the comedian had filmed his special on a laptop with the hopes of performing it for an audience one day friends Conan OBrien, Adam Sandler, Dave Chappelle, David Spade, Molly Shannon, and David Letterman gathered to watch and film a tribute to the comic, included in the special. "Lojo" is Lori Jo Hoekstra, his best friend, neighbor - they lived in the same condo complex in Los Angeles - and producing partner for more than two decades. "Lojo" is Lori Jo Hoekstra, his best friend, neighbor they lived in the same condo complex in Los Angeles and producing partner for more than two decades. Macdonald seemed to gain weight and strength; he punched out a rough screenplay for a movie adaptation of his critically acclaimed, best-selling comic novel, Based on a True Story: A Memoir. He began to book stand-up gigs. When Macdonald was fired from SNL, she followed him to Los Angeles to work on sitcoms and then a series of projects, from his stand-up specials to his sports show for Comedy Central and his 2018 Netflix talk show, Norm Macdonald Has a Show., She became Norms sort of gal Friday and manager, says Downey, the longtime SNL writer. She should write a book. The news was revealed Saturday Night Live veteran Norm Macdonald has died following a private battle with cancer. It's also why he wasn't always just being flaky when he bailed on social commitments. ago. The struggle has always been finding the right outlet for his humor. The rounds of chemotherapy in 2013 led to neuropathy that left him with constant pain in his feet, so bad that he described it as walking on shards of glass or through fire. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. His classic check out the podium, look at this moment will live forever in the hearts and minds of SNL fans everywhere. And if somebody came up to him at a restaurant, he always took time to talk to people. If I had to sum up my whole life, I guess those are the words I would choose, all right.. He actually would think deeply into them. And he wouldnt, and he would continue on, and then it would end up killing. If he seemed dysfunctional in so many other areas of life whether losing his hotel keys or forgetting how to sign on to his email it's because of how much attention he gave to his work. When, in September 2021, Macdonald passed away from cancer at the age of 61, his friends rallied to share memories of him. He had this folksy [cadence], completely out of time I dont know if he was born 300 years too late or 300 years too early, but nobody speaks like that. Norm Macdonald is survived by his son, Dylan, who he shares with his ex-wife, Connie Vaillancourt. I mean, absolutely. It includes footage of a group of friends and admirers David Letterman, Dave Chappelle, Molly Shannon, Conan OBrien, David Spade, Adam Sandler discussing the comedian on camera after watching his final creation together. He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. . "He was most proud of his comedy. Maybe I'm a quisling, but I'm almost done with a Norm coloring and activity book that you can print out at home. But Hoekstra, as organized and meticulous as Macdonald was proudly shambolic, usually just shook off her initial skepticism and did her job, which was to make Macdonalds ideas happen. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Lori Jo Hoekstra. He once wrote that a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander. He certainly never pandered. In 2011, Comedy Central created The Sports Show With Norm Macdonald. He thought doing sports would limit his audience to men. Macdonald told more jokes, until he was fired. In 2016, he published Based on a True Story, a novel based on his life that was extensively fabricated. The spirit of Black Panther and Chadwick Boseman still lives on. The couple separated in April 1999. Her French bulldog, Aggie, let out a few barks. The comedian's longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra, who was with him when he died, said Macdonald had been battling cancer for nearly a decade but was determined to keep his . He once wrote that a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander. He certainly never pandered. He makes his work look effortless. For Letterman, Macdonald fit in perfectly. 2023 Toronto Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. 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