Comedian Norm Macdonald lost his position anchoring Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live in 1997 after repeatedly mocking O.J. Simpson, according to an account explored in a new Netflix documentary. Filmmaker and producer Judd Apatow examines Macdonald’s career and his high-profile conflict with NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer in Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald, which premiered on October 16.
The documentary revisits Macdonald’s abrupt departure from the NBC sketch comedy show and the intense circumstances surrounding Ohlmeyer’s decision to remove him from the news segment. Industry reports and archival footage identify Macdonald’s relentless jokes about Simpson-who was famously acquitted of murder charges and was a close personal friend of Ohlmeyer-as the underlying source of the network conflict.
Inside Judd Apatow’s Archival Approach
Unlike traditional biographical films that rely on retrospective talking-head interviews, Apatow compiled Norm using archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends. This stylistic choice allows Macdonald to tell his own story posthumously through his book, sketches, stand-up routines, and past late-night television appearances.
“The idea was to let Norm tell you who he was by what he left behind,” Apatow explained in promotional materials for Netflix. “We just thought, taking his book and his sketches and stand up and the interviews, we can make this collage to show what he was really like.”
The SNL Firing and the O.J. Simpson Conflict
Macdonald joined Saturday Night Live in 1993 and anchored Weekend Update for four seasons, establishing a trademark flat, deadpan delivery that won over audiences and fellow comedians alike. However, his refusal to back down from punchlines targeting O.J. Simpson put him at direct odds with NBC West Coast division president Don Ohlmeyer.
While Ohlmeyer publicly claimed that Macdonald was simply not funny anymore, the documentary and contemporary reports highlight the connection between that official explanation and Macdonald’s continued, unyielding criticism of Simpson on live television. The clash ultimately ended Macdonald’s tenure at NBC, turning him into a symbol of corporate interference and uncompromising comedic integrity.
Blurring Fact and Fiction
Beyond his time on Saturday Night Live, the documentary explores Macdonald’s complex personality, characterized by a compulsive blurring of fact and fiction in both his stand-up routines and personal life. Macdonald died in September 2021 at the age of 61 after quietly battling leukemia for nine years, a private health struggle he kept hidden even from close peers.
Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald streams now on Netflix, serving as part of the platform’s broader slate of comedy documentaries highlighting legendary performers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Norm Macdonald get fired from SNL?
Norm Macdonald was fired from Saturday Night Live in December 1997 during his fourth season anchoring Weekend Update.
Who directed the Norm Macdonald documentary?
The documentary Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald was directed and produced by filmmaker and comedian Judd Apatow.
Why was Norm Macdonald fired from Saturday Night Live?
Macdonald was removed from his Weekend Update post following repeated, relentless jokes mocking O.J. Simpson. NBC West Coast executive Don Ohlmeyer, a close friend of Simpson, ordered his firing.
Does the documentary feature new interviews with comedians?
No. Judd Apatow deliberately avoided traditional talking-head interviews, instead building the film entirely from archival footage, home videos, stand-up clips, and past interview audio to let Macdonald narrate his own life.
Where can I watch Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald?
The feature-length documentary premiered on October 16 and is available to stream globally on Netflix.
