Norm Macdonald talks with David Letterman for an hour.

July 26, 2017 9:58 AM

Norm MacDonald talks with David Letterman for an hour. At one point they discuss their experiences with OCD, anxiety and depression in a refreshingly candid manner.
posted by craniac (31 comments total)

Finally! Apparently, Seinfeld and Mike Tyson as well.
posted by davebush at 10:06 AM on July 26, 2017

I just listened to this on the commute to work this morning. It was great.

You can tell how much Norm reveres Dave by how nearly straightforward the interview was. Usually Norm like to fuck around with the guest and keep them slightly off balance. Not so with Letterman.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:09 AM on July 26, 2017 [6 favorites]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is nothing I don't like about beardo Letterman.
posted by gwint at 11:07 AM on July 26, 2017 [5 favorites]

Norm MacDonald's Letterman impression was so good that Letterman hated it.
posted by maxsparber at 11:09 AM on July 26, 2017 [21 favorites]

Two amazingly unique voices who enjoy each other spend an hour chatting? Yes, yes forever.

All of Norm's episodes are great but I would trade all of them for another hour of Norm and Dave (well, maybe not the Stephen Merchant one, that was wonderful too).
posted by Cosine at 11:18 AM on July 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Very surprised when Norm's podcast updated yesterday after 9 months of quiet. I definitely recommend the audiobook version of Norm's pseudo-autobiographical "Based on a True Story: A Memoir" referenced at the beginning of the podcast (with Adam Eget).
posted by Auden at 11:29 AM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

WHAT is it with those extreme close-ups?
posted by greta simone at 11:34 AM on July 26, 2017 [9 favorites]

Two amazingly unique voices who enjoy each other spend an hour chatting? Yes, yes forever.

I would pay real cash money to listen to Norm chat with smartypants brother Neil.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:36 AM on July 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Loving the Tom Snyder references in the close-up style.

The ending too. Norm has it in every fiber of his being.
posted by ACair at 11:38 AM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

Man, I was really looking forward to a Top Ten list that Dave was actually willing to do.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:09 PM on July 26, 2017

Yeah, what's with the abrupt ending? Did he actually do the Top Ten list and the show decided to edit it out after the fact? Weird.
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:14 PM on July 26, 2017

Hm. Now I'm wondering if it was an IP rights issue, although I would have assumed Letterman's company Worldwide Pants owned the rights to it.
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:17 PM on July 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Rings a bell, CBS just may own rights to Top 10.
posted by sammyo at 12:18 PM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

Actually, now that you mention it, I remember NBC tried to claim rights to it when Dave moved to CBS, though it never came to anything. So who knows, maybe CBS got smart and really did copyright it. Or maybe Dave just didn't want to do it after all. Or, as Atom Eyes suggests, it turned out not to be good enough to make the cut.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:42 PM on July 26, 2017

There's a newish Norm standup special on Netflix, and boy, let me tell you something...it's funny.
posted by nikoniko at 1:15 PM on July 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

So, I watched this as soon as I saw it was available, as Norm's show is sooooooooo compulsively watchable, and goddamn it, I feel a sense of calm and serenity when I see Norm and David together. Their obvious affection for one another is delicious to watch, and I never regret the time I've spent with them.

And shit, do I ever miss Dave.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 2:07 PM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

nikoniko - It super is! This ends abruptly? That special begins abruptly. Maybe it's a thing with Norm now?

Delighted this exists, devastated I'm about to fly out the door for work and can't watch it yet, but thank you craniac for posting it! These are two of my greatest comedy heroes and I love their relationship. Ever see Norm's final spot on Dave's Late Show?
posted by EatTheWeek at 2:11 PM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

and this still remains one of my all time favorite 90s moments: Norm's interview after being fired from Weekend Update on SNL. One of my all time favorite TV memories, period.
posted by Dressed to Kill at 2:12 PM on July 26, 2017 [10 favorites]

There appears to be much more noticeable editing in this episode than usual. From this interview with Jason Tabrys, here's what is up with this Top Ten list:

Last question. [And it’s a spoiler if you haven’t seen the episode] The end of the Letterman episode is fantastic with it fading to black. Whose idea was that?

That was my idea. Because he did it [the Top Ten List] under protest and then I thought, “Oh he’s doing this thing that he doesn’t really want to do.” So, even as he was doing it, I was thinking to myself, “Nah, I can’t put this in the show because he’s doing something as a favor that he doesn’t really want to do.” And also, I thought it would look cool to just stop it right there.

posted by the letter at 2:22 PM on July 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

Those close ups are brutal. And unnecessary.
posted by greenhornet at 3:01 PM on July 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

Why? David Letterman is 70 years old, he's allowed to look 70.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 4:06 PM on July 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

There's a newish Norm standup special on Netflix, and boy, let me tell you something...it's funny.

I love Norm, but I couldn't disagree more. The whole thing is terrible and embarrassing. It really disappointed me.
posted by pickinganameismuchharderthanihadanticipated at 4:16 PM on July 26, 2017

Thanks to Dressed to Kill, I've gone down the Norm MacDonald late 90s talk show appearance rabbit hole and may never recover. I finally had to take a break after watching his interview with Conan.
posted by vverse23 at 4:16 PM on July 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

I saw this posted yesterday, but I have a final exam today, so I cannot fucking wait to listen to this afterwards. Two of my favorite people in the universe.
posted by rhizome at 4:22 PM on July 26, 2017

I suggest you watch this after the exam, but before copulation.
posted by craniac at 4:44 PM on July 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

There is nothing I don't like about beardo Letterman.

I'm always reminded of "future" Picard from TNG's series finale.
posted by juiceCake at 10:04 PM on July 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

Dave: As you must know, the human neuro-muscular skeletal system is easily programmed...

Norm: Well, sure, I knew *that*. As soon as you said that first word.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 11:02 PM on July 26, 2017 [4 favorites]

"A surname you don't hear much anymore: Flintstone."

They covered a lot of cool ground. That was great.
posted by rhizome at 11:27 PM on July 26, 2017

Those George Miller jokes were hilarious. Never heard of him before.
posted by dobbs at 1:03 AM on July 27, 2017

"Those George Miller jokes were hilarious. Never heard of him before."

When I first noticed George Miller it was in the context of all those disparaged
guest star roles in TV comedies mentioned in the interview, and I sort of saw him as
an Orson Bean type of crinkled folksie actor. Later catching his comedy act I realized that he was the Harry Nilsson of standup: extravagantly talented but basically divorced from any context for his gifts.
posted by Chitownfats at 4:29 AM on July 27, 2017 [5 favorites]

where's the depression part so I can skip straight to the good shit
posted by speicus at 10:47 AM on July 28, 2017 [1 favorite]