Norm Macdonald dead at 61 after secret battle with cancer

Listen to this article

After a long and private battle with cancer, Norm Macdonald died at the age of 61 on Tuesday.

Macdonald was a veteran comedian, writer, actor and producer, well known for his role on Saturday Night Live. He had been fighting cancer for nine years, according to TMZ.

Brillstein Entertainment announced his passing, Deadline Hollywood relayed to Twitter.

“He was most proud of his comedy,” Hoekstra said. “He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic… (Cont.) https://t.co/wSbwGQ8Syp

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 14, 2021

In a quote to TMZ, producing partner Lori Jo Hoekestra said, “He was most proud of his comedy. He never wanted the diagnosis to affect the way the audience or any of his loved ones saw him. Norm was a pure comic. He once wrote that ‘a joke should catch someone by surprise, it should never pander.’ He certainly never pandered. Norm will be missed terribly.”