There really isn’t anything out there that I’m super-jazzed about covering right now, so please consider this your periodic reminder that this clip from Late Night With Conan O’Brien — featuring Norm MacDonald and Courtney Thorne-Smith as guests — is hilarious.
A brief refresher: The year is 1997. Norm MacDonald was the lead guest — because (a) He was the host of Weekend Update at the time, and (b) Norm MacDonald is awesome — and he has been invited to stay out on set for the second guest segment, featuring Courtney Thorne-Smith. She is on the show because she has chosen to leave her gig on Melrose Place to embark on a film career, which she has started with a supporting role in a movie titled Chairman of the Board, starring … Carrot Top. Ruh roh.
Now, I won’t ruin the clip for you if you haven’t seen it, but I will say that Norm takes what would have probably been an uneventful eight minute interview, and he yoinks it off the rails, off the bridge the rails were on, and onto a ship that was passing underneath, causing everything to turn into a fireball of such magnitude that it could be seen for miles and miles. It is fantastic. Unless you are Courtney Thorne-Smith, or Carrot Top. Then it is not.
If you have seen the clip, on the other hand (and, really, if you’ve spent any amount of time on the Internet, you probably should have by now), make time for an old friend, won’t you? Take it away, Norm:
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Danger, you complete me.
I love Norm.
LOVE this clip.
Had a friend who wasn’t a fan of Norm. Showed him this clip and completely turned him away from the dark side.
I’ve watched that countless times, and I still break up when Norm jumps in at 2:50 and says “Are you talking about Melrose Place?”
fique*kisses fingers* MWAAAH! C’est Magnifique!
I wish more people appreciated Norm’s incredible humor.
He’s so great. His appearances on different podcasts were ridiculous. His life is absurd.
I could listen to that man talk about Germans loving David Hasselhoff forever
Norm MacDonald can do no wrong. I did feel a little sorry for Thorne-Smith in this bit, but if she’s really cool then she will have been able to appreciate the absurd hilariousness of the situation, if not at the time, then hopefully in retrospect.
You know she appreciates absurdly hilarious comedy, she was on “According to Jim” for 8 years.
Quick debate:
Better Norm Moment?
1. The ESPYs opening monologue
2. His monologue when he hosted SNL a year and a half after being fired?
SNL. He twisted that dagger as much as he could.
Never saw that SNL monologue, thanks for making me aware of its existence. Brilliant as ever. I think the ESPYs one was maybe just a smidge funnier though.
Ahh, as long as you’re going >, then ESPYs > SNL. But I’ll always treasure his impromptu firebombings over the hosting gigs.
Conan hasn’t aged at all. Wow.
@Reach
It’s no debate. Neither, the correct answer is the white house correspondents dinner.
Oh, not the best–just which was better.
I wish Norm would get his own talk show following Conan. Oh, the anarchy they could wreak.
Fuck yeah!
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST. GO TO HAPPY HOUR AND ORDER ANY DRINK YOU WANT AND TELL THE BARTENDER IT’S ON ME.
The bartender told me, “Danger? I am the danger.” I’ve never simultaneously pissed my pants and swooned at the same time before. You owe me an apple-tini and a new pair of slacks.
Weirdly enough, she later appeared in an episode of Norm’s short-lived ABC sitcom.
Seriously.
[www.imdb.com]
High-waisted pants, big belt, leather jacket….yep, that was ’97 all right.
My brother and I have referenced this just about weekly since we first saw it “live”. Judge me if you must.
You gotta admit, Courtney was being a real good sport about it all..
She probably understood that history was being made.
Never forget. /wipes tear
Did you just say “Jazzed”?
Bravo!!!
It’s not a vintage clip but this is relevant and all should watch. Norm is the best.
Credit to Gaffigan for knowing when to shut up and let Norm roll.
I miss the Sports Show. It was awesome.
Norm McDonald is epic. I wish he’d get a tv gig that could stick around longer than a season. I loved Shorts Show, it’s a shame CC didn’t give him a 2nd season.
[www.youtube.com]
If I’m not mistaken, I think Norm dated her after this? In honor of Norm, I would bet on this.
My favorite Norm moment is still when he “bombed” on the Saget roast. This clip is a very close second, though.
That was incredible. It just got funnier and funnier until I cried and my jaw hurt from laughing so hard.
How do I not remember this movie? [www.imdb.com]
I don’t know what’s funnier… her mom-jeans or Conan pointing out what logic-gap it was to put a prop comedian in a comedy without his props.
I still love Norm’s old Satan/Bob routine that showed every half hour during Comedy Central/Channel’s first year that consisted mainly of stand-up clips.
After watching this clip, the Fat Tourist Retard Killer was born. He has never been found.
Do we have to go to Live Leaks to see the clip or what?