According to a former Saturday Night Live writer, Jim Downey, Norm Macdonald, widely considered the greatest ‘Weekend Update’ anchor of all time, nearly lost the job to Bill Maher due to the backing of super agent Bernie Brillstein. However, Lorne Michaels ultimately chose Macdonald. Downey shared this on Al Franken’s podcast, also noting that both he and Macdonald were later fired for going after NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer’s friend O.J. Simpson. Macdonald had a notable disdain for Maher, which he expressed in an interview before his death.
Main Points
Norm Macdonald and Bill Maher were competitors for SNL's 'Weekend Update' anchor job.
Norm Macdonald is remembered as one of the best ‘Weekend Update’ anchors in SNL history, but Bill Maher nearly secured the position instead.
Selection process for 'Weekend Update' anchor revealed new details.
Jim Downey, a former Saturday Night Live writer, discussed the selection process for the ‘Weekend Update’ anchor, revealing previously unknown details about the choice between Franken, Maher, and eventually Macdonald.
Controversial material led to the firing of Macdonald and Downey.
The decision by Lorne Michaels and the SNL team to choose Macdonald over Maher led to significant ramifications, including the firing of both Downey and Macdonald for controversial material targeting O.J. Simpson.
Macdonald's personal disdain for Maher exposed.
Despite professional rivalries, Norm Macdonald openly expressed his personal distaste for Bill Maher, highlighting a deep-seated feud between the two comedians.
Insights
Norm Macdonald is considered the greatest 'Weekend Update' anchor.
Norm Macdonald is widely considered to be the greatest “Weekend Update” anchor of all time.
Bill Maher was a strong candidate for the 'Weekend Update' anchor job.
But according to former Saturday Night Live writer Jim Downey, Macdonald almost lost that job to Bill Maher.
Macdonald and writer Jim Downey were fired for targeting O.J. Simpson in their material.
Ultimately, Michaels and the SNL team took his advice, only to fire both Downey and Macdonald for going too hard on NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer’s friend O.J. Simpson three years later.
Norm Macdonald had a personal disdain for Bill Maher.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter a few years before he died of cancer, Macdonald said of Maher, “I find him completely unfunny. Like, maybe the unfunniest person I’ve ever encountered that’s called a comedian.”
Links
- Norm Macdonald
- Saturday Night Live
- Bill Maher
- Al Franken
- Kevin Nealon
- Lorne Michaels
- going too hard
- O.J. Simpson
- The Hollywood Reporter
- died of cancer
URL
https://www.thedailybeast.com/bill-maher-nearly-beat-out-norm-macdonald-for-weekend-update-snls-jim-downey-says