I remember Norm asking me how to get on SNL. We were standing outside The Laugh Factory. I think I called Jim Downey and told him about Norm. The next year, Norm was on SNL! I don’t know if I had anything to do with it. Norm was so unique and brilliant, everyone was “discovering” him. Earlier, I had singled him out of a bunch of tapes of comics, to do stand up in a Palm Springs Show I was hosting. They let me pick the talent. Weird Al did the music. When Norm got famous, I felt kind of proud that I had such good taste in talent.
Me and Norm did stand up a few times. I opened for him. In this pic, he was sweet enough to hold up a sign saying “hi” to my creative writing professor at Palm Beach Atlantic, Mr. Athey. I gave Norm a big framed photo of Elvis looking at a girl’s legs walking down a bar. I don’t know why. I told Norm that he looked like Elvis. Norm was so humble about his looks and talent.
I loved how he sought truth. He wouldn’t lie about O.J. or anything, just because he was expected to. He wouldn’t be a “liberal” to help his career. He was genuine. And, he read the Bible and sought God. “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 I think Norm found the Lord. How awesome is that?!
