Norm Macdonald: The eyes of a child, the words of an adult

An examination of the beginner’s mind approach of Norm Macdonald.

From the Rubesletter by Matt Ruby (comedian, writer, and the creator of Vooza). Sign up to get it in your inbox weekly.

“Norm Macdonald’s Comedy Was Quite Christian,” read the headline of a NY Times opinion piece that went up a few days after Norm passed. “It is by viewing him as a somewhat idiosyncratic Christian comedian that we can best take stock of Mr. Macdonald and his comic legacy,” Matthew Walther argues.

Yeah, right. Of course the editor of a Catholic literary journal thinks Macdonald was some kinda Jesus influencer. When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a– hmm, that might not be the best analogy to use when talking Jesus stuff, eh?

Anywaaaaay, Norm! I’d argue he’s actually quite Buddhist. I’m not talking about his personal faith, I’m talking about his worldview and how he performed comedy.

One word often used to describe Norm is “childlike.” His youthful spirit reminds me of another great comic, Steven Wright, who described his own act as “a view of the world through the eyes of a child, but described in the words of an adult.” It’s a great summary of Norm’s comedic style too and it feels close to the Buddhist concept of…