Best Norm Macdonald Weekend Update Jokes, According to Reddit

7 ‘Yippie! Jerry Rubin died last week! (pause) Oh I’m sorry, that should read, ‘Yippie, Jerry Rubin died last week.”

The first of a few Macdonald jokes that might need interpreting for younger redditors who don’t get the 1990s reference. u/Re_LE_Vant_UN to the rescue, explaining that during Rubin’s “political activism heyday, he was known for being one of the co-founders of the Youth International Party (YIP), whose members were referred to as Yippies, and standing trial in the Chicago Seven case.”

We think the Yippie joke works either way.

6 ‘This weekend O.J. Simpson refused a lie detector test. His given reason? It detects lies.’

Macdonald was famously fired for his relentless joke attacks on Simpson, professional football player, alleged murderer and golfing pal of NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer. Macdonald’s brutal pokes at the Juice dominate this list. 

5 ‘Julia Roberts told reporters this week that her marriage with Lyle Lovett has been over for some time. The key moment, she said, came when she realized she was Julia Roberts, and that she was married to Lyle Lovett.’

This one is just mean.

4 ‘Hey, watch it, that’s my lucky stabbin’ hat!’

A one-two punch from Macdonald, taking shots at both O.J. and his I’ll-try-anything attorney Johnnie Cochran. Watch Macdonald linger after the punchline, savoring the laughs.

3 ‘ You’ll notice that the percentages on the charts don’t add up to 100 percent, that’s because the math was done by a woman. For those of you hissing at that joke, it should be noted that was written by a woman. So now you don’t know what the hell to do, do you? No, I’m just kidding we don’t hire women.’

An amazing joke, if not for the content but for the number of reversals pulled off in less than 30 seconds. It’s a sexist joke! Written by a woman! Or was it? Not many Update hosts have attempted the triple-flip and stuck the landing. 

2 ‘Well, it’s official. Murder is now legal in the state of California.’

The picture painted a thousand words.

1 ‘In music news, Number 1 on the college charts this summer was Better than Ezra. And at Number 2: Ezra.’

For confused younger redditors (and there were a few “huh?” responses), u/MarsupialTrousers explains: “Better than Ezra” was a 1990s band. If it was number one then it was better than Ezra. (There is no Ezra, it just works in this context as a joke.)”

It’s a joke the actual band never forgot.