NBC has canceled an appearance by Norm Macdonald on Tuesday’s Tonight Show hours after the comedian issued an apology for comments about Roseanne Barr, Louis C.K. and the #MeToo movement made during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Out of sensitivity to our audience and in light of Norm Macdonald’s comments in the press today, ‘The Tonight Show’ has decided to cancel his appearance on Tuesday’s telecast,” a Tonight Show spokesperson said.
Macdonald, who has a new show on Netflix entitled Norm Macdonald Has a Show debuting this Friday, drew criticism for saying he was “happy the #MeToo movement has slowed down a little bit,” and speaking about friends and fellow comics Barr and C.K.
“Roseanne was so broken up [after her show’s reboot was canceled] that I got Louis to call her, even though Roseanne was very hard on Louis before that,” Macdonald said. “But she was just so broken and just crying constantly. There are very few people that have gone through what they have, losing everything in a day. Of course, people will go, ‘What about the victims?’ But you know what? The victims didn’t have to go through that.”
In his apology on Twitter, he wrote: “Roseanne and Louis have both been very good friends of mine for many years. They both made terrible mistakes and I would never defend their actions. If my words sounded like I was minimizing the pain that their victims feel to this day, I am deeply sorry.”
Sources tell THR that Netflix is planning to move forward with Macdonald’s show as planned.
The View, which booked Macdonald to appear on Thursday’s show, told THR Wednesday that the comedian’s appearance on the ABC talk show was still on. The View co-hosts talked about the Macdonald’s controversial remarks and the Tonight Show cancellation on Wednesday’s show.
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Sept. 12, 11:21 a.m. This story has been updated to reflect Norm Macdonald continuing to be booked on Thursday’s The View.
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