Martin on Nostr: Norm was something more than a comedian. He made himself a persona that was a ...

Norm was something more than a comedian. He made himself a persona that was a comedian, and used it as a vessel that was more art than entertainment.

I only found one clip of Norm where he seemed to break character for a moment. What he said blew my mind.

Paraphrasing, he pointed out that no one likes criticism from a smart ass, and so, since the comedian’s true job is to criticize his own culture, he has to pretend to be the dumbest person in the room. Only then will the audience feel safe laughing at their own stupidity.

This from someone who studied mathematics at university as a 16-year-old. There’s more to learn from Norm than most professors.