Comedy lost an absolute legend on Tuesday with the death of Norm Macdonald. Is there anything we can add to the countless clips, jokes, and fond remembrances floating around the internet? Nope. R.I.P. Norm. You were fucking hilarious.
Also hilarious: Macdonald’s criminally underrated 1998 starring vehicle Dirty Work. Never seen it? Want/need to see it again? Milwaukee’s Avalon Theater will screen the film throughout the weekend. Here are the showtimes, along with ticket links: September 17 (9:30 p.m.), September 18 (9:30 p.m.), and September 19 (1:30 p.m.).
Dirty Work film finds financially desperate friends Mitch Weaver (Macdonald) and Sam McKenna (Artie Lange) opening a revenge-for-hire business in an effort to raise money for a black market heart. The crude, Bob Saget-directed buddy comedy grossed just over $10 million, well shy of its $13 million budget, during its laughably brief theatrical run. It was decimated by critics and largely ignored by audiences. Still, Dirty Work has managed to fashion a small-but-devoted cult following since its release, due to Macdonald’s dry genius, dozens of memorable lines, and cameos from the likes of Don Rickles, Chevy Chase, John Goodman, Gary Coleman, Adam Sandler, and Rebecca Romijn. (Dirty Work is also the last film in Chris Farley’s credits.)
Again, R.I.P. Norm. It hurts. But the lack of respect hurts the second most.