Judd Apatow just admitted no one had the slightest clue that comedian Norm Macdonald was ill during their last show together.
For those unaware, September 14, 2025 marks the fourth death anniversary of Macdonald, a renowned Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, who passed away on the same date in 2021 at the age of 61 after battling with cancer for nine years.
In a talk with PEOPLE magazine, Apatow reflected on one of the Saturday Night Live star's final memories, stating it was mixed with his signature humor.
Calling to mind, the 57-year-old director and film producer shared, "I did a show with him at Largo in Los Angeles. And at the time, none of us knew that he was sick. And I just remember that, at the end of the show, he got very emotional and said to the crowd, 'You're so nice to me, but I have to go over there now.’”
"And he pointed to the wings, like the real world, [and said], 'Because here, it's kind of great, but I have to go over there.’ And then he just looked at the audience and he said, 'I love you.' And he walked offstage,” Apatow, the King of Staten Island director, said.
Notably, other than serving as a “Weekend Update” anchor on Saturday Night Live, Macdonald played well-received roles in movies such as Billy Madison (1995), Dirty Work (1998) and Screwed (2000) in his decades-long career.
It is pertinent to mention that the late star also authored a book, Based on a True Story: Not a Memoir and appeared in his own series, The Norm Show, from 1999 to 2001 and A Minute with Stan Hooper in 2003.