Jim Norton (comedian)

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Jim Norton
Born July 19, 1968 (1968-07-19) (age 39)
North Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Medium Stand-up, radio, television
Nationality United States
Years active 1990 – Present
Genres Cringe humor, Black comedy, Satire, Observational comedy
Subject(s) human sexuality, self-deprecation
Influences Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Clay, Woody Allen, Don Rickles
Notable works and roles Opie and Anthony
Lucky Louie
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn
Website eatabullet.com

Jim Norton (born July 19, 1968) is an American comedian hailing from New Jersey. He is heard on a nationally syndicated radio program with Opie and Anthony. He also appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno five times, appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, filmed an episode of HBO stand up comedy program One Night Stand, co-starred in the short-lived HBO series Lucky Louie and had a cameo appearance in the film Spider-Man. He is best known for his so-called "cringe humor" style, which deals with sensitive and uncomfortable subjects. Jim is currently filming a new pilot for HBO, Down and Dirty with Jim Norton.

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[edit] Career

At age 12, Norton decided he wanted to be a comedian after seeing Richard Pryor's special Richard Pryor: Live in Concert. Norton became a comedian in the early 1990s, when comic Jim Florentine helped Norton receive his first paying stand-up gig. Norton lived with Florentine for several years while they broke into show business.

In Norton's bio, Judi Brown of the Aspen Comedy Festival says, "He's so brutally honest. He's very refreshing in a business where a lot of people are phony."

[edit] Radio

Norton became a regular guest on The Opie and Anthony Show on WNEW in late 1999 after several entertaining guest appearances by himself and along with Andrew Dice Clay. In 2000, he was arrested with Lewis Black, show producer Rick Delgado, and a busload of naked teen women in connection with a stunt performed on the show involving the transparent "Voyeur Bus", which drove through Manhattan streets displaying the naked teens. Before Norton could become an official member of the radio show, it was cancelled by Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio) due to the St. Patrick's Cathedral "Sex for Sam 3" incident on August 15, 2002. Norton has co-hosted The Opie and Anthony Show since it reemerged on XM Radio in October 2004. He is famous for such bits as "Frunkis," "Uncle Paul," "Boardroom Jimmy" (a jargon-spouting stereotypical executive along the lines of Donald Trump), "Jimcy" (parodying the title character of 70's TV show Quincy, M.E. played by Jack Klugman), and calling in and screaming "Ramone," as Steve from Yellowstone, when the show hosts irritating guests. On February 11, 2008, he revealed that he once enjoyed swallowing the urine of a prostitute who had micturated directly into his mouth, causing revulsion and disgust in his co-hosts.[citation needed]

[edit] Television

For two years, Norton was a regular on the Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, which aired four nights per week. He was selected to be among the final twenty contestants for the second season of Last Comic Standing, but had to back out due to contractual obligations.

Norton has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno five times, The Late Show with David Letterman once, and Jimmy Kimmel Live once.

His first half-hour HBO stand-up special aired on October 21, 2005, as part of the HBO Stand-up Series One Night Stand. In October 2007, Norton filmed his second HBO stand-up special, which aired live on October 13th 2007

In 2006, Norton landed the role of Rich on the HBO series Lucky Louie. Rich is a foul-mouthed, perverted, "ill-informed", straight shooting character that lives with his mother and deals pot to high schoolers for a living, departing from the traditionally tamer sitcom model of a supporting character. Lucky Louie ran for one season before HBO opted not to renew the series.

Norton has a new show premiering in September 2008 on HBO called Down and Dirty with Jim Norton.

[edit] Stand-up

Norton frequently tours the country, performing at the most well-known comedy clubs. In 2004, Norton was voted best comedian and breakthrough performer of the year on the Cringe Humor website, which is dedicated to some prominent New York comedians. Norton frequently performs at Caroline's and the Comedy Cellar, and sometimes performed at the weekly alternative standup "Eating It" show at the Luna Lounge before it closed in 2005. He is friends with several other comedians, including Rich Vos, Reverend Bob Levy, Jim Florentine, Otto Peterson (of the R-rated ventriloquist act Otto & George), Bill Burr, Colin Quinn, Louis C.K., Robert Kelly, Patrice Oneal, Keith Robinson and Artie Lange. Norton was the Best Man at Rich Vos's 2005 wedding to Bonnie McFarlane. Dom Irrera has described Norton as one of today's best comedians.

In June 2006, Norton helped arrange Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour. During August and September of that year, Norton was the headline comedian for some dates of Traveling Virus comedy tour.[1] He returned to the 2007 tour as well.[2]

[edit] Writing

In February 2007, it was learned on The Opie and Anthony Show that Norton was close to finishing a book believed to be an autobiographical collection of stories and anecdotes from his childhood and his comedy career. Norton has said on-air that he selected the title, Sorry, the Pages are Stuck Together, from a "Name Jimmy's Book" thread on a popular Opie and Anthony message board. However, the final title of the book ended up as "Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch" due to publishing conflicts. The book was released on July 10, 2007.[3] It reached #4 on the New York Times Bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction.[4] The book entered the Amazon.com Top 10 for books on the day it was released, peaking at #7. Norton has admitted in the book his love of literature, most notability his admiration of the Irish author, poet and playwright Samuel Beckett. Beckett’s minimalist, bleak and existential viewpoint immediately appealed to Norton's wry and often scathing sense of humor. An ex-girlfriend introduced him to Beckett’s work while in his late twenties. In an excerpt from his book Norton writes, “(she) would often quote passages from Molloy and Endgame while squatting over my chest…one night, during the awkwardness caused by the delay of her laxative taking effect, she looked down at me and asked, ‘Are you Waiting for Godot or Krapp's Last Tape you dirty boy!’ We both cracked up like silly geese and I knew I was in love.”

[edit] Film

Norton had a one-liner cameo in the film Spider-Man. His cameo occurs midway in the film when various New Yorkers are being interviewed for their opinions of Spider-Man. As a surly truck driver character, Norton replies "He stinks and I don't like him". Film director and frequent Opie and Anthony call-in guest Kevin Smith also recently announced on the show the he has a "small, but important role" for Norton in his next film Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

[edit] Selected works

Norton's first CD was released in 2003 entitled Yellow Discipline. His latest CD, Trinkets I Own Made From Gorilla Hands, was released in April 2005.

In 2007, Norton released his first book, entitled Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch.[5]

Norton appears on the internet video series The Good Side of Bad News on the Super Deluxe website with his good friend, comedian Jim Florentine.

He plays the role of Officer Morrison in the video game Bully, and an adult store owner in Grand Theft Auto IV, both by Rockstar.

[edit] Personal life

Norton is an avid autograph and celebrity photo collector. In June 2006, he commented on the CBS radio show of his disdain for the New York Yankees after Derek Jeter's Turn 2 10th Anniversary Charity Event. He was upset that Jeter repeatedly avoided autographing a photograph for which Norton posed with the Yankee shortstop, and even more annoyed when he saw Jeter eagerly pose for a woman's photo. Norton also criticized Ron Guidry and Jim Leyritz, who did not show enthusiasm for his requests for a photo. Norton apparently felt snubbed by the star attendees, except Joe Torre and Jason Giambi, and declared to be a Yankee fan no longer. To date, Norton has not decided on a team to support. (Of note, XM Satellite Radio made a $20,000 donation for their table at the event.)

Norton also criticized Gene Simmons (of KISS fame) for blowing off Norton's request for an autograph, leading to an on-air tirade by Norton. He publicly disavowed his fandom of Gene Simmons, who eventually visited the radio show when Norton confronted him on the subject. Simmons then gladly took a photo with him, explaining that he was preoccupied at the event, not realizing Norton was there. Norton's good faith seemed to be restored after this encounter. Norton is also a huge fan of Black Sabbath and frontman Ozzy Osbourne, vowing to defend them "to the death".

In his October 2007 HBO special, Norton told a joke about America's poker craze in which he admitted that he was a recovering alcoholic and addict.

[edit] Filmography

Actor

Writer

Self

[edit] References

  1. ^ Foundrymusic.com Headlines: THE OPIE AND ANTHONY TRAVELING VIRUS - 2006 COMEDY FESTIVAL
  2. ^ Foundrymusic.com Headlines: OPIE AND ANTHONY TRAVELING VIRUS COMEDY TOUR 2008
  3. ^ Norton, Jim (2007). Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch. Simon Spotlight Entertainment. ISBN 978-1416950226.
  4. ^ Hardcover Nonfiction - New York Times
  5. ^ Simon & Schuster: Jim Norton

[edit] External links