A spokesperson for the late-night show said it canceled Macdonald’s appearance “out of sensitivity to our audience.”
Comedian Norm Macdonald’s controversial comments about the Me Too movement have cost him an appearance on “The Tonight Show.”
Macdonald was set to appear on the late-night program on Tuesday night, but the plug was pulled after he told The Hollywood Reporter that he was “happy the #MeToo movement has slowed down a bit.”
A “Tonight Show” spokesperson said it “decided to cancel” Macdonald’s appearance in light of his comments in the press and “out of sensitivity to our audience.”
Macdonald sparked further criticism when he defended comedian Louis C.K. (who has admitted sexual misconduct) and actress Roseanne Barr (who ABC fired from the “Roseanne” revival for sending a racist tweet) in the interview.
“There are very few people that have gone through what they have, losing everything in a day,” Macdonald said. “Of course, people will go, ‘What about the victims?’ But you know what? The victims didn’t have to go through that.”
Macdonald later apologized via Twitter:
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.
— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) September 11, 2018
Norm Macdonald Has A Trailer pic.twitter.com/YKKn4eUMXc
— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) September 7, 2018
His new comedy program, “Norm Macdonald Has a Show,” debuts on Netflix on Sept. 14.