Remembering Norm Crosby, Master of Malaprop

Norm Crosby, a Jewish comedian from Boston who served time on the Borscht Belt circuit and in Las Vegas hotels, died yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 93. He was known mainly as a source of malapropisms that he integrated into his comedy routines. 

Crosby became a frequent guest on TV talk and variety shows, including Dean Martin’s, and subsequently was a perfect choice as a regular roaster on the hugely popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts of the ‘70s, writing lines like: “Wilt Chamberlain is an insulation to young people all over the world. Wherever he appears, after every game the kids give him a standing ovulation.”

Crosby continued with a busy schedule in the following decades, and was the Los Angeles co-host of the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon for over 25 years, until Lewis was unceremoniously dumped from the annual event in 2011. In later years Crosby performed at casinos, Friars Club roasts, and on cruise ships.

We previously posted video clips of Crosby co-hosting Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons in 1987 and 1997. Here is a clip of a Crosby performance on The Dean Martin Show in 1967.

Enjoy! 

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