Imitating another language as incomprehensible. Is that the extent of this joke, or was there something else after it cuts? Cause that was shite

I don't think the butchering of German was the point of the joke. More the apoplexy with which Hitler delivered his speeches.

Generally, losing your cool and going off in fits of rage isn't a very persuasive way to make a point. Unless, of course, you are riling up people that are already seething with hatred and anger. The joke lies in a rational person from the 21st century (i.e., the audience) judging the persuasiveness of an insane Austrian from the mid 20th century.

The joke is a man just now discovering the evils of another, one that he should have been aware of for most of his conscious life.

It's his process of naive discovery that makes the joke.

To be fair though, Norm MacDonald is an acquired taste.

A friend of mine used to do this at school. I'm not even joking.

Wasn't funny then either!

You honestly think that Norm just now discovered Hitler?

That's the joke... "his process of naive discovery". It's a joke. He's a comedian, and he tells jokes. I'm sure @brycewi19 doesn't believe Norm just discovered Hitler, nor does Norm really want you to believe it. He's relating things that aren't true in order to be funny. I'm sure he didn't fly all night to get to the Letterman show, either, should he claim his arms are tired.

Did you all read the title and think he, Norm MacDonald, had something interesting or insightful to say about Hitler? Did you all see this as a learning opportunity? To feel slighted, or indignance, or just pissy... over this? Pffft...

Am I the only one who L'dMAO? I fuckin' love Norm MacDonald. I FUCKIN' LOVE NORM MACDONALD!

No you're not alone, the first line by itself was enough for me, that was comedy gold

The first line was genius. Everything after just detracted from it.

Norm Macdonald Gets All Choked Up On His Final Letterman has been added as a related post - related requested by eric3579 on that post.

I want to say Norm MacDonald is an acquired taste, but he isn't. I love this guy and always have. Maybe he can control some of our minds but not all?

Hmmm... maybe that's why he can just stammer and trip over his words, barely even mouthing out the entirety of their syllables and still be hilarious! It's actually his entire act to be ignorant, including his cadence and body language; so pretty much everything he does and says is ignorant in a very funny way. Irony is funny, what can a person say but to the contrary, which is objectively wrong -- and I have several books on irony that deal directly with the subject.

I can see why people don't enjoy his humor, but what he is doing, the jokes he's telling have objective qualities which are considered funny as per the writings and philosophies of mankind, therefore intellectually sound per said society.

The jokes are often but not always so low brow they appeal to a broad audience. It's genius, I'm sorry. You haters probably can't even stomach an Andy Kaufmann wrestling match.