Norm Macdonald Apologizes ... Again

Norm Macdonald is apologizing for his apology. After initially coming under fire for saying he was "happy the #MeToo movement has slowed down a bit," among other things, the comedian has come under more fire for saying "you'd have to have Down syndrome to not feel sorry for [sexual harassment victims]." On the View Thursday, he explained that the comment came during an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, and that "there is a thing with Howard where there’s a recklessness in the studio," per Variety. "There used to be a word we would all say to mean stupid that we wouldn’t say any more. You know the word I’m talking about? Stupidly I was about to say that word," but he stopped and subbed in something "equally [offensive]." He said it was "unforgivable," and a "terrible, terrible thing for me to say."

• With regard to his comments about Chris Hardwick getting "the blunt end of the stick" after accusations were levied against him: "If 500 women go against a man, obviously the guy is guilty. For Chris Hardwick, it was one woman against one man. So for him, I think it was good the pendulum was slowing. That’s all I was trying to say." (Hardwick ultimately returned to work at AMC following an investigation.)
• With regard to his comments about sexual harassment victims not going through what people like Roseanne and Louis CK have gone through: He said he was worried about Roseanne after she was booted from her show, and he told her she should talk to Louis CK because "he's been through this and has had everything taken from him. ... And [the reporter asked,] 'What about the victims?' and I said, 'Well, the victims haven’t gone through this.' This particular event. Of course, the victims have gone through worse than that. But am I going to get a victim to phone Roseanne?"

Macdonald added that he was caught off guard by the ire directed toward him following those comments: "I have been surprised because I never did anything. I spoke. I don’t want to be tossed in with people who did, not crimes, but sins. I barely have consensual sex." Entertainment Weekly notes that he looked "utterly miserable" during the appearance. (More Norm Macdonald stories.)