Club Shay Shay – Mark Normand Part 2

Podcast: Club Shay Shay
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Mark Normand
Date: March 18, 2026
Episode: Part 2

Episode Overview

In this lively second part, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe sits down with acclaimed stand-up comedian Mark Normand. Their candid, humorous, and often thought-provoking conversation ranges from current controversies and cultural observations to Mark’s personal journey in comedy. Together, they tackle sensitive topics—race, disability, fame—through a lens that’s equal parts wit and honesty, offering listeners a rare inside look at what shapes modern stand-up and public discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Current Events, Disability, and Editing Choices

- The BAFTA Incident & Tourette’s:

• Mark and Shannon discuss a controversial incident involving someone with Tourette’s at the BAFTA awards.
  • Mark: "It's a tough one because it's kind of this fork in the road for like disability and minorities' feelings and we don't know what to do." (02:53)
  • Shannon: "You had that opportunity. But when someone yelled free Palestine, you edited that out. There are other things you edited out. Would you leave this in?" (03:29)
• Both agree that giving blanket immunity for any behavior due to disability is a "slippery slope." (03:53 – 04:10)

Representation in America: Anthems, Identity, and Halftime Shows

- The Black National Anthem & National Identity:

• Mark jokes about alternative anthems and the complexity of national identity:
  • "I think the black national anthem's weird. To me, the black national anthem is the same as the Turning Point. It's just another alternative... Do we do an Asian one? A Tourette’s one? A Jewish one?" (04:32)
• Shannon argues the original anthem wasn’t intended for Black Americans, referencing history and the cut stanza (05:10).
• Together they debate inclusiveness, performative gestures, and shifting cultural spotlights in entertainment (05:24 – 07:14).

Race, Protest, and Double Standards

- Firearms at Protests and Media Memory:

• They compare public reactions to armed protesters of different backgrounds (ICE, Rittenhouse):
  • Shannon: "...you can't have it both ways. You can't say who shows up to a peaceful protest with a firearm and castigate one while praising the other." (08:44)
• The power of cell phones and surveillance in changing society:
  • Mark: "The cell phone cameras have changed the game on everything." (09:00)
  • Shannon: "That video... Rodney King... started everything. And from that point on, you just gotta assume... if you leave your house." (09:13 – 09:23)

Social Change, Technology, and Generational Gaps

• Decline of spontaneous behavior and social skills due to surveillance and digital communication (09:48 – 10:49):
  • Mark: "Kids aren't dancing anymore because they're scared they're gonna get recorded." (09:48)
  • "We’ve lived in both worlds... we’re lucky." (10:44 – 10:49)

Pop Culture: Taylor Swift, Fame, and Relationships

• Discussing Swift & Kelce: the scale of modern celebrity relationships (11:44 – 12:42)
  • Mark: "It's unnatural for a couple to be this public." (12:19)
  • Shannon: "Now you're talking about Beyonce and Michael Jackson—that level of fame." (12:45)

Food, Upbringing, and Regional Identity

• Mark’s food history: Southern and New Orleans cuisine, Waffle House loyalty, being a "fat kid," and his mom’s influence (13:58 – 19:11)
  • Mark: "I'm a Waffle House man till I die. You get dinner and a show." (13:58)

America Analogy & Sociopolitical Reflections

• Hot Dog as America: Enjoyable until you know how it’s made
  • Mark: "It's enjoyable, but the more you look at how it's made, the less you want to know." (19:32)
  • Compares learning America’s history and political realities to learning the ingredients of a hot dog (20:24 – 20:47).

Racism, Outrage Culture & Group Communication

• Mark on activism and the desire for conflict:
  • "We want shit to be bad almost, so it gives people a personality." (21:40)
• Mark jokes: "I would rather be on a plane with a Muslim than a baby." (22:08)
• Both discuss outrage culture and subgroup language:
  • Shannon: "Just because someone... communicates within their subgroup, doesn't mean I get the right." (29:09 – 29:34)
  • Mark: "There's so much venom in that word (the N word), you know?...I just don't partake." (28:12)

Comedy, Cancellation, and Limits

• Content disclaimers and the evolution of what is forbidden:
  • On movie disclaimers: "They do it for smoking now... That shows you how much shit's changed." (24:28 – 24:44)
  • Mark: "Now we got Ozempic, there's no excuse" (on the changing landscape around body jokes, 25:32)

Mark’s Comedy Career—Personal Journey

Code Switching & Cultural Navigation

• Mark talks code switching and its visibility between white and Black culture:
  • "I think we code switch all the time but the black, white is the most obvious." (26:16)

On the N Word, Boundaries, and Subgroup Discourse

• Explores who "owns" group language and its function. Shannon with an analogy:
  • "You might call your wife 'baby'. But if another man calls your wife that, you're gonna feel some type of way." (28:55 – 29:07)

Heroes and Influences

• Dave Chappelle's uniqueness as an orator:
  • Mark: "Probably the best orator in my lifetime." (34:13)
  • Shannon: "What makes him so great is, he never valued what they try to take from him (status, Hollywood approval)." (35:03)

Crime, Hustle, and Life Lessons

• Mark shares stories of being mugged and jumping turnstiles in New York:
  • "I got jumped three times in New York the first year for what? Well, twice it was my fault..." (37:01)
  • Story about dice shooters saving him from an old man mugger (38:10 – 38:54)

Comedy Hardships

• On bombing and hecklers:
  • Mark: "I went in on a heckler too hard...the whole crowd turned on me. That was tough." (39:08 – 39:29)
  • Papered rooms and rough gigs (39:36)

Early Support & Career Milestones

• Amy Schumer’s early support:
  • "She brought me on the road...She got me in the Comedy Cellar..." (40:27)
• Nikki Glaser's career and preparation (40:53 – 41:21)
• Getting noticed by Jerry Seinfeld while bombing:
  • "…my phone’s blowing up. People are like, 'Hey, Seinfeld’s talking about you.'" (41:58)

Business of Comedy

• Posting first special to YouTube after rejections, leveraging new platforms:

  • Mark: “It was all failure. I said, ‘Hey, Netflix.’ They said, ‘kick rocks.’” (44:58)
  • “That changed my whole career...hit like 13 million views and I was selling tickets everywhere.” (45:14)

• On content rights and Netflix:

  • "You get a two year lease...or you can go, I'm keeping it. Then put it on YouTube." (46:08 – 46:19)

Style & Writing Approach

• Mark on joke delivery:
  • "I'm a joke, joke, joke. Like Rodney. Gatling gun…I'm an Uzi." (51:11 – 51:27)
• His special, None Too Pleased:
  • "I hit every group...It’s all about love. It’s all about ball busting. It's like my childhood." (51:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You can't have it both ways. You can't say who shows up to a peaceful protest with a firearm and castigate one while praising the other." — Shannon Sharpe (08:44)
• "I'm a Waffle House man till I die. You get dinner and a show." — Mark Normand (13:58)
• "It's enjoyable, but the more you look at how it's made, the less you want to know." — Mark Normand (on hot dogs/America, 19:32)
• "I would rather be on a plane with a Muslim than a baby." — Mark Normand (22:08)
• "We want shit to be bad almost, so it gives people a personality." — Mark Normand (21:40)
• "Probably the best orator in my lifetime." — Mark Normand (on Dave Chappelle, 34:13)
• "Amy Schumer...gave me a huge leg up. She was so giving, so loyal..." — Mark Normand (40:27)
• "[Posting my special on YouTube] changed my whole career." — Mark Normand (45:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:40] – Conversation re-starts: BAFTA/Tourette’s controversy
• [04:32] – Discussing anthems, inclusivity, and national identity
• [08:02] – Police, protests, and double standards with firearms
• [10:08] – Technology’s impact on youth and socialization
• [11:44] – Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce, scale of fame
• [13:58] – Waffle House vs. Cracker Barrel, food and Southern roots
• [19:32] – "Hot dog as America" analogy
• [22:14] – “I'd rather fly with a Muslim than a baby”—jokes and complaints
• [26:16] – Code switching; black and white culture
• [28:12] – Use of the N word; boundaries and group language
• [34:13] – Dave Chappelle as a storyteller and comedian
• [37:01] – Mark's early New York struggles—muggings, hustling
• [39:08] – Comedy bombing, hecklers, “papered rooms”
• [40:27] – Amy Schumer’s mentorship
• [41:58] – Seinfeld name-drops Normand on-air
• [44:58] – Youtube special, breaking through after rejections
• [51:38] – Mark describes style and intent for None Too Pleased
• [52:10] – First big check: splurging on a classic car
• [54:35] – Early jobs, getting fired for edgy jokes
• [56:13] – Parenting style vs. his own upbringing
• [59:39] – Motivation and routines to improve daily
• [61:16] – Comedians "riffing" offstage and at home

Tone & Banter

The episode is a freewheeling, rapid-fire exchange marked by sharp, irreverent humor, authentic vulnerability, and thoughtful cultural critique. Mark brings his signature self-deprecation and social awareness, while Shannon anchors the conversation with wisdom, warmth, and incisive follow-up questions. Despite broaching edgy or divisive topics, both men maintain a spirit of respect and candor that makes the dialogue engaging and enlightening for listeners of all backgrounds.