About This Bit
In this bit, Norm leans into his experience working as a bartender. He frames the story around a 'classic' barroom encounter: a persistent, intoxicated patron who insists on throwing a dart, and the accidental prize he receives.
The story hinges on the absurdity of Norm's improvised prize-giving. Having found a turtle in a shoebox intended for his nephew, he impulsively gives it to the drunk man. The payoff comes two weeks later when the man returns, implying he mistook the turtle for a roast beef sandwich.
Why It Hits
- Norm's narrative framing: He emphasizes the mundane rules of bartending before descending into the surreal nature of the turtle-sandwich mix-up.
- The 'Dark' Punchline: The joke lands because of the implication that the customer was so drunk he ate the live turtle, a realization that hits both Norm and the audience simultaneously.
- Commitment to the 'Real' Story: By insisting 'it wasn't a joke, it really happened,' Norm adds a layer of uncomfortable, deadpan absurdity to the entire interaction.
- Conan's role: Conan's genuine horror when he realizes what the customer did with the turtle perfectly punctuates the end of the bit.
Key Moments
- 00:00:45: The drunk customer — Norm describes the rule of not serving drunk customers, leading to the customer's request to throw a dart.
- 01:36: The prize — After the customer hits a bullseye, Norm finds a turtle in a shoebox and gives it to him, thinking it's a 'dumb gift' for a child anyway.
- 02:34: The return — The drunk customer returns two weeks later, insists on throwing another dart, and hits another bullseye.
- 03:09: The punchline — When Norm asks what the customer won last time, the man replies: 'A roast beef on a hard roll.'