Jim Norton

James Joseph Norton was born on July 19, 1968, in Bayonne, New Jersey, and grew up in North Brunswick, New Jersey. His early life was marked by challenges, including heavy alcohol use starting at age 13. After dropping out of North Brunswick High School in his senior year, he attended a rehab facility at his parents’ insistence and became sober by New Year’s Eve 1985. Following three years of sobriety, he obtained his GED and briefly attended Middlesex County College before deciding to pursue comedy full-time. He initially worked in a copper company, operating a forklift, but was fired at age 23, which led him to focus on his burgeoning comedy career. He performed his first stand-up routine in April 1990 at an open mic night in Sayreville, New Jersey. For the next five years, he dedicated himself to honing his craft, traveling to various cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. His breakthrough came in 1997 when Andrew Dice Clay invited him to open for his tours after seeing Norton on “The Louie Show.” This opportunity led to performances in major venues, including Madison Square Garden in 2000. Norton developed a distinctive style characterized by self-deprecating humor, which resonated with audiences and fellow comedians alike.

Norton gained national recognition as the “third mic” on the “Opie and Anthony” radio show, beginning in 2001 on WNEW in New York City. The show moved to XM Satellite Radio in 2004 after a controversial incident led to its cancellation. When Anthony Cumia was fired in 2014, Norton continued as host of “Opie with Jim Norton” and later “Jim Norton & Sam Roberts” until his departure from SiriusXM in January 2025. His radio career complemented his stand-up, allowing him to continuously develop and refine new material. Beyond radio, he has released four comedy albums and seven specials, including three on Epix and two on Netflix, such as “Please Be Offended” (2012) and “A Mouthful of Shame” (2017). His television appearances include a recurring role on “Lucky Louie” and regular panelist on “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.” He has also authored two books, “Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch” (2007) and “I Hate Your Guts” (2008), both of which became New York Times Best Sellers. In 2016, he became co-host of the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast with Matt Serra, and launched his own podcast, “The Chip Chipperson Podacast” in 2017. His film credits include “Cop Out,” “Furry Vengeance.” He played a young Don Rickles in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” (2019).