That's one of the things that, in retrospect, he was a genius about.
I've said before that I wasn't a fan back then. And I still think that weekend update wasn't the right place for him, and that's why he wasn't always popular in the spot. WU was always a bit more direct in its style before him (imo). So he didn't fit expectations.
But damn, this one really is a great example of his craft. It's a well constructed joke that flopped, but he stuck to the bit. That's what you do. If you abandon the bit, that's when you fail, not when the joke doesn't work. They can't all be winners, and even a bomb might just be because it's the wrong room.
But Norm was a fucking pro, and he stuck to it, and that made it funnier looking back on it.
Can't say I'll ever be his biggest fan, but damn do I wish I'd gotten him sooner.