Andrew Miller | For NJ Advance Media

By Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

In the process of coming to the defense of his friend, Norm Macdonald, comedian Artie Lange is claiming that talk shows haven't touched him because he made a politically incorrect comment during a TV appearance.

Late Tuesday night, Lange, 50, tweeted in defense of Macdonald, who has been widely criticized for comments he made in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Macdonald is friends with Roseanne Barr and Louis C.K., who both lost jobs — Barr for making racist comments on Twitter and C.K. for sexual misconduct. In the interview, he said he connected Barr with C.K. because he thought the comedian could help her, since they both took big hits to their careers that spurred their quick fall from grace.

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Ethan Miller | Getty Images

"There are very few people that have gone through what they have, losing everything in a day," Macdonald said in the interview while promoting his new Netflix talk show, "Norm Macdonald Has a Show."

"Of course, people will go, 'What about the victims?'" he continued. "But you know what? The victims didn't have to go through that."

Macdonald's comment was just one of several in the interview that drew criticism on social media, with many pointing out that the victims had, in fact, lost plenty, and sometimes in much less time than a day. Dictionary.com even tweeted out the definition of "victim" in response to Macdonald's statement.

The comedian had also said he was happy "the #MeToo movement had slowed down a little bit."

("They both made terrible mistakes and I would never defend their actions," Macdonald later tweeted. "If my words sounded like I was minimizing the pain that their victims feel to this day, I am deeply sorry.")

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Roseanne and Louis have both been very good friends of mine for many years. They both made terrible mistakes and I would never defend their actions. If my words sounded like I was minimizing the pain that their victims feel to this day, I am deeply sorry. -- Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) September 11, 2018

But the damage had been done. Just before he was supposed to appear on "The Tonight Show," Macdonald, the former host of "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live," said Jimmy Fallon informed him that NBC was canceling his appearance in light of his comments.

Lange, pictured above at his June sentencing for heroin possession — he got four years of probation — embarked on a tweetstorm in support of Macdonald.

The comedian, who lives in Hoboken and has credited Macdonald with helping him get clean after drug binges, was also a cast member on Macdonald's ABC series "Norm" from 1999 to 2001 and co-starred with him in the 1998 movie "Dirty Work."

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Allow me to ramble for a few tweets in defense of my old friend Norm Macdonald. (I've also known him for years). If u don't understand the sentence pls stop reading now. Back to Norm. U see I'm in an odd situation. I have made a living as a professional humorist for 24 yrs- -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Reacting to the notion that Macdonald would be kicked off "The Tonight Show," Lange, who grew up in Union Township, went into detail about his own experiences with talk shows.

"U see I'm in an odd situation," he tweeted. "I have made a living as a professional humorist for 24 yrs- Yet I’m not treated like I’m in Show business. This is good and bad. It's also as aforementioned odd. I've been a regular on several network tv shows. Starred in studio movies. Written best selling books. Sold out Carnegie Hall in 2 hours. A record for comedians btw!"

Lange, who is best known for his stint on "The Howard Stern Show," continued: "I'm in SAG The Writers Guild. Etc. and oh yeah. I co hosted the biggest radio show of all time for 8 plus years. This lead to my own tv / radio show and podcast. Currently my I'm on a tour promoting my 3rd book and I still do stand up. Wherever the cash is green And...That brings me to my biggest link to mainstream show biz. For 3 seasons I've been a regular on a HBO series produced by the iconic comedy force and loyal friend Judd Apatow & starring the talented Pete Holmes who’s been great to me."

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Yet I'm not treated like I'm in Show business. This is good and bad. It's also as aforementioned odd. I've been a regular on several network tv shows. Starred in studio movies. Written best selling books. Sold out Carnegie Hall in 2 hours. A record for comedians btw! - -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange carried on with his tweetstorm, posting some tweets we can't post here, but mentioned his history with drug addiction, calling himself a "junky" and "a degenerate gambler" (that's in the title of his book).

"In rehab I once lost 1500 bucks betting my blood sugar was higher than a guy who could've been B.B. Kings stand in who had just eaten a Marble cake ( I did not know the last part)," Lange tweeted.

"I did not graduate from High School on time," he continued. "No college. I've been in jail several times Rehab like 8 times. Detoxes, crazy houses. I'm currently on probation for felony drug (possession). But that's all I’m guilty of. Being an addict. I've never stolen a dime. Never dealt drugs Ever. & never ever harmed a woman. Sexually or otherwise. I'm sure many woman have regretted having sex w me but they would all tell u. Their bad. It was a choice they made. Others would say look 'Crack ain't free!' And Amen sister. So I'm complicated. I've tweeted awful things."

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I'm in SAG The Writers Guild. Etc. and oh yeah. I co hosted the biggest radio show of all time for 8 plus years. This lead to my own tv / radio show and podcast. Currently my I'm on a tour promoting my 3rd book and I still do stand up. Wherever the cash is green And... -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange went on to reminisce about being kicked out of a gig for Apple because he made a lewd comment about the company's CEO, Tim Cook.

"So I feel ppl let me get away with awful stuff cause I'm expected to be scum," Lange tweeted. "Though I've lost things it seems. For awhile I was a regular on every major talk show. Any fan of mine would say I delivered. Matter of fact not many comics are as good as I am on a talk show."

He then zeroed in on that talk show issue.

"At one point I was in Fallon's Tonight Show more than any other guest. Including doing them a solid by performing a last min stand up set which killed. But u won't see it ever again cuz in it I say it's odd- that Bruce Jenner now has a (slang term for female genitalia)."

"Guess I'm the weirdo," he continued. "I can't even get called back by ppl at the Tonight Show. Jimmy Kimmel? Not a peep. Although I think Cousin Sal is currently considering me as the 3rd guest on his podcast. My fingers are crossed."

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I did not graduate from High School on time. No college. I've been in jail several times Rehab like 8 times. Detoxes, crazy houses. I'm currently on probation for felony drug possesion. But that's all I'm guilty of. Being an addict. I've never stolen a dime. Never dealt drugs -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange said that Conan O'Brien has been the most loyal host, and that he's been making appearances on his shows for 20 years, but that "it's starting to feel chilly from that end too."

"I have a book out with a major publisher," the comedian tweeted. "I'm on A critically acclaimed HBO series," he said, again referring to "Crashing" on HBO. "Two episodes including the pilot are named after me." (One last season dealt with Lange's history of addiction.)

In this, Lange was listing all of his credentials for being a good talk show guest, but he also thinks he's a consistently entertaining presence on the shows. Ultimately, the loss of those appearances has hurt him, he said.

"I do stand up," he said. "Plugs on these shows help me make money. Theyre taking money from me. If someone says it's cuz Artie's not a good guest they're bullsh*tting on an insane level! Or cuz Artie does not have anything going on again huge chunk of sh*t."

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So I feel ppl let me get away with awful stuff cause I'm expected to be scum. Though I've lost things it seems. For awhile I was a regular on every major talk show. Any fan of mine would say I delivered. Matter of fact not many comics are as good as I am on a talk show- -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange indicted the powers that be for both being too politically correct and not willing to deal with him in the wake of his struggles with drug addiction — "Huge hypocrites who I've exhausted my last breathe caring about," he tweeted. "They have shown their hands. They suck. Agents who I've made money for for decades don't return calls. They take some phony moral stance based on my demons. I know them. Their sins make me look like Mother Theresa!"

In this, Lange cast his involvement in "Crashing" — "the last thing they can take," he said — as hinging on the loyalty of its executive producer, Judd Apatow, and star, Pete Holmes. (After he was arrested for drug possession in Hoboken last year, Lange had claimed that was being kicked off the show, which never transpired.)

"Judd &!Pete have been loyal & are good friends but they might feel pressure that hurts them too," he said. "Pete's got a kid comin. This sounds dramatic but it's real.They owe me nothing. I’m on the show cuz I deliver. If it goes it's been great."

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I've been doing Conan's Show for 20 years. Always killed. Love Conan. Although it's starting to feel chilly from that end too. I have a book out with a major publisher. I'm on A critically acclaimed HBO series. Two episodes including the pilot are named after me- -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Getting back to the talk show cancelation issue, Lange said Macdonald surpasses even him as a guest.

"Everything in my career after Mad TV I owe to Norm, he tweeted. "He’s 1 of the guys who anyone including me would say is way better than me on talk shows Norm is a genius. Im not. So I'm not speaking for Norm. I just saw the Tonight Show cancelled Norms spot tonight."

"Why? Cuz he had the audacity to defend in a kind of subtle way his two long time friends Roseanne & Louie C.K. 2 ppl who lost everything in seconds for in Rosannes case literally two stupid sentences & in Louie's much more serious case accusations of sexual abuse by woman."

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Huge hypocrites who I've exhausted my last breathe caring about. They have shown their hands. They suck. Agents who I've made money for for decades don't return calls. They take some phony moral stance based on my demons. I know them. Their sins make me look like Mother Theresa! -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange said that Macdonald was simply trying take his longtime friendships into consideration (Barr, for example, had helped Macdonald get a start in the business, having him write for the original "Roseanne."). But he also weight the seriousness of C.K.'s offenses.

"But even wLouie theirs a lot of grey," Lange tweeted. "It doesn't seem he actually touched anyone (C.K. has admitted that he exposed himself to women and masturbated in front of them). But still if he did what they say he did to my sister he'd have a tattoo on his forehead that said Louisville slugger. Point is it's complicated. Ppl who have defended Roman Polanski have Oscars-"

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That brings me to Norm. Everything in my career after Mad TV I owe to Norm. He's 1 of the guys who anyone including me would say is way better than me on talk shows Norm is a genius. Im not. So I'm not speaking for Norm. I just saw the Tonight Show cancelled Norms spot tonight -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange portrayed the response to Macdonald's comments as an overreaction.

"Let's get perspective here," He tweeted. "So Norm who I can testify is a true friend was trying to take his friendships into account added to the actual allegations & basically said 'Man they deserve some penance but to lose all your life's work in an hr?-Any rational person prob thinks it's at least a fair question! So for posing that fair question in a print interview They punish Norm by taking away part of his living he's worked so hard for. But we lose An appearance by a comedic genius that we would've prob guffawed at."

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Why? Cuz he had the audacity to defend in a kind of subtle way his two long time friends Roseanne & Louie C.K. 2 ppl who lost everything in seconds for in Rosannes case literally two stupid sentences & in Louie's much more serious case accusations of sexual abuse by woman- -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange was incensed, asking someone to tweet him who "The Tonight Show" booked instead of Macdonald.

" That's the true comedy here," he said. "What saved the day? The safe comedy of some ***hole they pulled out of a coffee shop last week? F*** u all. All u hypocrites who next time I see at a club better not give me (the) sh*t."

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But even wLouie theirs a lot of grey. It doesn't seem he actually touched anyone. But still if he did what they say he did to my sister he'd have a tattoo on his forehead that said Louisville slugger. Point is it's complicated. Ppl who have defended Roman Polanski have Oscars- -- Artie Lange (@artiequitter) September 12, 2018

Lange signed off with a call to resist what he cast as the policing of humor.

"Ok. I am done but Remember u young folk," he said. "Push back on this bullsh*t. You're gonna have a country w no sense of humor. And then you know what you have? Syria. I’m Syrias. See (the) comedy ur missing. Love u all. Love Norm. Peace."

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.