COMEDY : Update: Norm MacDonald

Norm MacDonald didn’t take the shortest route from his native Quebec City to New York City, where he bolstered his name as host of the “Weekend Update” portion of “Saturday Night Live.”

He spent about five years working Canada’s comedy clubs before moving to Los Angeles, where he landed a job writing for ABC’s “Roseanne.” After the perfunctory cable performances and late-night spots with Jay and Dave, he earned his shot with “Saturday Night Live” two seasons ago.

On Friday and Saturday, the baby-faced thirtysomething comic is back on the West Coast, where he will do two shows each night at the Irvine Improv.

“He’s so acerbic,” said Nicole Odekirk, the club’s general manager. “He’s very similar to David Spade in his delivery. He’s very intellectual. His pacing is a little off, and when you’re not expecting a joke, it’ll be right there.”