The absence of "Opie and Anthony" from the airwaves between August 2002 and October 2004 encouraged Norton to write and develop his stand-up act. Soon after the show's cancellation, he underwent his Yellow Discipline Tour. In 2003, he had assembled a new 45-minute set and assembled his first comedy album, "Yellow Discipline", which was followed by "Trinkets I Own Made from Gorilla Hands", in April 2005. Soon after, Norton filmed his first half-hour HBO comedy special as part of the network's "One Night Stand" series, at NYU's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts after his manager informed him of the chance to perform a showcase in the New York City area. In 2004, Norton was voted best comedian and breakthrough performer of the year on Cringe Humor. Following his return to radio in 2004, Norton began a weekday routine of doing radio in the morning and performing short sets in a New York City comedy club, mostly the Comedy Cellar, in the evening to work on new material. From 2006 to 2008, Norton featured on every show of the annual Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour. In 2008, Norton hosted a four-part show on HBO titled "Down and Dirty with Jim Norton" that featured Lemmy as its musical director. He had Amy Schumer be his opening act in her early career.