Saturday Night Live is celebrating 40 years this season. When I look back and think about my favorite cast member, it’s a choice I came to in a roundabout way.
I didn’t watch SNL on a regular basis until I was in high school, and mostly the last two years, so the late 90s, if you’re looking for a time frame and also to depress me simultaneously. My cast was Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon (whose Sally O’Malley tops Mary Katherine Gallagher every DAMN day even though I’m about as graceful as MKG, that is neither here nor there), Chris Kattan, Darrell Hammond (whose Bill Clinton is so amazing but NOT as amazing as his Al Gore), etc.
My favorite cast member was no longer on the show at this point… or even alive, sadly. Yes, if I had to pick a favorite cast member of all time, it would be Chris Farley. But how could I come to this conclusion when he peaked on the show when I still had a strict bedtime? I’m glad you asked. First of all, how could you possibly watch ANY skit he’s in and not laugh your ass off?
I knew Farley was hilarious and amazing from seeing reruns of his seasons and the few movies he did. But in 2008, I read The Chris Farley Show, a biography of his life written as kind of an oral history. The book is so goddamn brilliant and I was lucky enough to catch the book signing in Chicago and meet his brother, Tom. But when I read that book (which I did in about two days and went all Gap girl LAY OFF ME I’M READING to people who tried to talk to me while doing so), it made me SO SAD that Chris’s life was cut so short. He had so much talent and was, at the same time, in so much pain.
Many people who contributed to the book talked about how all he wanted to do was make people laugh and be happy, and it appears he sacrificed his own health and happiness in order to do so. While SNL has had some stellar cast members, my sentimental favorite is Farley. But also — I can’t watch a skit he’s in without laughing my ass off. His timing, his presence, his physicality — they all combine to give us a glimpse of talent that was taken from us far too soon. One of his most iconic skits happened during his FOURTH SHOW EVER.
Chris Rock was one of many interviewed for the book, and he had some choice words about the Chippendales sketch:
“Chippendales” was a weird sketch. I always hated it. The joke of it is basically, “We can’t hire you because you’re fat.” I mean, he’s a fat guy, and you’re going to ask him to dance with no shirt on. Okay. That’s enough. You’re gonna get that laugh. But when he stops dancing you have to turn it in his favor. There’s no turn there. There’s no comic twist to it. It’s just fucking mean. A more mentally together Chris Farley wouldn’t have done it, but Chris wanted so much to be liked.
Seriously, have I mentioned that you should read this book yet? DO IT, DO IT NOW! (Also, can we discuss Patrick Swayze’s hair??). As funny as that skit is, and always makes the list of Best Evers, some insiders were not fans of it, including writer Bob Odenkirk who said in the book:
I didn’t like the fact that the first thing he became known for was that Chippendales thing, which I hated. Fucking lame, weak bullshit. I can’t believe anyone liked it enough to put it on the show. Fuck that sketch. He never should have done it.
I think, however, we can ALL agree that there was nothing but brilliance surrounding the motivational speaker, Matt Foley (who is based off one of Farley’s IRL friends). This skit with David Spade and Christina Applegate is one of my favorites, watching them try really hard to not lose it, with Applegate going so far as to hide behind her hair and Farley NEVER breaking character. (As much as I love Jimmy Fallon, he was the WORST at that.)
http://www.hulu.com/watch/4183
The book’s namesake was also one of Farley’s best known recurring skits. He approached his interviews with such innocence and awe. Many people close to him noted that this skit was the one truest to his actual character. And that’s what really speaks to his range, from bitchy high school Gap Girl to an awestruck adult interviewing movie stars, he nails it all.
The Super Fans skit hits close to home for me because I lived in Chicago and was privy to real life Super Fans and loved every minute of it. Farley’s Chicago accent is dead-on.
Farley died in December of 1997 at the age of 33. His cause of death was an accidental drug overdose after a four-day binge. In the final two years of his life, he attempted rehab 17 times. That is astounding. For as much as he wanted to conquer his demons, he ultimately let them get the best of him.
But we never saw it on the screen. We saw a gifted comedic actor who wanted nothing more than to make people laugh, and succeeded, and always did it in an endearing way. For as much as I love other cast members like Shannon and Oteri who I watched on a regular basis, it is Farley who I will always hold a soft spot for.
