Chris Farley
Chris Farley, like John Belushi, showed huge talent, and equally huge personal issues. Uploaded by canthavetoomanycards.com.
Unless you’ve been living in a van down by the river, you know that the casts of Saturday Night Live from 1990-95 were among its best. Regulars included Adam Sandler, David Spade, Julia Sweeney, and Rob Schneider. Phil Hartman and Dana Carvey were there for most of the period. But one guy who stood out in lots of ways was the brilliant Chris Farley.
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He had some terrific continuing bits, including motivational speaker Matt Foley, a brilliant Chippendales skit with Patrick Swayze, and the Chris Farley Show. That’s when Farley would interview a celebrity, and inevitably get tongue-tied and end up asking trite and stupid questions. (My favorite was with Paul McCartney.) Following SNL, Farley made several movies, the most memorable of which was Tommy Boy.
But Farley had major problems with his health and drug use. He went to one type of rehab or another 17 different times. His problems soon interfered with his work, and one day his brother came to his apartment to find him dead of an overdose. Much like John Belushi in an earlier era, Chris Farley’s death was such a waste of talent – but while he displayed the light of his talent, it didn’t just shine – it sparkled.
Do you remember when SNL had great talents like Chris Farley? …and he would do his Matt Foley character? …and he’s end up breaking someone’s furnature? Do you remember that? It was funnny…
Great Chris Farley impression, Collier!