Bob Odenkirk criticizes a Saturday Night Live sketch that he felt was mean-spirited towards the late Chris Farley in his new book. Although best known for his roles in shows and movies like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Nobody, Odenkirk got his start writing sketches for SNL in the late 1980s. Working alongside SNL greats like Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, and Conan O'Brien, Odenkirk would eventually leave the series to create Mr. Show with David Cross, which ran four seasons on HBO.
Also present during Odenkirk's years at SNL, Farley had a larger-than-life personality and a particularly energetic and loud style of comedy that quickly made him a standout on the show. Farley, in addition to proving popular on SNL, also appeared in a number of feature films, including Wayne's World, Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Beverly Hills Ninja. After struggling with various forms of addiction for much of his life, Farley passed away in 1997 at the age of 33 due to a drug overdose.
In his autobiography Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama (via EW), Odenkirk speaks fondly of his SNL years but recalls one sketch with Farley that felt particularly mean-spirited. The "Chippendales Audition" sketch, which saw Patrick Swayze and Farley dance shirtless, was a big break for Farley, but Odenkirk explains that it also reaffirmed Farley's negative beliefs in himself – that he was at his funniest when people were laughing at him and not with him. Check out Odenkirk's full comment below:
"It was a huge bummer to me to see that scene get on the air and get such attention. I know it confirmed Chris's worst instincts about being funny, which was how he proved his worth — that getting laughed at was as good as getting a laugh. Writers I knew and respected defended this sketch because it had a funnyish idea buried in it: the Chippendales judges prefer Swayze's dancing over Chris's but can't put a finger on why. But that idea is not what produced the gales of cackling (and gasps) from the live audience. Chris flopping his overstuffed body around did that. I feel like I can see it on his face in the moment when he rips his shirt off. Shame and laughter are synthesized in the worst way. F--- that sketch."
The "Chippendales Audition" sketch is one of the most well-known SNL sketches ever, but Odenkirk's comments suggest that it may have done true harm to Farley in terms of the comedian's self-image. Farley's struggles with his weight are well known now, with reports indicating that, although he desired to lose weight, he felt that he wouldn't be as funny if he did. This is evident in a number of the comedy bits that Farley did over the years, including the "Fat Guy in a Little Coat" scene in Tommy Boy, in which the actor dons a coat several sizes too small for him and then splits it down the back while dancing.
Farley is one of the most beloved SNL cast members ever, not just by fans, but by his fellow cast members as well. Odenkirk's comments highlight the unfortunate struggle Farley was going through at the time and the negative effects the "Chippendales Audition" sketch may have had on his self-image. Looking back, it's clearer now the ways in which Farley's self-image was likely connected to his struggles with food, drugs, and alcohol. Farley was truly one-of-a-kind and it's a shame that comedy bits like the "Chippendales Audition" Saturday Night Live sketch reinforced the notion that he was at his funniest only when he was the punchline.
Source: Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama by Bob Odenkirk (via EW)