In his 2022 memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, former Saturday Night Live writer Bob Odenkirk had some harsh words for the Chippendales sketch that put Chris Farley on the map.
“I know it confirmed Chris’ worst instincts about being funny, which was how he proved his worth—that getting laughed at was as good as getting a laugh,” Odenkirk wrote. “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.”
Now, another legendary SNL writer, Robert Smigel, has revealed that if it had been up to him, Farley would have gotten his own chance to address the way that show so often turned his body into a punchline when he came back to host in 1997—less than three months before his overdose death at just 33 years old.
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In a new podcast interview on Inside Late Night with Mark Malkoff, Smigel reveals the details of the sketch that had made it to read-through, but not the live show. He reads it aloud in its entirety, including appearances by the show’s executive producer Lorne Michaels and cast member Tracy Morgan.
“I have nothing but bad feelings about that episode,” Smigel says of Farley’s return to the show, which came at the height of his most unhealthy behavior. “I may regret this,” he adds, before explaining the premise of the sketch in question, which found Farley playing then-daytime talk show host Rosie O’Donnell. Moments into the sketch, Farley breaks character and confronts Michaels about the “pressure” of always having to portray other “fat” celebrities.
When Farley refuses to go on, Michaels says, “Get me the fat Black guy,” before correcting himself to say, “Sorry, the fat African-American guy,” in reference to Morgan. “Get me a list of fat celebrities,” he continues. “I mean as fat as Chris, OK? Get me double chins, saggy breasts, pregnant women are OK. I mean ridiculously fat.”
As those words echo in Farley’s head, he stops the sketch in its tracks by screaming, “Alright, enough, we get it!” and breaks into a song about wishing he could play “thin people” like Pee-wee Herman, Richard Gere and Jenny McCarthy.
After he finishes his impromptu performance of a sketch that was never meant to see the light of day, Smigel recalls feeling “uncomfortable,” even 27 years ago, making Michaels call Morgan the “fat Black guy” at the table read.
“Obviously what I was doing was making a comment on how Chris is being exploited for being fat,” Smigel says, noting that he was “mocking the show and the comedy world for just going to the ‘fat guy well’ over and over and over.” He adds, “It could easily be misinterpreted as saying all Chris can do is be fat guys, but I don’t think that was the point.”
Before moving on, Smigel remarks to the host, “I can’t believe I just read that for you.”
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