This past Friday, during date night, I showed my wife one of my personal favorite comedies from the mid 90's. The movie was "Tommy Boy". I watched that movie over and over and over again when I was a teenager. It was the best. And I think it still holds up. There are a few problematic things and words used in the movie, that is for sure. But other than those very short, very few not so great words and scenes, I found myself cracking up just like when I was a kid. My wife wasn't laughing as hard as me, but she did say it was funny. She was also very clued in to why I loved, and still love, this movie so much.

I'm not here to talk about the movie. I love it, as I said. I want to talk a bit about Chris Farley. Farley was a comedy legend. He was one of the greatest "SNL" actors ever. He owned the comedies he starred in in the 90's. He was lightning in a bottle. He was this physical mastermind who also happened to be extremely hilarious. Farley had it all. And as a young teen, that was exactly what I wanted when I watched comedy. Farley was pretty much my entryway to comedy. I did not start to really dig deep into comedy until I discovered Farley. He was a gateway drug for me.

Unfortunately, he also lived his life way too hard. He died way too young. He could have done so much more in his life. But drugs are bad and addictive. He relapsed a ton. He did not take care of himself at all. He lived too fast and died much too young. He truly lived like his idol, John Belushi, to the fullest extent. Which is a bummer.

Watching him in "Tommy Boy" was amazing. When he did cartwheels after passing his test I was amazed at how athletic he was, but I was also cracking up. Seeing him lead this comedy was incredible. He was a force of nature. But he also handled the very minor dramatic moments really well in the movie. He had range. The same could be said for some of his other movies. He was amazing in "Coneheads". He had a very small role, but it was memorable. "Beverly Hills Ninja" would be unwatchable with any other actor in the lead role. The movie is not good, at all, but Farley is good in it. He makes it watchable. I saw it in the theaters simply because of Farley. He has some of the most quotable and memorable lines from "Billy Madison". He is so awesome as the bus driver. After doing "Tommy Boy", he and David Spade teamed up again for "Black Sheep". I saw that movie almost as much as "Tommy Boy". It is like an unauthorized sequel, and it is a decent movie. Farley, again, totally carries the movie. The scene at the Rock the Vote festival is one of the funniest things I have seen in a movie in quite some time. And his role in "Dirty Work" is so god damn cool. He is in full Farley mode, and it rules. And of course we have "SNL". He was, as I said before, one of the best actors that show has ever seen. His work on "SNL" is, for me at least, the best and most memorable of all time. From the GAP workers, to the Chippendales skit, to his talk show, to jumping in the cage at the zoo, to Matt Foley, and so many more I cannot think of right now, he was simply the best. The physicality was second to none. His timing was impeccable. He was made for live TV. He lived in the moment, and when it was his time, he seized on it. He was amazing.

I really miss Chris Farley. He was one of my favorite actors of all time. Watching him in "Tommy Boy" last week has me wanting to revisit a bunch of his other work. I have rewatched some of his "SNL" skits since Friday. I plan on watching "Black Sheep" soon. I want to see "Beverly Hills Ninja" again just to see if he still carries it like he did so many years ago. Farley was an amazing talent who lived his life much too hard. I highly recommend everyone go and check his stuff out if you haven't, or if you just want to revisit it. Farley was a once in a lifetime talent. I really, really miss him.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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