{"id":19176,"date":"2020-04-03T13:38:53","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T18:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/?p=19176"},"modified":"2020-04-14T13:54:50","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T18:54:50","slug":"the-ringer-chris-farley-tommy-boy-25-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebozho.com\/the-ringer-chris-farley-tommy-boy-25-years\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ringer pays tribute to Chris Farley as Tommy Boy<\/em> turns 25"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you read this site often, you may know how I feel about Chris Farley.<\/p>\n

My love for the man is deep and abiding. To me, the Madison native<\/a> was a sort of folk hero for goofball Wisconsinites. The Saturday Night Live<\/em> star\u2019s breakout film, Tommy Boy<\/em>, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring. While that makes me feel very old \u2014 even though I was only 4 when the road trip comedy came out \u2014 it presents a perfect opportunity to talk about the late \u201cFarls.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the folks at The Ringer ha<\/em>ve done just that, publishing not one but three Farley-related pieces this week. (Last year, the site also ran a wonderful retrospective<\/a> on Farley and his pal Adam Sandler<\/a>.) Each is highly interesting and definitely worth a read \u2014 but if you\u2019re short in time, let me give you the SparkNotes first:<\/span>\n

\"Chris
The Ringer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/span>\n

\u201cThe Chris Farley Syllabus<\/a>\u201d<\/h2>\n

His filmography is brief and not everything he was in was great, but at the very least Farley\u2019s presence elevated the material. The Ringer<\/em> article linked above breaks his career into pieces, focusing not just on his performances but also his influences and other media about <\/em>him. (Including, ironically, Roger Ebert\u2019s absolutely vicious review of Tommy Boy<\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

From his idolization of John Belushi, who also died at 33 of a drug overdose, to his iconic supporting role as an unhinged school bus driver<\/a> in Billy Madison<\/em>, writers Andrew Gruttadaro and Justin Sayles wax poetic on what made Chris Farley\u2026 well, Chris Farley.<\/p>\n

On a personal note, I was happy to see the inclusion of The Chris Farley Show<\/em>, a 2008 oral history that was a very formative book for me. Had I not read it, I probably wouldn\u2019t have become so interested in sketch comedy. And I never would have considered pursuing writing professionally. I could be a lawyer right now. Thanks, Chris Farley!<\/p>\n

\n

Holy schnikes, \u2018Tommy Boy\u2019 is 25 years old. @doxellis<\/a> and @andrewgrutt<\/a> highlight some essential components from the Chris Farley experience.<\/p>\n

\u27a1\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/dAssWx1xhg<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R1t19ckSkv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Ringer (@ringer) March 31, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n