The life and premature passing of Chris Farley encompass far more than just a tragic story; they echo the legacy of his idol, John Belushi. Farley’s admiration for Belushi was evident and at times touching, particularly when he donned Belushi’s iconic outfits from SNL. Yet, this admiration was bittersweet, hinting at a fate that many feared. Lorne Michaels noticed the patterns and made it his mission to keep a close eye on Farley throughout his stint at the show.
Susan Morrison, author of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, reveals that the untimely death of Belushi in 1982 deeply affected Michaels. As one of the original cast members of SNL, Belushi’s tragic loss sent shockwaves through the comedy community, leaving a heavy mark on his peers. With awareness of the substance abuse struggles that plagued the entertainers in the years that followed, Chris Farley’s tenure in the early ’90s became a focal point for greater vigilance. Morrison elaborates, “When Belushi died, it really hit [Michaels] hard. I think he felt like, oh my God, this whole approach of just letting people do their own thing on their own time, this was the wrong approach. We’re a tribe, we’re a group, and we have to look out for each other…By the time Chris Farley comes along…from the beginning he clearly had addiction issues.”
The tragic pattern continued when Farley succumbed to an overdose at just 33 years old, mirroring the fate of his hero. Although Belushi was not always front and center, Farley undeniably made SNL his own stage, much to the delight of audiences during his five-season run alongside fellow comedians such as David Spade, Adam Sandler, and Rob Schneider.
Farley’s connection to SNL reached its conclusion in 1995—a point that came to feel increasingly commonplace. As Morrison notes, “He couldn’t metabolize it, but Lorne had really changed his approach. He would ban Farley from the show for weeks at a time if he was too f*cked up. And he sent him to a series of really tough love rehab places. And obviously, it didn’t do it for him.”
Interestingly, while John Belushi’s life has not yet inspired a biographical film, his influence recently surged back into the limelight through Matt Wood’s portrayal in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night. For fans eager for more from Farley’s narrative, Paul Walter Hauser is poised to depict Farley in an upcoming film directed by Josh Gad. The excitement continues to build as audiences anticipate a tribute to a comedic genius whose essence lingers in the hearts of many.
