Honestly, if you grew up in the 90s, Chris Farley wasn't just a comedian on TV. He was a force of nature. He was that sweaty, chaotic, somehow graceful whirlwind that appeared on your screen at 11:30 PM and made you feel like anything could happen. Usually, that "anything" involved a coffee table being smashed to smithereens or a grown man dancing in a tiny vest.
People talk about the chris farley best of snl moments like they’re holy relics. And in the world of sketch comedy, they basically are. There is a specific kind of magic in watching a guy who was clearly struggling with his own demons use every ounce of his physical being just to make David Spade crack up on live television.
It wasn't just "fat guy falls down" humor. That’s a common misconception. It was about the commitment. It was about a man who would give 150% to a bit about a lunch lady just because he knew it would make his friends laugh.
The Absolute Pantheon: Matt Foley and the Van
You can’t talk about Farley without talking about Matt Foley. It’s the law.
When he first burst through that door in 1993, nobody—not even the cast—was fully prepared. Bob Odenkirk (yes, Better Call Saul Bob Odenkirk) actually wrote the character back at Second City in Chicago. He saw Farley doing this weird, crouched-over stance and high-pitched scream and realized they had gold.
The sketch is simple. A couple (Phil Hartman and Julia Sweeney) hires a motivational speaker to scare their kids (David Spade and Christina Applegate) straight.
Why it actually works:
- The Physicality: Farley didn’t just talk; he loomed. He adjusted his glasses with a frantic energy that felt like he might explode.
- The Breaking: Watch David Spade in this sketch. He is hiding behind his hand for 80% of it. Farley knew he had him, and he leaned into it.
- The Table: That iconic crash wasn't supposed to be that destructive, but Farley went full-send.
"I am 35 years old, I am thrice divorced, and I live in a van down by the river!" It’s a line that has been shouted in dorm rooms and bars for over thirty years. But the real genius is in the smaller details—the way he hitches up his pants or the weird, robotic way he moves his arms.
The Vulnerability of "The Chris Farley Show"
If Matt Foley was Farley at his most explosive, "The Chris Farley Show" was him at his most tender.
This is the sketch where he plays a version of himself—an incredibly nervous, self-loathing talk show host. He sits down with legends like Paul McCartney or Martin Scorsese and asks questions that a terrified eight-year-old would ask.
"Remember when you were in the Beatles? That was cool."
McCartney’s deadpan "Yes, it was" is great, but the heart of the bit is Farley hitting himself in the head and calling himself "stupid" when he fumbles a question. It’s funny, sure. But looking back, it’s also a little heartbreaking. It felt real. It was real. Farley was notoriously shy and insecure off-camera, and this sketch took that raw nerve and turned it into high art.
It’s the polar opposite of the shouting characters. It’s quiet, awkward, and deeply human.
Chippendales: The Sketch That Shouldn't Have Worked
We have to address the elephant in the room. The Chippendales audition with Patrick Swayze is probably the most famous chris farley best of snl moment besides Matt Foley.
In the sketch, Farley’s "Barney" is competing against Swayze’s "Adrian" for a spot in the famous male stripping troupe. On paper, the joke is "look at the fat guy dance next to the fit guy." Chris Rock famously hated this sketch, saying it was just mean-spirited.
But here’s the thing: Farley out-dances Swayze.
He is incredibly light on his feet. He’s doing hair flips, thrusts, and spins with a level of athleticism that defies his size. He wasn't the butt of the joke because he was big; he was the star of the show because he was better than the "perfect" guy. He owned that stage.
Other Hidden Gems You Need to Rewatch
- Schmitts Gay: A parody beer commercial where Farley and Adam Sandler enjoy a pool day. It’s weird, it’s specific, and it’s one of the best "commercial" parodies SNL ever did.
- Lunch Lady Land: Adam Sandler singing a goofy song while Farley, dressed as a lunch lady, performs a chaotic interpretive dance behind him.
- Bennett Brauer: The guy on Weekend Update who uses "air quotes" for everything. "Maybe I'm not the 'ideal' man. Maybe I don't 'smell' good."
- The Gap Girls: Farley, Spade, and Sandler as teenage girls working at the Gap. "Lay off me, I'm starving!"
The "Bad Boys" Era and the Chemistry of Comedy
Farley was part of a specific era often called the "Bad Boys of SNL." We're talking Sandler, Spade, Chris Rock, and Rob Schneider. They were a clique. They stayed up all night in the offices at Rockefeller Center making prank calls and mooning people from limos.
That brotherhood is why the sketches hold up. When you watch Farley, you aren't just watching a performance; you’re watching a guy trying to make his best friends laugh.
He and David Spade were the ultimate "odd couple." Spade was the sarcastic, dry "straight man," and Farley was the human cannonball. This dynamic worked so well it birthed Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, but it started in the 17th-floor writers' room.
Why We Are Still Talking About Him in 2026
It has been decades since we lost Chris. But his influence is everywhere. You see it in the high-energy physical comedy of Jack Black or the "nervous interviewer" style of Zach Galifianakis.
Farley didn't have an "off" switch. He lived at a 10. That’s probably what made him so great and what eventually took him from us. There’s a sadness to the chris farley best of snl legacy, a sense that he was a man who gave so much of himself to the audience that there was nothing left for him.
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But when you put on that DVD or find a clip on YouTube, none of that matters for a second. You’re just watching a guy fall through a table. And it’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen.
How to Do a "Farley Marathon" Right
If you want to truly appreciate the range, don't just watch a "top 10" list on a clickbait site.
- Watch the "Best Of" Special: The official Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley (originally released in 1998) is the gold standard. It captures the rhythm of his career perfectly.
- Look for the "Breaks": Search for compilations of Farley making other actors laugh. It shows his power. When even a pro like Phil Hartman starts to smirk, you know you’re watching a master.
- Check out the "Hidden Camera" Skits: His "Schillervision" coffee sketch, where he loses his mind because he was served decaf, is a masterclass in escalating rage.
Stop looking for the "deeper meaning" for a minute. Just let yourself laugh at the absurdity of a man who was too big for the world he lived in.
Go watch the Paul McCartney interview again. Notice the way Farley settles into his seat and asks, "You remember when you were with the Beatles?" It’s simple. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what we’d all do if we were sitting there.
Chris Farley wasn't just a comedian; he was our surrogate on stage. He was the guy who was "too much," and he made us feel like being "too much" was the only way to live.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Fan:
Search for the "lost" Shrek recordings. Before Mike Myers took the role, Farley had recorded nearly 90% of the dialogue. Hearing his take on the character—as a much more vulnerable, shy ogre—will give you a whole new perspective on his talent beyond the loud shouting.