Like all good TLs, somethings go good, and some things go bad. I've decided there will be a bright spot in this TL: the survival of one of the most tragically departed comedians in American history.
This was inspired by the documentary, the Dark Side of Comedy.
VH1'S Behind the Laughter [1]:
Comedians Back Stage- Episode 10, Chris Farley
Airdate, March 10, 2006
Narration: In January 1997, Beverly Hills Ninja was released, but while it was a box office hit, critics condemned the film and Farley's performance as dime store comedy. These bad reviews sent Chris [2] on a collision course with his greatest vice: drugs.
Chris Farley (somber): The critics words would...hit me like they were bullets. Because of that, I was doing all kinds of things...I shouldn't...
Andy Dick: He was going to drug parties, he was hanging out with prostitutes, he was drinking like crazy.
Narration: However, Chris was pulled back from the brink by a shockwave that rocked the Hollywood industry.
(footage of the Spielberg compound surrounded by police, footage of Spielberg's funeral)
Chris Farley (sad): Spielberg was a giant. No one expected him to die so soon. So when they killed him, it made me realize (he tries to hold back tears) I didn't want to end up in an early grave.
Narration: On May 10, 1997, Farley took a break from acting, and checked himself into a rehab center near Chicago. After 10 months of military grade rehab, he was declared clean.
(Footage of Chris happily leaving rehab)
In 1999, he would embark on one of the biggest career shifts in Hollywood history when the critically acclaimed animated feature
Shrek came out. In his new role, Farley revealed the tender vulnerability that had dogged him all his life. [3]
Charna Halpern (Improv Director): Watching that was like a shock to me.
(Footage of
Shrek)
Charna Halpern: He showed the world he could truly shine and be more then just the dumb fat guy.
Narration: But his biggest break would come in 2002, when he received the role of a lifetime: an autobiographical tale of the ill-fated Hollywood legend, Fatty Arbuckle [4].
Farley: I really saw a lot of myself in Arbuckle. A dude who was picked on for how he looked, you know.
(Footage of the movie
People v. Arbuckle)
Narration: The pain and tragedy of Arbuckle's life that Farley expressed would lead to an unexpected surprise.
(Footage of the 2003 Oscars)
Announcer: And the best Oscar goes to...Chris Farley
(footage of applause and Chris Farley getting his Oscar at the podium)
Andy Dick (sadly): People say fame can kill you, but I really think winning that Oscar saved Chris' life. He proved he wasn't some slob.
(Footage of Chris being hugged by his family)
[1] Guess what this is a reference too.
[2] People say this is what drove him off the wagon: the idea he could only play a clumsy slob. My belief was that if he had hung in, and gotten a more "respectable" role, he might have been able to control his insecurities.
[3] Farley was originally going to play Shrek. Here is some
recordings of him as Shrek if you are interested.
[4] He was actually planning to do this.
