Chris Rock has previously been cast on Saturday Night Live who is known for his funny skits and monologues. But sometimes the show can be a bit problematic, both on and off screen. The example is the rather famous (or infamous) sketch from 1990 with Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze. The sketch involved two dancers auditioning at a Chippendales nightclub in front of judges.

Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley had different body types, which was basically the center of the whole skit. Although it turned out to be the late comedian’s breakout moment, many called out the skit for getting laughs at Chris Farley’s expense. Comedian Chris Rock also joined the list of the many critics of the sketch as he thought it was downright mean rather than funny.

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Chris Rock Blasts SNL Sketch with Chris Farley

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Written by Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby, a biography titled The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts, led us through life to Chris Farley and his struggle with substance abuse that ultimately took his life in 1997. Seven years before this, Saturday Night Live published the above sketch. Patrick Swayze played Adrian and Farley played the other stripper, Barney.

As the two compete for the one open spot, Adrian ends up getting the gig despite Barney having much better moves. The reason for the loss was Barneys “relax” physique. Although it was meant to be “just an act”, there is no doubt that it affected Farley’s life and Chris Rock seems to agree.

In the biography, Rock admitted that he never liked the sketch in the first place. He stated that it was a line that should not have been crossed, and that after the jokes about his physique, the sketch should have turned in Farley’s favor. However, that didn’t end up happening and Rock didn’t think it was funny at all.

“I always hated [that sketch]. The joke about it is basically, “We can’t hire you because you’re fat.” I mean, he’s a fat guy, and you’re going to ask him to dance shirtless. OK. It is enough. You’re going to get that laugh. But when he stops dancing, you have to turn it to his advantage. There is no way there. There is no comic twist to it. It’s just bloody vicious.”

With a few years later, Rock also ended up joking about physical appearance when he took the main stage at the 2022 Oscars and joked about Sure Pinkett Smithhis bald head. Her husband, Will Smithtook the liberty of bashing Rock in front of the world, but we already know all about that ordeal!

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Bob Odenkirk shares the same thoughts as Chris Rock

Bob Odenkirk worked as a writer for SNL and his time clashed with Farley’s first year on the show. In the biography, Odenkirk didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat his words and openly stated that he hated the sketch.

“I didn’t like the fact that the first thing [Farley] was known for was that Chippendales thing, which I hated. F**king content, weak bulls**t. I can’t believe anyone liked it enough to put it on the show. Fuck that sketch. He should never have done that.”

In his book, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, Odenkirk stated that he did not like that the sketch was Farley’s breakout moment. He went on to say that he believes the skit should never have aired and that he could see the embarrassment on Farley’s face the moment he tore off his shirt. He stated that although the team thought the skit had a funny idea behind it, it wasn’t the skit that caused the audience to burst into laughter, but Farley “his crowded body flops.” In his opinion, the audience didn’t laugh because of Farley, but AT Farley.

While Farley passed away in 1997, his legacy lives on. He kind of helped people finally have discussions about problematic entertainment and weren’t afraid to call them out.

Source: The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts