Movies - TV
Why Some SNL Cast Members Regret Chris Farley’s Famous Chippendales Sketch
By JOSHUA MEYER
One of Chris Farley's best-known "Saturday Night Live" comedy sketches is "Chippendales Audition," which pits him against guest host Patrick Swayze in a dance-off for the ages.
Farley plays "Barney" and Swayze is "Adrian," two male striptease performers who appear before judges at a Chippendales nightclub, which only has the budget for one dancer.
The famous 1990 sketch has recently come under fire for basically fat-shaming Farley. Owing to this, not every member of "SNL" was a fan of "Chippendales Audition."
In "The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts,” writer Bob Odenkirk said he can’t believe it was approved to air, adding, “F*** that sketch. He never should have done it."
Chris Rock agreed, saying that the joke of getting him to dance with his shirt off was enough but they should have turned it so that he won the gig, otherwise it was just mean.
"Chippendales Audition" has its defenders, such as "SNL" writer and producer Robert Smigel, who told "The Howard Stern Show" that the sketch showed Farley as a physical comedian.
However, in the 2015 documentary "I Am Chris Farley," comedian Tom Arnold recalled Farley describing the sketch, and thought it was embarrassing.